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Beginner skiers can have a tough time working out where to go for their first few holidays, but you can rest assured that Italy is a great choice to cater for your needs - and particularly if value for money is a top priority.
Skiing in Italy has long been around, with elites enjoying the alpine pastime since the late 19th century, before it boomed through the Italian middle class in the 20th century.
With its over 200-year history, Italy is clearly then a top choice for any type of skier, and beginners are no exception - and we’re here to tell you exactly which ski resorts you should be considering.
To put together this guide, we’ve considered the various factors which we know to be key to skiing as a beginner. These include how many free lifts there are, the number of blue runs, the cost of lessons and the cost of lift passes (once you’re ready to use them).
From the stunning town of Cortina, through to pretty little Pila, these 10 Italian ski resorts will have you whizzing down the slopes in no time.
Jump to: Top 10 beginner ski resorts in Italy
First, what makes a ski resort beginner friendly?
According to our specialists, there are 7 key factors that should be considered when deciding on the ideal ski resort your first ski holiday:
Number of blue slopes
Blue slopes are the easiest types of slope for skiers to tackle, with the next hardest being red, then black.
You may have also heard of green slopes, but Italy doesn’t use these - instead, they are exclusive to France (and Spain and Scandinavia if you’re counting the smaller skiing countries). Check our piste guide if you’re finding this a bit confusing!
Average ski lesson cost
We’ve scoured the costs provided by local ski schools and averaged our findings, relative to per hour prices for an adult. Children and group lessons will typically be cheaper.
Free lifts/cheaper beginner’s lift pass
Some resorts will incentivise beginners to learn there by providing free practice lifts, or offering cheaper lift pass prices which cover only the lifts that’ll typically be used by beginners.
Cost of a local lift pass
Beginners won’t need to buy a full ski area pass (at least for the first few days) - instead you should just focus on the local area. We’ll tell you which are the cheapest below.
Transfer times
For those new to skiing (particularly if they’re young children), a long, tiring coach journey to the resort is the last thing you’d want after getting off the plane - particularly if you’ve then got to go and get your skis and boots fitted. Shorter transfer times are key, and we’ll tell you which are the best.
Italy's most beginner friendly ski resorts are:
- Cervinia
- Cortina
- Sestriere
- La Thuile
- Sauze d’Oulx
- Livigno
- Bardonecchia
- Selva val Gardena
- Passo Tonale
- Pila
| Resort | Blue Slopes | Adult private lesson (hour) | Number of free lifts | Local lift pass cost (day) | Free child lift pass | Transfer time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cervinia | 30 | Around €50 | 2 | €59 | Under 8 | 1h 45 |
| Cortina | 52 | Around €52 | 0 | €67 | Under 9 | 2h |
| Sestriere | 43 | Around €50 | 0 | €44 | Under 6 | 1h 30 |
| La Thuile | 13 | Around €41 | 2 | €55 | Under 9 | 3h |
| Sauze d'Oulx | 31 | Around €50 | 0 | €38 | Under 8 (discount) | 1h |
| Livigno | 28 | Around €50 | 0 | €54 | Under 8 | 2h 40 |
| Bardonecchia | 17 | Around €45 | 0 | €46 | Under 7 (discount) | 1h |
| Selva Val Gardena | 32 | Around €58 | 0 | €74 | Under 8 | 0h 50 |
| Passo Tonale | 11 | Around €43 | 0 | €60 | Under 8 | 1h 40 |
| Pila | 5 | Around €47 | 0 | €53 | Under 10 | 1h 45 |
Please remember that this research is based on the 2023-2024 season, meaning the 2024-2025 season could be different.
Find out more about these top resorts in the next section.
Read more: Compare even more beginner ski resorts - this time in France - with our top ski resorts in France for beginners.
Or... find out all the reasons why Austria is good for beginners in our beginner's guide to skiing in Austria.
1. Cervinia
Blue slopes - 30
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €50 per hour
Free lifts - 2
Lift pass cost - €59 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 8
Transfer time - 1 hour 45 minutes
Cervinia takes the top spot for beginner ski resorts in Italy, thanks to the resort keeping beginners firmly in its mind. For starters, it has a healthy number of blue slopes, meaning beginners can get their fair share of mountain exploration in, too.
Before you hit those though, you can practise by going on the two free lifts (both magic carpets) in Cretaz, near the village centre, and Plan Maison, 2,500 metres up. Once you’ve mastered these, then a lift pass will cost €59 a day.
If you feel like you won’t progress that quickly though, then fear not, as Cervinia offers a beginner’s lift pass, which covers just the appropriate areas that newbies could tackle - at only €26.50 a day.
Read more
Cervinia also happens to be one of the most snow-sure ski resorts in Italy, making an excellent choice for learners worried about conditions.
2. Cortina
Blue slopes - 52
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €52 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €67 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 9
Transfer time - 2 hours
Cortina is another top choice for beginner skiers, thanks in large part to the vast number of blue runs it has to offer. With a whopping 52 of them, there’s no shortage of areas to explore as you trundle around.
Absolute beginners are covered with various learning zones, including in the Socrepes area, and right by the main feeder lift at the resort centre. While lifts aren’t free, the facilities are excellent. Soon you could be exploring the Misurna ski area with its sweeping wide runs that are great for new starters - and you’ll get there even quicker with tuition, which is roughly a reasonable €50 per hour.
With a slightly longer transfer time than most and a lively apres scene, adult beginners might be more naturally suited to Cortina - although families can still have a great time.
3. Sauze d'Oulx
Blue slopes - 31
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €50 per hour
Free lifts - 1
Lift pass cost - €38 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 8 (discount)
Transfer time - 1 hour
Sauze d’Oulx is a great choice for beginners for a number of reasons - not least the convenient pairing of a very cheap lift pass and decent offering of blue slopes.
Before this, though, you should get yourself down to the nursery slopes at Sportinia to learn (or refresh) your basic skills. If you’re an outright beginner then your very first move could even be to utilise the free magic carpet right by the village - we’d definitely recommend getting lessons, too.
Unlike most resorts in Europe, Sauze d’Oulx doesn’t offer a free child lift pass - but instead a discounted one. If you’re a family and don’t mind this, then you’ll also be pleased to know it’s just a one-hour transfer from Turin Airport.
4. Sestriere
Blue slopes - 43
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €50 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €44 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 6
Transfer time - 1 hour 30 minutes
Sestriere is another great choice for beginner skiers in Italy - again because of its vast number of blue runs and moderately priced lessons and lift passes. Sestriere is a purpose-built resort, meaning it’s high and typically quite snow-sure - another important aspect given beginners (due to natural gradients) usually ski lower down than more advanced skiers.
Outright beginners can learn the basics on the nursery slopes at the bottom of the Kandahar Agnelli slope, before then heading up the Chisonetto-Banchetta chairlift for some lovely wide pistes with beautiful views. The local lift pass is very cheap at just €44, and children under the age of 6 go free.
5. Livigno
Blue slopes - 28
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €50 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €54 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 8
Transfer time - 2 hour 40 minutes
Livigno is another good choice - and particularly for absolute beginner skiers thanks to the excellent nursery areas being at village level, meaning you don’t have to travel too far to get to your lessons.
Here, you can walk onto the magic carpet (Lift 18) or hold onto the drag lift (Lift 17) as it brings you up to a comfortable height, before wobbling back down and repeating for as long as necessary.
As always, we’d recommend ski lessons (they’re not too expensive here), and your ski instructor will probably take you to the nearby Costaccia area which has some beautiful blue runs surrounded by trees.
Under 8s ski for free in Livigno, and lift passes are a fair €54 per day for adults.
6. Bardonecchia
Blue slopes - 17
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €45 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €46 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 7 (discount)
Transfer time - 1 hour
Bardonecchia is another smart choice for beginners, with its modest pricing being a particular drawing point.
You can kick things off in either of the two dedicated beginners’ zones in either the Campo Smith or Melezet parts of town, meaning you won’t have to trek there from your accommodation.
Beyond this, there are plenty of quaint runs nestled in and among the forests after you get off the lower chairlift on Colomion mountain. If you’re a quick learner then there’s also plenty of intermediate stuff to get stuck into - for the same reason, Bardonecchia might be a great shout if you’re in a mixed-ability group.
7. La Thuile
Blue slopes - 13
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €41 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €55 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 9
Transfer time - 3 hours
La Thuile is also a wise decision for beginner skiers. It has a purpose-built learners’ area at the bottom of the slopes with its magic carpet being a key gateway onto the proper blue slopes, of which there are a reasonable amount for what is a relatively small resort.
There are more than enough blue runs at the top of the Suches gondola to keep beginners occupied, while intermediate and advanced members of the group can hop over the border into France to ski La Rosiere, the second half of the San Bernardo ski area.
Special mentions go to Blue 5 and Blue 6, which tend not to get crowded at all, despite offering stunning views and a well-groomed piste, meaning you can sail down worry-free.
8. Selva Val Gardena
Blue slopes - 32
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €58 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €74 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 8
Transfer time - 0 hours 50 minutes
Selva Val Gardena is a great choice for beginner ski holidays thanks to its plentiful supply of cosy blue runs, matched with its dedicated Seiser Alm learners’ zone and practice lifts in the St. Ulrich and Wolkenstein areas.
Access to these areas is nice and easy, while Selva Val Gardena has a great variety of ski schools and lessons for you to choose from. Were it not for the €74 lift pass (which is still incredibly reasonable for Europe), the resort would have been ranked higher, although the free lift pass for children up to the age of eight helps make up for it.
Meanwhile, transfers from Bolzano airport tend to take less than an hour, which is a massive plus if you have young children.
9. Passo Tonale
Blue slopes - 11
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €43 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €60 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 8
Transfer time - 1 hour 40 minutes
Passo Tonale is a very reliable ski resort if you're a beginner thanks to a combination of its fantastic learner facilities and high altitude, meaning you’ll never run short of snow and an appetite to ski.
Absolute beginners can learn the vital skills right next to the village, meaning that you won't have to worry about walking to a bus stop or dragging your equipment across town to reach a gondola. Most of these runs should be achievable within a couple of days, before you can set off to some more challenging terrain uphill.
Ski lessons are relatively cheap, and children under the age of eight get free lift passes - both key components of a beginner’s ski holiday.
10. Pila
Blue slopes - 5
Cost of adult ski lesson - Around €47 per hour
Free lifts - 0
Lift pass cost - €53 per day
Free child lift pass - Under 10
Transfer time - 1 hour 45 minutes
Pila is similarly not one to be overlooked by beginner skiers. You can start at the designated beginners’ area as soon as you walk off the top gondola station. A magic carpet is available for those brand new to the sport, and hopefully before long you should be able to tackle the lovely runs which branch away from there, meaning you won’t spend your whole holiday in one spot.
The Grimod area is highly recommended for its lovely wide blue piste - although this is a progression from the start. We’d also recommend getting lessons, and at €47 a pop they shouldn’t stretch the budget.
Young families might particularly like Pila, thanks to its offering of free lift passes to all those under the age of 10 - more generous than most ski resorts by a year or two.
Book your beginner ski trip to Italy with Iglu Ski
Italy is right up there with France and Austria as a great destination to learn to ski in - whether you’re brand new or refreshing your memory. Here at Iglu Ski we can go a step further though, and make sure you’re choosing the right resort to cater to all your specific needs.
Why not have a look at our beginner-friendly ski holidays or check out our brilliant ski holidays and ski deals. We’ve got deals on chalets, apartments and hotels right now on all ten of the above resorts.