And it's a high-speed eye-catching eight seater.

The award-winning ski area is thrilled to be Italy's first to bring the ultimate in comfort, style and speed to its winter sports fans.

The Euro 8m chair will replace the 30-year-old button lift Gran Paradiso on Piz Sella and is longer than the old lift so will take skiers and boarders to Passo Sella as well as provide a direct connection to the Sellaronda clockwise (green) route.

The new Gran Paradiso can carry 2,200 people per hour, compared with the old button lift's 900 people per hour capacity. The 1km long lift will take 3 minutes 21 seconds and rise 231m in altitude.

Val Gardena Dolomites has chosen a striking blue for the seats.

Said Tourist Director Guenther Pitscheider "Val Gardena Dolomites proves once again that it is not only a pioneer in the ski industry, but also one of the most modern ski areas in the Alps."

Val Gardena Dolomites is celebrating its 5* status with Skiresort.info, the world's largest test portal for ski resorts, one of a handful of global resorts to achieve and maintain such a high standard - and the only resort to do so in the heart of the glorious Dolomites.

"Our excellent service and the impressive backdrop of the Val Gardena mountainscape are once again leading the way," said Guenther.

More on Val Gardena Dolomites on www.valgardena.it/en