A Road Trip Through the Dolomites After the Lifts Stop Spinning
The Olympics bring the spotlight.
The Dolomites paint the backdrop.
Après ski brings it all together for the real celebration.
If you’re following the Olympic Games across Northern Italy, blazing downhill runs, huge freestyle air, and that electric mountain atmosphere, this is your map for what happens after the last gate is cleared.
I went looking for the spots where the Olympic energy spills straight from the slopes into the bar, and these are the places where the party actually lives.
Stop One: Selva di Val Gardena — Where the Energy Starts
Luislkeller
The door swings open and the sound hits you first.
Stone walls. Low ceilings. Bass echoing off centuries-old cellar arches. Luislkeller isn’t manufactured…it’s 45 years of hard earned après. By 4:30pm the bar is hopping. The long wooden tables are full, ski boots are stomping, and strangers are chanting in unison like they’ve been friends for years.
Luislkeller is where Olympic spectators, ski instructors, and powder hunters collide. No one’s pretending to be someone they are not. You’re here to celebrate and that’s exactly what happens.
Beers raised high and singing loudly, your voice is bound to be coarse by evening.
This is classic Dolomites après ski. It’s loud, messy and simply unforgettable.
La Stua
Not far from Luislkeller and you’ll find its slightly more refined sibling.
La Stua feels polished and inviting. As beers flow in the late afternoon light the terrace catches that golden Dolomites sunset just right. The rustic wood interior welcomes patrons in, but don’t mistake “polished” for tame.
The DJ and the crowd builds slowly. Conversations get louder. Then, suddenly the entire room lifts together and people are up dancing
La Stua is where you say you’re just grabbing one beer and end up five deep and dancing in ski boots anyway.
Après Ski Bar Saltos
Saltos feels effortless, quite honestly, because it is. You ski straight into it.
There’s something deeply satisfying about unclipping your skis, walking ten steps, and being handed a drink before you can even switch from your goggles to sunglasses
The vibe is rock and pop. On nice days, the crowd filters out into the snow bringing slope-side energy without that bougie feeling. It’s the kind of place where you’re still wearing your helmet and no one cares.
Saltos is loud. It’s fun. It’s exactly what your quads need after chasing Olympic-level terrain.
Bacher’s Après Ski Snow Bar
Mid-mountain. Sunshine. Alpenglow. What is better than that?
Bacher’s Après Ski Snow Bar is that perfect golden-hour location when ski day and celebration overlap.
Set right between the Saslong Cable Car, gateway to the legendary World Cup slope, and the Gardena Ronda underground train connecting Seceda and Ciampinoi, this place sits directly in the flow of ski traffic. You don’t detour here. You naturally drift into it. And that’s how a quick transfer turns into a quick beer.
The terrace fills fast. Helmets off. Sunglasses on. Aperol Spritzes catching the last light as the Dolomites turn pink. The music rolls in confidently as the DJ takes over. Being outdoors, it’s not overpowering but rather just enough to get the people going.
Snow Bar is elevated, quite literally and socially too.
This is where you pause, take in the backdrop of the mountains, and realize how surreal it is to be skiing Olympic terrain by day and celebrating on a terrace carved into the Dolomites by afternoon.
Après ski here is effortless, stylish and timeless all in one.
Stop Two: Corvara — The Stylish Interlude
L’Murin
Corvara brings a slightly different flavor of après, and L’Murin more than delivers.
Conversations flow as you walk from the outdoor patio into the downstair bar. Warm wood beams, good lighting and a properly poured beer welcome you in. The crowd their looks like they skied hard but still care how they show up.
Downstairs people recap their day reliving one steep pitch at a time.
And then…you make your way upstairs. The volume rises the mood turns from conversational to full on dance party. Before you know it, you are sucked into this vortex and end up staying way more than originally planned.
L’Murin proves that après can be relaxed and electric all under one roof.
Stop Three: Kronplatz — Big Energy Territory
Kronplatz is where things expand and the outside becomes the inside. Here, the terraces are bigger. The bass is deeper. The après scene feels like it’s gearing up for a crescendo.
Because it is.
K1
There is no easing into après at K1.
It’s already going!
The terrace is hopping even before lifts close. DJs are spinning classic European tunes as the bass thumps through your chest. Olympic spectators mix with seasonaires and locals who know exactly where the energy is.
K 1 is where a sun-drenched party can easily turn into full nightlife mode as darkness falls. If you’re looking for the “we might not make dinner” type of stop, this is it.
K1 is energy on full send until you finish at the top of the podium.
Giggeralm
Last but not least, there’s Giggeralm.
Located right at the base, you simply have no excuse not to stop.
Even when it’s packed, it feels local. Beers flowing with ease immediately leads to dancing on benches. It’s the type of chaotically beautiful simplicity that defines great alpine après.
Ski. Drink. Laugh. Repeat.
You may stumble in tired but rest assured, you will leave energized.
That’s the true magic of après ski.
The Real Gold Medal is the Dolomites Après Ski
The Olympic medals get handed out in stadiums.
But the real gold?
It’s won in cellar bars, sun-soaked terraces, and base-area dance floors carved into the Dolomites.
The Games bring the world here.
Après ski is where the world actually meets and connects.
And if you’re doing it right, you’ll leave with tired legs, new friends, and at least one story that sounds slightly unbelievable the next morning.
Just how it should be.
About the Author
Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He is also the co-host of the Après All Day Podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long time contributor for many publications on topics like skiing, travel, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. @allaboutapres