We visited Fopollo at the beginning of March 2023 when it had been a bad season for snow almost everywhere across Europe.
When we arrived there hadn't been any proper snow fall for nearly a month or so, meaning there was snow on the piste, but everywhere else on the mountain was pretty much gone.
Initially we went there to snowboard, but it was so icy, it became very unpleasant getting from the top to the bottom. Therefore, we decided to have a go at skiing. Hired some skis from the shop in the centre who were very helpful and pleasant.
This turned out to be the perfect place to learn. During the week, finding ten people on the slope at the same time was as busy as it got. Most of the time we felt like we were the only people there.
This place does seem to be a local resort for local people. During the week it is almost dead, but at the weekends, it feels like the whole of Bergamo drive up the mountain and do their weekend skiing and it gets very busy. Come Monday morning, it is like a ghost town again.
During the week, there is hardly anything open at night except a couple of restaurants. Walking around the town feels like everyone left a few years ago with a couple of properties that look very run down. We dined nearly every night at the St Ambroeus Ristorante Pizzeria Bar. Have to say, incredibly welcoming family that run it and the food was really nice.
We stayed at the Hotel Adler and they were very welcoming, with very nice rooms and facilities. It was also 20 metres from the chair lift.
If you want somewhere quiet to learn with zero queues for the chair lift, then this place is perfect in the week. If you’re looking for somewhere with great apres ski and night life, you need to seriously go somewhere else.
We went to Foppolo for the weekend 26th-28th March, flying in Friday evening and out again on the Sunday. Two days skiing, good snow and all the main lifts running. The two chair lifts up from Foppolo were 4 chair and slow but adequate for the number of people skiing (very few). Snow was heavy and spring conditions but hard in the morning, good around middle of day and sugary in the mid afternoon. Stayed at the hotel Cristallo, right next to the ski lift, used by Equity ski company for a school group. Hotel very good, cost us 180 euros for the two days including ski pass and half board. Ski and boot hire very close by as well. Food at the restaurant at the top of the chair was superb. We took a varied group, 1 absolute beginner learned enough to ski blue run 3 times by end of second day, two intermediates who found the mainly red runs (so labelled) hard going when hard and two advanced who skied everything in sight including the off-piste blacks/reds and anything else that would move. The snow pack was solid and meant off-piste was like skiing on the heavy piste. Two days was enough to cover everything and have a really good time. The lift pass covers you for Foppolo and the connecting village Carona (I think) but to get to San Simone the third area covered by the lift pass would need to travel by ski bus or drive about 15-25 minutes. We didn't have time or transport adequate to carry skis to do that. Transfer time was one and a half hours from Bergamo.
Foppolo is a good little resort for short breaks, but lifts to the left "Toro" side were not running or pisted, and the lower lift to Hotel Deux Alpes was closed with no wire on it so looked a little long term.
We stayed at the Hotel Rododendro, which was basic but clean and welcoming with good food, cooked breakfasts, and it's own 2 man chair 50mtrs from the door up to the main lift area made it most convenient
Good value at 360 Euros pp for 4 nights H/B with 3 days ski pass and airport tranfer included. Transfer takes 1.5 hours in peak times from Bergamo Airport.
No lift queues midweek and good snow conditions 1/3/10
Foppolo is a great resort with lovely atmosphere and amazing mountain food.
The piste map on your site is a little out of date, lots of work has been done.
The Italian National ski team trained at Foppolo for the Adelboden GS.
This is a great little resort!
Designed for the beginner to intermediate (you need to ski reds to get to other blue runs). Enough runs to keep you busy for 3/4 days as the ski pass includes the 3 resorts Foppolo, Carona and San Simone.
I stayed at the Hotel Des Alpes and thought the hotel was great! Good price, good hotel, great location, great food and fantastic hosts in Fausta and Gian Franco.
Would definately recommend it!!
(Although the Christallo is located at the bottom of the slope, it frequently has large Italian school trips in the hotel. Something that would put me off.)
February 14, 2007
Kevin Clausner
from
United Kingdom
Just got back last night. This place is fantastic. These Italians really know how to look after you. Families will love this place. Our 4 kids have never laughed so much. Even the strange Italian music on the bus each morning was fun to sing along too. Half-board,transfers,ski bus,lift pass was all for £50 a day/night - Value for money at an extreme. We had a great stay at the Hotel Pendretii in Branzi (30 mins from Foppolo). See it all on the foppolo.com website - Don't tell too many people!!
Been to Foppolo 4 times in 3 years with family and mates. I think you can't beat it for value. Stayed in hotel Cristallo every time. All the staff are friendly. Rooms are basic and clean. Great for kids, the resort has good ski school and is not too rowdy.