Top Summer Sports You Need to Try in the Italian Alps
The Italian Alps have a plethora of active summer activities for everyone. Our Alpine Hotel is located right beside the famous Alpine mountain range and we have many guests every season doing fun Activities in the Alps. When you think of Alpine sports, most people will associate it with skiing and snowboarding because of the Alps’ snow caps. However, there is an extensive range of sporty pursuits you could do in the summer – so many, it would be a never ending list! But in the least, these are some of the most fun and popular summer sports you can do in the Alps.
MOUNTAIN BIKING OR E-BIKING
Cycling in the Italian Alps must be a dream for mountain bike enthusiasts – as mountains are practically everywhere! Probably one of the best places to do MTB is the nearby Aprica resort, a highly renowned tourist destination for road and non-road biking enthusiasts. If you love riding bikes, then why not ride bikes in a unique and beautiful terrain full of Alpine views? MTB enthusiasts love the area due to its variety of dirt roads, mountain pastures and landscapes. Aprica even has a ‘Bike Circus Map’ which shows all the best cycling routes of the area. But why should you try it? Not only is it great for your physical and mental health, but it is like an adventure into the wilderness! If not mountain biking, you can do E-Biking in the Alps, it is like regular biking but with an extra boost thanks to the additional engine.
PARAGLIDING
Have you ever dreamt of flying? Can you imagine soaring through the sky as you glide past the rolling hills and mountains of the lush, green Alps? Paragliding is an incredible experience that one would not forget. Flying paragliders are a lightweight, free-flying and foot-launching gliding aircraft that requires a pilot being secured with a harness. If you have never tried the sport, then you should really consider trying it! Who else has a semi-Birdseye view of the Italian Alps? Most of the time, you will be attached to a professional paragliding pilot especially when you have no experience of doing the sport, this will give you a sense of security and safety, allowing you to fully relax while flying in the sky. But if you do decide to try it by yourself, some places have ‘paragliding schools’ that allow you to learn the basics. Some of the best places you could do paragliding are in the Dolomites mountains.
VIA FERRATA
A sport full of Alpine history, via Ferrata, is a challenging, but fun activity that you can do in the Alps – particularly in the Dolomites. Via Ferrata is an activity that involves climbing vertically on a mountain with the correct mountaineering equipment like ropes, cables and lanyards. Many of the current recreational via Ferrata trails originated from the original pathways that the Austro-Hungarian armies installed back in the First World War. Due to its world-famous routes, they are all very well-protected itineraries with extra wire cables for safety and iron rods.
RAFTING
Where there are Alps, there is an abundance of freshwater rivers and lakes that are perfect for rafting. So as well as mountain-related activities, there are a plethora of water-related activities as well. White water rafting is an outdoor recreational activity which uses an inflatable raft to navigate within a moving body of water. And of course, depending on the kind of river, it can determine the difficulty of the rafting adventure. Paddle your way along with others down the moving current and revel at the beautiful mountains as a backdrop! There are many rafting locations in Northern Italy, the nearest one to our hotel is the Indomitable Valtellina River and the Agua Rafting Centre, with them being only 40-50 minutes drive away.
CANYONING
An exciting and relatively new activity is canyoning. Canyoning involves travelling in canyons using a variety of techniques such as walking, climbing, jumping, abseiling and even swimming. One of the most stunning canyons can be found beside the Lombardy Lakes, like Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. With guides assisting you, you will be able to walk, or rather, swim through the crystal clear waters of the canyon along with others. It requires some perseverance and a bit of bravery to get through the canyon.
SUMMER SKIING
Who says you can’t ski in the summer? In some areas of the Italian Alps, you can still take your skiing gear to the mountains during the summer. Up in the Rhaetian Alps, there is Presena Glacier Ski Resort, which is about 50 minutes drive from the hotel, the Tonale Pass makes it highly possible for you to ski in the warmer months. Reach to the top by a system of three lifts while you awe over the beautiful Adamello mountains.
These are just a few of the summer sports that can be done in the Italian Alps. Why not check out Albergo Miramonti? We are sandwiched between the Alps and have many activities for you to do in the Alps, once you’re done, you can retreat into our Alpine Spa and relax at our Cigar Lounge.