Customer portal
Getting an early ski trip in at the start of the season can be a great option if you’re looking to avoid peak dates.
As well as snow cover being good enough for plenty of skiing (helped when needed by snow cannons at most resorts), the pistes are much less crowded than usual, meaning there’s loads of space to enjoy your skiing.
While not a certainty, December also tends to get more sunny days than in the middle of the season, meaning there are some great memories to be made on the sun terraces.
A good number of Italian resorts also put on lift pass discounts in the first few weeks of their season - a great way to save some money.
Finally, there’s also a unique buzz around the resort when the season starts, with excitement at its peak among seasonaires and guests. It really is a great time to ski.
Keep reading to discover the best early-season ski resorts in Italy. To clarify, this guide isn’t about Christmas - have a read of our top resorts in Italy for a Christmas ski trip if you’re after a festive getaway.
READ MORE: Keen on Italy, but need more information? Have a look at our best après-ski resorts in Italy.
According to our research, the top Italian resorts for an early-season December ski holiday are:
- Cervinia
- Livigno
- Cortina
- Passo Tonale
- Pila
- Sauze d'Oulx
You can compare the stats for each resort in the table below:
| Resort | Average snow per week | Average snow days per week | 2024-25 opening date | Average sunny days per week | Early-season lift pass discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cervinia | 37cm | 3.5 | November 30 | 2.3 | n/a |
| Livigno | 25cm | 3.2 | November 30 | 2 |
(up to) €118.50 |
| Cortina | 25cm | 2.7 | November 30 | 2.5 | €39 |
| Passo Tonale | 25cm | 2.8 | November 30 | 3 | n/a |
| Pila | 22cm | 2.9 | November 30 | 2.4 | n/a |
| Sauze d'Oulx | 19cm | 2.5 | November 30 | 2.1 | €30 |
1. Cervinia
Average amount of snow per week: 37cm
Average number of snow days per week: 3.5
Opening date for 2024-25 season: 30 November
Average amount of sunny days per week: 2.3
Early lift pass discount (adult 6-day pass): n/a
One of the highest-altitude ski resorts in Europe, popular Cervinia is a great option for an early-season ski trip. Like all on this list, it opens its doors to skiers very early - but it’s the snow record which really stands out.
With about 37cm of snowfall each week, the resort is bound to have great conditions. If you love a powder day then it’s likely there’ll be close to 4 days where you’ll be skiing while it snows.
It’s part of the brilliant Matterhorn Ski Paradise, which combines skiing in Cervinia with that in neighbouring Valtournenche, and over the Swiss border in glitzy Zermatt - offering a whopping 360km of slopes overall, when all is open. Skiing is possible from 1,562m, all the way up to 3,899m.
The name comes from the famous Matterhorn mountain that dominates the skyline and looms right over Cervinia. It’s the very same mountain which used to appear on Toblerone packaging - and inspired the shape of the chocolate - and it looks incredible in real life.
To top it off, much of the local Cervinia area lies within a south-facing bowl, meaning when the sun shines, you’ll have glorious skiing. Don’t worry about melting though; it’s at such a high altitude that it takes the number one spot in our list of Italy’s most snow-sure ski resorts.
2. Livigno
Average amount of snow per week: 25cm
Average number of snow days per week: 3.2
Opening date for 2024-25 season: 30 November
Average amount of sunny days per week: 2.5
Early lift pass discount (adult 6-day pass): Up to €118.50
Another high-altitude resort with skiing from 1,800m up to about 3,000m, duty-free Livigno is another top Italian option if you’re looking for early-December snow-sure skiing.
A partial host of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, there are a healthy 115km of slopes to explore, including 29 blue, 37 red and 12 blacks. Snowfall is also strong - if previous years are anything to go by, you can expect 25cm of it each week.
A major pull to those with an eye on their wallets is the fact you can get major savings on lift passes in the first week of the season. An eye-watering €118.50 could be clawed back, thanks to a 6-day lift pass being €216 - down from €334.50 in the most peak dates. (There are different prices for various other weeks in the season. It’s quite complicated - but our sales team will be happy to talk you through it all!)
With an early opening date and decent sunshine to be expected, Livigno is a great choice. This is even more true if you like a drink and a dance - it ranked top in our list of Italy’s best après-ski resorts.
3. Cortina
Average amount of snow per week: 25cm
Average number of snow days per week: 2.7
Opening date for 2024-25 season: 30 November
Average amount of sunny days per week: 2.5
Early lift pass discount (adult 6-day pass): €39
With a reputation for attracting high-flying Italians for the weekend (many of whom don’t even come to ski!), you can rest assured Cortina’s skiing is brilliant, and another great option at the start of the season.
Sometimes known by its full name of Cortina d’Ampezzo, the ski area boasts 140km of pretty slopes characterised by the jagged rocks that are custom to the stunning Italian Dolomite region?
Ski enthusiasts might be encouraged by the fact that the slopes are fairly quiet in the afternoon, with many people retiring at lunch - meaning you can whizz around with loads of space.
Another attractive feature is the lift pass discount. Adult 6-day passes from the start of the season until the 21st of December are €39 cheaper - enough to buy you a nice meal up in the mountain restaurants.
As the main host of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, you can expect a resort full of great hospitality, lovely restaurants and cafes, and a great buzz.
4. Passo Tonale
Average amount of snow per week: 25cm
Average number of snow days per week: 2.8
Opening date for 2024-25 season: 30 November
Average amount of sunny days per week: 3
Early lift pass discount (adult 6-day pass): n/a
Another of Italy’s highest resorts, Passo Tonale has runs mainly above the treeline which cater for all abilities of skier. There are about 100km of slopes overall, with skiable terrain up to a whopping 3,100m.
A strong snowfall record, paired with a very impressive snowmaking system, makes the slopes very reliable, while you can also enjoy a likely 3 days per week of sun-kissed action.
There’s also lovely skiing on the Presena Glacier to enjoy, while newbies are very well-catered for, with a quarter of the slopes aimed at beginners.
5. Pila
Average amount of snow per week: 22cm
Average number of snow days per week: 2.9
Opening date for 2024-25 season: 30 November
Average amount of sunny days per week: 2.4
Early lift pass discount (adult 6-day pass): n/a
Pretty Pila is more of a lowkey resort, with just 70km of slopes and 12 lifts, with the majority being suitable for intermediates.
One major pull of Pila is that you can get a quick cable car up to it from the beautiful city of Aosta, which has lots of Roman architecture and features. It takes just 17 minutes, and allows you to blend both a city escape with plenty of skiing.
Of course, you can also stay in Pila, which is at a healthy 1,800m altitude, with skiing up to 2,725m. Much of the skiing in Pila is situated within a bowl that is nicely sheltered from the wind, while also picking up good sunshine and maintaining strong snow conditions.
6. Sauze d'Oulx
Average amount of snow per week: 19cm
Average number of snow days per week: 2.5
Opening date for 2024-25 season: 30 November
Average amount of sunny days per week: 2.1
Early lift pass discount (adult 6-day pass): €30
Previously often referred to as the “Benidorm of the Alps”, Sauze d’Oulx has worked hard to shrug off this reputation, although it’s still a great choice for après-ski - and December skiing, of course.
Part of the extensive Milky Way ski area which boasts more than 400km of slopes, there’s plenty of skiing to be tackled with Sauze d’Oulx as your base.
The ski area has slopes ranging from 1,350m, all the way up to 2,823m, meaning there’s both treelined trails and wide, open slopes up above.
You can also save a useful €30 on a 6-day lift pass if you visit between 6th and 20th December. It costs €262.50 in this period, whereas it would usually set you back €292.50.
Discover the joy of early-season skiing in Italy with Iglu Ski
If an early-season trip to Italy sounds like it could be the one for you, then let us help you find your perfect getaway.
We're the UK's largest ski travel agency with the biggest range of holidays you'll find. We've been doing it for more than 26 years, and our team is packed full of ski experts - all of us have done at least 1 season in the mountains.
If you have any questions whatsoever, give our friendly team a call on 020 3811 4142, or leave us an enquiry - we'll get back to you with as much information as possible, no matter how silly you think your questions might be. Alternatively, if you know what you're after already, then have a look at our best early-season Italy ski deals - you can book online or over the phone.
If you're going in a group, you might benefit from our group holiday booking guide, which breaks down the process into more manageable chunks.