Ovindoli bets on expansion as new chairlift rises in the Apennines

A €6.2 million project at Monte Magnola is adding a four-seat chairlift and three pistes to one of Abruzzo’s leading ski areas. Supporters see the works as a boost for tourism and employment; environmental groups warn that expanding ski infrastructure inside a protected mountain landscape comes at a cost.

Ovindoli Monte Magnola is one of the most prominent and complete ski resorts in the central Apennines of Italy. Located within the spectacular Sirente-Velino Regional Park in the Abruzzo region, it forms part of the "Three Snows" (Tre Nevi) ski area alongside nearby Campo Felice and Campo Imperatore.Because of its north-facing slopes, Ovindoli benefits from a microclimate that delivers one of the longest winter sports seasons in central Italy, often running from December through April or even early May.

A new chapter is taking shape on the slopes of Monte Magnola, where construction is advancing on a four-seat chairlift and three pistes designed to expand the Ovindoli ski area ahead of the 2026–27 winter season.

The works are centred on the Valle delle Lenzuola and Genziana sector. The project’s main installation is the approximately 600-metre Costa della Tavola chairlift, which will serve three new runs: Genziana, Costa della Tavola 1 and Costa della Tavola 2. Together, the pistes will add about 1.5 kilometres of new ski terrain.

The development is the second phase of a wider plan to enlarge and modernise the Ovindoli–Monte Magnola resort. It is financed through €6.2 million from Italy’s Fondo per lo Sviluppo e la Coesione, or FSC, for the 2021–27 programming period.

A resort seeking room to grow

Ovindoli is already one of central Italy’s best-known ski destinations. The resort has 21 pistes extending across approximately 30 kilometres, served by 11 lifts, according to Abruzzo’s official tourism portal. Its slopes sit between roughly 1,500 and 2,000 metres and include a gondola, chairlifts, beginner carpets and a snow park.

The new lift will open terrain in a part of the mountain that has been less accessible to skiers. It is expected to improve circulation across the ski area while giving visitors more choice on busy days, when the established pistes can come under pressure from day-trippers and holidaymakers.

The project follows the opening of the Max Bortolotti chairlift and associated pistes in early 2025. Those works formed the first lot of the expansion programme; the Costa della Tavola installation and the three new runs make up the second.

Although reports differ slightly on the figures—some describe the chairlift as approximately 560 metres long, while the project’s wider presentation refers to about 600 metres—the scope is consistent: a fixed-grip, four-seat chairlift serving a new sector between the lower and upper stations at around 1,926 and 2,032 metres.

Public investment, local returns

For Ovindoli’s mayor, Angelo Ciminelli, the project is about more than lift technology. He has described the expansion as an investment in the mountain economy, with the potential to increase visitor numbers and support tourism businesses throughout the Altopiano delle Rocche.

The regional government has made a similar case. Abruzzo president Marco Marsilio has presented the work as a strategic investment in mountain infrastructure, sport and tourism. The official construction launch took place in December 2025, with the regional administration linking the project to its wider programme for developing the region’s mountain areas.

Ovindoli’s strongest market is the large population within reach of the central Apennines, particularly visitors from Rome and Lazio. The resort’s accessibility makes it suitable for short breaks and day trips, rather than only week-long ski holidays.

That pattern can produce substantial economic activity even when visitors do not stay overnight. During the 2025–26 season, Il Centro reported more than 2,000 skiers on the slopes on one busy day and described accommodation as fully booked through the Epiphany holiday. The local ski operation said winter activity supported about 350 seasonal jobs across lifts, hospitality, ski schools, restaurants and equipment rental.

The environmental dispute

The expansion is taking place in a sensitive setting. Monte Magnola lies within the landscape of the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, an area marketed for its natural environment as well as its ski facilities. Abruzzo’s tourism authority describes the resort as being surrounded by a protected mountain landscape.

Environmental objections have accompanied the project for several years. In 2022, the Abruzzo regional administrative court annulled an earlier measure relating to the expansion. Critics argued that new pistes could damage habitats and affect species including the Orsini viper. The project was subsequently revised and proceeded through a new authorisation and funding process.

More recently, environmental groups have criticised the new chairlift and pistes as an unnecessary alteration of the landscape, while supporters maintain that the project has the required permits and approvals. Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that the current tender concerns a chairlift in the Genziana area, with the construction cost in the tender documents listed at about €4.94 million, within the broader €6.2 million project allocation.

The disagreement reflects a wider debate across Italy’s mountain regions. Ski resorts argue that modern lifts and expanded terrain are essential to remain competitive and sustain local communities. Environmental campaigners question whether public money should continue to support ski expansion as snow conditions become less predictable and natural habitats face increasing pressure.

Snow reliability is central

The new infrastructure will not operate in isolation. Ovindoli has already invested heavily in snowmaking, including a Snow Factory system reported to have cost €1 million. The system can produce snow using water and electricity without chemical additives, providing an additional tool during periods of limited natural snowfall.

The resort’s elevation and northern exposure help extend its season compared with some lower Apennine areas, but no lift project can remove the risks associated with warmer winters. Reliable opening dates will depend on temperatures, water availability, snowmaking capacity and the operational readiness of the new pistes.

The intended target is the 2026–27 season. Local and trade reports have repeatedly described the new chairlift and pistes as scheduled for use during that winter, but a definitive public commissioning date has not been confirmed.

A bigger connection remains distant

The second lot is also being viewed as a step towards a much larger ambition: a possible future connection between Ovindoli–Monte Magnola and Campo Felice.

Such a link would create a more extensive ski destination across the Altopiano delle Rocche and could significantly raise the area’s profile. But it would require additional funding, further planning and new environmental assessments. For now, the connection remains a long-term political and tourism objective rather than part of the current €6.2 million project.

The immediate test will be more practical. Can Ovindoli complete the chairlift on schedule, open the three pistes reliably and convert public investment into longer stays and greater local spending?

When skiers return for the next winter season, the answer will be visible in the lift queues, on the new runs and in the hotels and restaurants below. For Ovindoli, Monte Magnola’s expansion is both a tourism opportunity and a measure of how far an Apennine resort can grow while preserving the mountain on which its future depends.