A Beginner's Guide to Skiing in Cervinia

One of Italy’s most famous ski resorts, Cervinia is a gateway into a huge area of snowsure, high-altitude skiing.

It’s part of the Matterhorn Ski Paradise area - along with glitzy Zermatt and neighbour Valtournenche - and is overlooked at almost every angle by the enchanting Matterhorn mountain (think Toblerone packaging!), providing breathtaking views wherever you go.

A well-organised resort with plenty of top ski schools, Cervinia is a very solid pick for beginners - and being Italian rather than French, Swiss or Austrian, it brings with it the added benefit of cheaper prices… and of course great food!

Read on for more information about how to navigate Cervinia as a beginner skier (all prices and information are reflective of the 24-25 season).

In this beginner's guide, we answer:

• Is Cervinia a good resort for beginners?
• Where to stay if you're a beginner in Cervinia
• Is Cervinia suitable for a first time family ski holiday?
• Beginner skiing in Cervinia
• How much do lift passes cost?
• Beginner access to bars and restaurants
• How much do ski lessons cost?
• Is there a beginner-friendly snow park?

Is Cervinia a good resort for beginners?

Cervinia has a good selection of ski schools to help you learn the ropes, with plenty of picturesque skiing once you’ve graduated from the baby slopes. A good beginner’s lift pass discount is there to be had, while the resort is packed full of blues and lots of reds on the easier end of the scale.

There’s some nice après as well for when your legs are tired after a hard day’s work, including at Lino’s Bar and the Thistles Pub - both in town.

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St Anton is also a good resort for beginners - particularly those who want a very lively après experience!

Where to stay in Cervinia if you’re a beginner

Cervinia is a fine resort when it comes to accommodation. There are plenty of 3-star hotels, an increasing number of 4-star ones, and a couple of 5-stars, as well as a range of affordable apartments.

One good option might be the Hotel Petit Palais, which is located next to the bottom of the Plan Maison cable car - at the top of which is the ski school base.

Meanwhile, accommodation near the nursery area next to the village (which we’ll get into in more detail later!) includes Hotel Europa and the popular Hotel Dragon.

Is Cervinia suitable for a first-time family ski holiday?

There is a range of accommodation in Cervinia to suit all types of families, including plenty of hotels. A good choice might be the Valtur Cristallo, which has in house childcare for children between the ages of 3 and 17, as well as a play area and games room.

Off-slope activities aren’t the most extensive, but there are certainly some. Neighbouring Valtournenche (20 minutes on the bus) has a sports centre with a swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath, and an indoor sports hall fit for volleyball, basketball and football.

There’s also mini golf in the months when the weather isn’t quite as harsh.

You can also visit Europe’s highest ice cave and Europe’s highest museum (read more about them in this guide to why Cervinia is such a great ski resort), while you could also try your hand at ice skating outside Lino’s Bar and Restaurant.

Next to this ice rink there’s a lovely children’s zone with rubber rings and sledges to keep them busy, while the parents can enjoy a drink on a deck chair.

The town centre is traffic-free which is always a plus, while children under the age of 8 get to ski for free!

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France is also a top place for newbies to learn - check out our beginner's guide to Val d'Isère.

Beginner skiing in Cervinia

There’s a dedicated nursery area for beginners next to the village, which has both a carpet lift and the 450m Campetto Quad chairlift, allowing you to then go down a gentle slope and get used to skiing in a relaxed environment.

You can also take the gondola up to Plan Maison, where the 480m Vieille button lift awaits. This will drag you up to the top of another beginner slope, which you can then tackle as much as you like. Both areas are quite similar, although the village area would be better for absolute beginners as it’s right by the village.

Where to head when you’re ready to explore Cervinia 

Once you’ve mastered the areas above, you can tackle the many favourable blues which branch off from the Plan Maison and Salette areas in the mid-mountain range, although Salette is only accessible on ski via some genuine reds - take the bus to Valtournenche and go up the lifts if you want to avoid this.

The main run back to the village is also a blue which should be doable within a few days for a brand new skier - although towards the bottom it can get a bit busier and therefore bumpier.

There are 30 blues overall, and a good handful of reds that could easily be blues - among them are Pistes 46 and 6 from the top of the Bontadini Chairlift, and 7 from Laghi Cime Bianche. Once you’re comfortable with all this, then the mountain is yours to discover. Try out any of the 75 reds that look doable to you, and enjoy yourself.

How much do lift passes cost in Cervinia?

A daily pass for the local Cervinia area (ie - not including Zermatt) is €59 per adult (18+) per day.

Children between 8-14 are priced at €41.50 per day, while 14-18 year olds (“Juniors”) will cost you €53 per day.

Seniors (65+) cost the same as the Juniors - €53 per day.

6-day lift passes are better value than buying one every day. For example, an adult 6-day pass costs €311.50, whereas 6 separate daily passes would add up to €354. Similar savings apply to Children and Juniors/Seniors - the former will save €31 with a 6-day pass, while the latter group will save €37.50.

Children under the age of 8 get a free lift pass.

Is there a free lift pass for Cervinia?

Aside from the free lift pass for Under 8s, there is no free lift pass.

Is there a discounted lift pass for beginners?

There is a discounted day pass which includes the village nursery slope and the Plain Maison beginner area.

This pass will work on the magic carpet and 450m Campetto Quad chairlift in the village nursery area, as well as the 480m Vieille button lift at Plan Maison, and the gondola to get up to Plan Maison in the first place.

Beware though, you can only go up to Plan Maison in the gondola (and back down of course) once a day - so you can’t pop back to the village for lunch, for example, then come back up.

Are Cervinia après bars and restaurants accessible to beginner skiers

Yes, much of the après and culinary scene is easily within reach for beginner skiers - largely because most of it is in the village anyway.

One particular venue up in the slopes to aim for is called LOVE. This is half way down the Blue 5 slope, which is just down from the Cretaz lift, and not hard work at all to reach for a newbie. Ignore its slightly cringey name - it’s one of the best places for a boogie on a sun terrace.

As for mountain restaurants, Chalet Etoile is the standout choice, and is easily accessible from the Plan Maison or Pancheron chairlifts, down Pistes 6 or 26.

Check out our guide to Cervinia’s après and nightlife scene for more information.

How much do ski lessons cost in Cervinia?

As it is a pretty major skiing town for Italy, there’s a strong selection of ski schools here.

Absolute beginners will usually start their lessons by getting used to equipment and doing easy drills on very gentle slopes.

Rates will vary depending on the week of the season. Peak/high season dates tend to be around Christmas and other school holidays.

Is there a beginner-friendly snow park in Cervinia?

Yes. The IndianPark snowpark is an area which has many jumps and structures to freestyle ski. This may sound daunting to a beginner - and indeed much of it is aimed at more confident skiers - but there are areas in the snowpark dedicated to every skill level, including beginners.

Overall, is Cervinia a good choice for beginners?

Beginners of all ages will fit in well on a Cervinia ski holiday. 

Kids will do well - particularly those under the age of 8 who can get a free lift pass! - thanks to the quality ski schools and strong nursery areas.  

Adults will also appreciate these nursery areas, and then the vast amount of beginner and intermediate skiing that there is to tackle - most of which is under the spectacular Matterhorn mountain. 

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Make sure to check out our guide on why Cervinia is a great ski resort for even more reasons to go!

Book Your Beginner Ski Holiday to Cervinia

If Cervinia sounds like it might be the ski resort for you, then get in touch with us! We’ve been finding skiers their perfect ski holidays for more than 25 years now - there’s a reason we’re currently the UK’s largest ski travel agency.

All of our sales team have done seasons in the mountains, so they know exactly what they’re talking about - and can advise you down to the smallest details on what you want.

You don’t have to call of course - have a look at our best Cervinia ski deals, and you might be just a few clicks away from securing your ideal holiday.

If you’re the designated lead booker for a group holiday and you don’t know where to start, then have a look at our group holiday booking guide, which’ll point you in the right direction.