Thinking of skiing in Italy?
If you’re as hungry for pistes as you are for pizza, Italy is the ski destination for you.
But world class skiing and world famous food are just the half of it. You’ll also discover relaxed resorts, generally less crowded slopes, and truly spectacular scenery. Expect a warm welcome to be served up alongside your long lunch, and a surprisingly affordable bill at the end of it all.
If that sounds like your sort of trip, book your dream Italian ski holiday through igluski.com and take advantage of our fantastic deals on chalets, apartments and hotels.
Italy Ski Resort Advice
Whether you want to rub shoulders with the Italian elite in Cortina d'Ampezzo or conquer the Sella Ronda Circuit, you’ll find a resort for you in Italy.
If you’re looking for an all-rounder resort, you’ll be more than happy with somewhere like Cervinia or Livigno, with both offering enough variety in their skiing, nightlife and other activities to appeal to families and groups of young adults alike.
Livigno is particularly good for beginners and the après ski crowd thanks to the high density of bars, while Champoluc is where you head to for a quieter beginner resort.
If you’re going on a family ski trip, La Thuile and Passo Tonale are ideal, the latter especially so for families on a budget.
If value for money is your main consideration when choosing a resort, we’d recommend the compact, cheap and cheerful village of Bardonecchia.
We've also written a round up of the top 5 ski resorts in Italy for a snapshot into where to go.
Where to go in Italy for snow surety
Passo Tonale is the most snow sure resort in Italy, boasting a resort range of between 1,883 to 3,010m, as well as the Presena Glacier, which often allows it to remain open into June.
Cervinia is also very snow sure, making it one of the best resorts for skiing in April. It has lifts going up to 3,480m, an excellent snow record - averaging 37cm of snowfall in December and 43cm in April - and it’s the home of the magnificent Plateau Rosa glacier.
It’s also connected to Switzerland’s high-altitude and luxurious Zermatt.
Read more:
We've ranked Italy's ski resorts according to their snow surety, taking into account December and April snow stats, resort height, and snow cannon coverage.
Where to go in Italy for a family ski holiday
La Thuile is an excellent option for families thanks to its typically uncrowded, gentle slopes that are perfect for young skiers.
Even the après scene is child-friendly, with a good choice of restaurants serving popular Italian fare and plenty of activities that are fun for kids and parents alike.
We’d also recommend Pragelato, a small and peaceful village in Piedmont that has a very popular Club Med village with decent amenities for kids, while being linked to the incredible 400km Milky Way ski area.
Champoluc, also, has loads of family-friendly hotels, diverse skiing terrain and restaurants serving up food that will satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
Which resorts in Italy are best for beginners?
Livigno and Passo Tonale are two solid choices for beginner skiers.
Livigno is something of an all-rounder resort, with a surplus of beginner and intermediate-friendly slopes and an efficient lift system that makes it easy for novices to get around.
Passo Tonale’s wide open slopes and welcoming nursery area also make it a perfect destination for learners, and as it’s so snow sure, first time skiers should have great conditions for practising.
Read more:
For the full low down on the best ski resorts in Italy for beginners, take a look at our dedicated guide.
Where to go for a group ski holiday
Livigno and Cervinia have that kind of jack-of-all-trades quality that makes them an excellent option for big groups that need to cater to all abilities and preferences.
Both have a lively atmosphere, a great variety of runs, a range of dining options, and a wealth of non-skiing activities that will ensure everyone in your group has a memorable holiday.
The best Italian ski resorts for après-ski
If it’s a party you’re after, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Livigno: there are around 150 bars in this après ski paradise.
Immediately after the slopes close you should check out Stalet, the largest après bar in the resort, which offers everything you’d expect including table dancing and live entertainment.
The Kuhstall and Jpioca are also good choices. Later in the evening, you should quite literally slide into Miky’s Disco Club (seriously, there’s a slide at the entrance).
Alternatively, Sauze d’Oulx has a thriving après scene, and is a great place for late nights and cheap drinks. Paddy McGinty’s and Banditos the shining stars among the resort’s bars and clubs.
Check out our guide to the best après-ski resorts in Italy for all the key information.
Where to go for a cheap ski holiday
Italy is known for being a more affordable ski destination than France, Switzerland or Austria, but for the cheapest Italian ski holiday in Europe, head to Bardonecchia.
The resort recently beat Bulgaria’s famously affordable Borovets and Bansko in a ranking of the best value ski resorts for adults, which weighed up the cost of a six-day pass, gear hire, food and drink.
Livigno, Sauze d’Oulx, Sestriere and La Thuile also made the top 10, making Italy one of the best destinations in Europe for budget-conscious skiers. If you’re travelling as a family, Passo Tonale also offers great value for money.
Skiers in Sauze d'Oulx sunshine
The biggest ski areas in Italy
Italy has two major ski areas to explore across the Alps and the Dolomites.
The Dolomiti Superski is a vast and beautiful ski area in the Dolomite Mountain Range, which has 18 peaks over 3,000m. That means season-long snow coverage is highly likely, and even if conditions aren’t ideal, 90% of 668 runs in the area are covered by snow cannons.
Best of all, you can access all 1,200km of pistes on the Dolomiti Super Ski Pass.
Resorts in the Dolomiti Superski include Alta Badia, which is lively and beginner-friendly; Kronplatz, which is great for families; and Cortina d’Ampezzo, known as the Queen of the Dolomites for its exclusive reputation, which is as much a luxury shopping destination as a ski resort.
And while you’re there, don’t skip your chance to complete the Sella Ronda, a 40km route that takes you through the Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Val di Fassa and Arabba valleys in a single day, offering 26km of downhill and spectacular views.
Italy is also home to the Milky Way area, which links up Sauze d'Oulx, Sestriere, Claviere, Pragelato, Sansicario, Cesana and Montgenevre in France, with a dedicated lift pass granting you access to all 7 resorts.
There’s a combined 400km of pistes across the ski area, with terrain that’s suitable for everyone from beginners to experts.
Read more:
We've written a whole guide on Italy's largest ski areas. Discover more information on the Dolomiti Superski and Milky Way ski areas, in addition to a few more options to consider for your next ski holiday.
What are the snow conditions like in Italy?
As we’ve seen, Italy’s highest resorts in both the Alps and the Dolomites can rival anywhere in Europe for snow-surety.
With peaks going up to 3,000m and beyond and a number of glaciers, many Italian resorts can stay open right into summer.
Snow was in plentiful supply in Italy during the 23/24 season, with both Passo Tonale and La Thuile enjoying well over 200cm of snow depth by March and April.
The Milky Way resorts of Sestriere, Claviere and Sauze d’Oulx also performed well powder-wise, hitting nearly 190cm of depth by March.
Read more:
Concerned about late season snow conditions in Italy? Read our guide on skiing in Italy in April for insight into the top Italian resorts for an April ski trip.
Ski Accommodation in Italy
Ski accommodation in Italy is similar to France and Austria, with chalets, hotels and self-catered apartments all available.
You’ll find particularly charming and affordable chalets in the likes of Sauze d'Oulx and Selva Val Gardena, while resorts such as Canazei, Champoluc, and Cervinia are known for their range of hotels, with both low-cost and more luxurious options available.
If you’d prefer, Italy also has plenty of budget self-catered apartments, particularly in Courmayeur, La Thuile and Sestriere, which can act as a great value base for exploring those resorts.
Where do you fly to ski in Italy?
Turin is the most popular airport for getting to Italian ski resorts but, if it’s more convenient, you could also fly into Innsbruck, Geneva or Verona.
For example, you can reach Cervinia in around 1 hour and a half from Turin by car, but if you were going to Livigno, it makes more sense to fly into Innsbruck or Zurich, both around 3 hours away, compared to over 4 hours from Turin.
Italy ski holidays FAQs
Additional info on Italy ski holidays.
What’s the best month to ski in Italy?
March is a great time to go skiing in Italy, when the snow has generally had time to accumulate and the weather is good but not so warm that it affects the conditions.
Where do celebrities and the rich ski in Italy?
Cortina d'Ampezzo and Courmayeur are the Italian resorts that tend to attract the rich and the famous.
Is it cheaper to ski in Italy or France?
Italy is a cheaper ski destination than France, and in fact studies have found Italy to have the most affordable ski resorts in Europe, beating even Bulgaria on prices.
What is the sunniest ski resort in Italy?
Italy is an excellent country if you want to ski under the sun, and Cervinia and Passo Tonale are the best of the bunch, topping the charts for both sunny days and bluebird powder days.
Is it cheaper to ski in Switzerland or Italy?
While Italy has its fair share of exclusive ski resorts, it’s generally cheaper than Switzerland for skiing. In fact, you could stay in Cervinia, and ski into Switzerland’s Zermatt, which frequently tops lists of the most expensive resorts in Europe.