Dreaming of an Italian escape? Planning a white Christmas? Love winter sports? Then make it happen with a gorgeous getaway to one of these ski villages. Welcome to a winter wonderland, Italian-style.
Veneto region
CORTINA & LAGAZUOI
Often called the ‘Queen of the Dolomites’, Cortina d’Ampezzo looks fit for skiing royalty. From gorgeous galleries to high-end fashion boutiques, medieval buildings and elegant villas, Cortina has a cult following among Italian winter holidaymakers…and it’s easy to see why. With 120 kilometres of slopes and 27 lifts, Cortina is not too big, and not too small, but just right. Nearby Lagazuoi is the jumping off point for one of the world’s most majestic ski routes and a bucket-list activity for skiers worldwide. The 8.5-kilometre Armentarola, winds past fairytale scenery including frozen waterfalls and striking rocky formations before culminating in a horse-drawn ride to the ski lift.
ARABBA
A stay in Arabba is like taking a step back in time. Nestled in the foothills of the Sella Massif, the valley’s stone and timber lodges and huts look like they were made for a rustic reel on Instagram. Favoured by expert-level skiiers, its scenic slopes are flanked by forests and rocky outcrops, while the village blends traditional Italian and Austrian hospitality. With 67 kilometres of skiable terrain, 28 lifts and access to the Sella Ronda ski circuit and the highest mountain in the Dolomites, the Marmolada, Arabba is an absolute gem.
Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol region
VAL DI FASSA
Those who like to combine skiing action with spa time flock to the Val di Fassa which does a spectacular job of combining wellness tourism with winter sports, with 210 kilometres of pistes, three snow parks and 54 lifts for easy access. Visitors descend upon the spa town of Pozza di Fassa for treatments and to enjoy the colourful beauty of its historic buildings and fabulous murals, while the pretty traditional village of Canazei boasts narrow streets, rustic architecture, and outstanding local mountain cuisine, served in friendly family-run restaurants.
ORTISEI
Like a scene plucked from a storybook, Ortisei is delightfully car free, camera friendly and often acclaimed as the most beautiful village in the Dolomites thanks to its perfect pastel buildings, traditional Tyrolean timber houses and world-class wood carving and nativity scenes. While Ortisei itself has 10 pistes and lifts, as one of the three key villages of the Val Gardena ski zone, it also offers easy access to 175 kilometres of slopes and 80 lifts for those looking for more challenging runs.
BRUNICO & CORVARA
The medieval town of Brunico is popular with skiiers who are up for a challenge, as well as visitors who come for the town’s famous Christmas market and the artisanal craft stores that line the pretty Via Centrale. Floodlit slopes offer romantic night skiing, while ice skating, snow mobiling, moonlit hikes and horse-drawn carriage rides offer a break from skiing. Still in the Alta Badia ski area, nearby Corvara is known for its traditional wood chalets, high-end fashion boutiques, refined dining, and charming churches, with 38 pistes and 20 lifts, while the photogenic neighbouring town of Colfosco offers family-owned restaurants and bars, fantastic scenery, and easy access to the Sellaronda ski circuit.
MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO
With its history as a favourite ski resort with the European glitterati in centuries past, the apres-ski life in Madonna di Campiglio is centred around Piazza Righi, home to historic buildings, glamorous bars, ritzy restaurants, and chic shops. Boasting breathtaking views and 150 kilometres of ski runs, this elegant ski-in ski-out town looks right at home among the jetset yet has a laidback ambience everyone can enjoy along with plenty of pasta, polenta, pizza, antipasto and Austrian-influenced dumplings and hearty stews. The town has 19 lifts, including high-speed quads with heated seats, as well as access to 57 lifts in adjoining villages. More than half the trails are advanced and off-piste options include a lengthy toboggan run, and several snowparks.
STERZING
The northernmost town in Italy, Sterzing has a distinctly Austrian vibe, with more locals speaking German than Italian and plenty of goulash, and pork and apples on the menu alongside gnocchi, pasta and pizza. With houses painted in pretty sorbet shades and a month-long Christmas market, there’s plenty to appeal to all ages both on and off the slopes. The area has 20 kilometres of ski runs, snow-shoe hiking and Italy’s longest illuminated toboggan run.
Aosta Valley region
MONTEROSA
Part of the Monterosa ski zone with 174 kilometres of pistes to roam and 37 lifts, Gressoney enjoys views of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and the Dolomites. Known for its powder terrain and off-piste options, the resort includes two character-filled alpine villages, Gressoney-La-Trinite and Gressoney-Saint-Jean. Surrounded by snow-topped forests and sky-high peaks, the quaint, undiscovered nearby village of Champuloc offers superb skiing, heli-skiing, cross-country action and snowboarding, and a friendly, laidback apres-ski scene.
COURMAYEUR
The jewel in the Aosta Valley, the spa and ski town of Courmayeur turns heads for all the right reasons. Overlooked by magnificent Mont Blanc, a stroll down the pedestrianised Via Roma reveals swish boutiques and first-class restaurants, while winding alleys are lined with rustic stone buildings and traditional timber balconies. Fantastic for ski touring, snowboarding, backcountry routes and a fun apres-ski scene, Courmayeur boasts352 kilometres of downhill skiing, 180 individual pistes, and 62 lifts.
CERVINIA
With the majestic Matterhorn as its backdrop, the gorgeous Italian ski resort of Cervinia has 160 kilometres of pistes and is close to the endless runs of Zermatt in Switzerland – you can take a cable car and ski across the border. While most of Cervinia’s piste trails are suited for intermediate skiiers, there is a great beginner’s area, and the hidden off-piste areas will challenge even the most advanced adventure skiiers.
Lombardy region
LIVIGNO & BORMIO
Enjoying an idyllic location right by the Swiss border, Livigno is postcard-perfect and packed with 110 kilometres of pistes, 31 lifts and 30 kilometres of country trails, with winter sports fans returning year after year for winter hiking, ice skating and tobogganing, as well as deluxe duty-free shopping. The action doesn’t stop when the sun goes down either, with night skiing, wine bars, clubs, cosy restaurants, and hot mulled wine to enjoy after a day on the slopes. Known for its healing thermal baths, lively old town and50 kilometres of slopes, Bormio is a town with a rich history of art and architecture and reputation for big-vertical skiing that will test the thighs of the most match-fit skiiers.
Piedmont region
SESTRIERE & SAUZE D’OULX
Accessible from Milan and Turn, and part of the Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski area, the charming mountain village of Sauze d’Oulx is famed for its off-piste runs with plenty of trees and evening fun in the small bars of the town’s cobblestoned centre. Right next door, Sestriere is one of Italy’s highest ski resorts, with plenty of black runs for advanced skiiers.
