Best Italian ski resorts

You might call it the Olympic effect. With the world’s eyes on Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo for the Winter Olympic Games in February 2026, the ski resorts of northern Italy are now enjoying more attention than ever. 

Compared to other major European winter-sport destinations, Italy has two distinct advantages: it is generally cheaper, and the cuisine knocks the socks off everyone else’s. 

Most tourists wisely avoid Olympic regions during the actual games, conscious of the inevitable crowds. But you can guarantee, once the games have finished, Italy will be more popular than ever. With so many resorts to choose from – the nation boasts around 300 of them – which are best for British skiers? Here are some of our favourites.

Bormio

It’s in this spa town, close to the Swiss border, that you’ll find Italy’s longest vertical drop on skis – a full summit-to-base route from the peak of Cima Bianca at 3,000 metres all the way down to the centre of the resort. After descending more than 1,780 metres, your ears will pop, your legs will burn with lactic acid and your heart will be pumping with adrenalin. No wonder this resort is hosting many of the alpine skiing events for the Olympics.

In all, there are 50kms of pistes in Bormio, mostly intermediate, across two ski areas – Vallecetta and San Colombano. While off-piste skiing is rather limited, there is a snow park. But it’s Bormio’s charming town that is its best attraction. Here you’ll find churches, fountains, piazzas, cafés, bars and restaurants. There is also an Olympic ice rink and plenty of natural spas. 

Courmayeur

There are only just over 40kms of pistes at this smaller resort, at the base of Mont Blanc, which means it’s better suited to long weekends rather than week-long skiing breaks. Add to this the fact that it’s a convenient 80-minute transfer from Geneva airport.

On the pistes, it’s best for intermediate skiers. But it’s renowned for some great off-piste terrain, too, especially descending through the trees from Arp. You’d be wise to hire a guide for this.

The village itself is pretty, with traffic-free cobbled streets, and a good selection of shops, bars and restaurants luring in well-heeled regulars from Milan and Turin whom you’re sure to spot strutting the Via Roma.

The apres-ski scene is vibrant thanks to the buzzing hotel-restaurant Super G, on the mountain itself, and a great selection of bars and nightclubs in the village.

For a real adventure, ride the series of three cable cars which link Courmayeur in Italy to Chamonix in France, via the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 metres. 

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Arguably Italy’s most luxurious ski resort, the main Olympic host town is blessed with a vast array of designer shops, art galleries and jewellery stores. Don’t be surprised at spotting real fur coats ambling down its Corso Italia. If you want la dolce vita with your snow sports, this is where you should come. 

Thanks to a major facelift in advance of the Olympics, Cortina is now looking better than ever. In February it will host alpine skiing, curling, bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.

Amateurs, on the other hand, will enjoy its 120kms of pistes (even though they are rather fragmented) and the breathtaking Dolomites scenery that surrounds them. 

Perhaps most impressive of all are the resort’s wonderful restaurants, including Alajmo Cortina, Baita Fraina and the Michelin-starred Ristorante Tivoli.

Passo Tonale

Granted, this isn’t the most attractive ski town in Italy, but it was listed as best value for families in a 2025 ski resort report, with a week-long trip for two adults and two children priced at just over £1,500. 

There are 100kms of pistes and, as the resort base is at well over 1,800 metres above sea level, it offers one of the longest, snowiest seasons in Italy. The bars and restaurants won’t break the bank, unlike elsewhere in Italy. 

Although the resort is perhaps best for beginners, families and intermediates, there is some expert and off-piste skiing too. You can even head up to the Presena Glacier, at more than 3,000 metres in altitude, to enjoy skiing in the warmer months.

 

Livigno

Thanks to its three snow parks, come the Winter Olympics, this delightful resort near the Swiss border – nicknamed “Little Tibet” because of its remoteness and altitude –will play centre stage for the snowboard and freestyle events. But for skiers, too, the facilities are excellent. 

There are 115kms of pistes here, served by 32 lifts, and spread across two sectors – Carosello 3000, which is favoured by family groups and intermediate skiers, and Mottolino, where most of the snowboarders hang out.  And it’s thanks to the latter that the après-ski scene here is so buzzing, with plenty of bars and nightclubs to choose from. 

It’s also worth noting that Livigno enjoys duty-free status, meaning you can save money on alcohol, perfumes and electronic goods in the shops, and you can avoid VAT on drinks in bars and restaurants. Be warned, though: the nearest airport, Innsbruck, is over three hours away.

Cervinia 

This purpose-built resort at the southern base of the mighty Matterhorn – Monte Cervino, in Italian – may lack the aesthetic charm of its neighbours but it offers great value for money. So much so that many skiers from the nearby Swiss resort of Zermatt (linked by the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing cable car) opt to leap the border just for lunch.

At 2,050 metres, it’s one of the highest villages in the Alps, and with pistes that rise even higher – up to 3,480 metres at the most – snow is pretty much guaranteed all winter. There’s even glacier skiing in the summer.

3 Zinnen Dolomites

Standing sentry above this lovely resort in the South Tyrol are three tall peaks, known as Drei Zinnen in German, or Tre Cime in Italian. In this region of the Italian Dolomites, you’ll hear both languages spoken.

It’s all part of the breathtaking scenery that surrounds the ski resort, with 115kms of well-groomed and surprisingly uncongested pistes across five different mountains, inter-linked by cable cars.

Nursery slopes, magic carpet lifts and ski schools with English-speaking instructors ensure beginners and kids are well catered for.  Accomplished thrill seekers, on the other hand, will enjoy skiing Italy’s steepest slope, the Holzriese, with its 71% gradient. There’s also night skiing, every Tuesday and Friday evening, on Monte Baranci, beneath floodlights.