Heidi Blog
Top 5 Italy ski weekends
If we were to sum up Italian skiing in just one word, it would be: Bellissima. Blessed with high altitudes, bluebird days, cruisy corduroy, and some of the Alps’ best eats, a weekend skiing Italian pistes is not to be missed. Here are Heidi's top tips on where to ski the best of the Italian slopes.
Courmayeur
Just a snowball's throw from Chamonix, Courmayeur is a sunny, high-altitude resort packed with Italian charm and spirit. Think chilled-out fun, bluebird days, and plenty of good times.
The hidden heart of the Aosta Valley, Courmayeur's compact, high-altitude 42km ski area is ideal for short ski breaks. Intermediates will be in their element with a hearty mix of open bowls, snow-capped tree-lined slopes, and perfectly groomed, laid-back reds. For adventure-seekers, head to the sunny side of Mont Blanc for jaw-dropping off-piste descents. After dark, take to the famous cobbled streets of Via Roma to experience ‘La Dolce Vita’, sipping champagne shoulder-to-shoulder with Italy's rich and famous.
Looking for a bargain? We recommend booking in March for springtime skiing, epic deals on resorts, and the snowiest weeks of the season.
Sauze D’Oulx
Just over an hour from Turin, Sauze D’Oulx has experienced UK snow fiends returning year after year - and it's not hard to see why.
A 2,800m high-altitude, snow-sure, intermediate playground, Sauze D’Oulx is packed with over 400km of milky smooth pistes to explore. Kick back at the resort by gliding down wide-open reds straight to the village bar for frothy beers on sun-kissed terraces. Want to go further afield? Grab the lifts to the French resort of Montgenevre and nearby Sestriere to challenge the majestic Monte Motta and Sises. Meanwhile, snowboarders can let loose on not one but two terrain parks, complete with jumps and rails for practising sick tricks. After dark, throw it back to the 1980s in Sauze D’Oulx’s many bars, pubs, clubs, and cosy wine cellars.
Ideal for intermediate groups seeking cheap ski holidays, we recommend booking in March and April for low-costs, hearty snow dumps, and warm spring days.
Bardonecchia
With peaceful pistes away from bustling crowds, Bardonecchia is a vibrant, family-friendly resort that makes skiing weekends with little ones a piece of cake.
Surrounded by picturesque pine woods and jaw-dropping mountain views, there’s plenty here to thrill mini-skiers and big-skiers alike. Kids can explore the wide-open nursery slopes and magic carpet lifts at Campo Smith and Melezet. Meanwhile, experienced adults can hop on the free bus to explore gliding blues and reds. If snowboarding's your jam, test your mettle at the 2006 Olympic terrain park on the world-class half-pipe, boxes, rails, and kickers. And there’s no need to worry about the white stuff, as the 2,800m high altitudes all but ensure snow December - April.
Fancy a day off the slopes? Get the adrenaline pumping with snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snow tubing, and ice skating. After that, there’s nothing left to do but dine on cheesy margheritas washed down with a bottle of local red wine - Saluti!
Sestriere
One of the highest ski resorts in Italy at 2,800m, Sestriere is well-loved by families and groups seeking half-term escapes and late-season bargains. The enormous ski area gives you access to 400km of pistes in almost every direction. Heading east, advanced skiers can tackle the most challenging slopes or follow the tracks of winter Olympians on the Banchetta downhill. Meanwhile, beginners can stay local with the excellent learning zones and wide-open, tree-lined pistes. As evening draws in, ski down the mountain and straight into the mountain bars to whet your appetite with ice-cold aperitivos. Bliss.
Pila
Hidden gems are hard to find, but we believe Pila really is one the Alps’ best-kept secrets. Just over one hour from Turin airport, this captivating alpine village in Italy’s Aosta Valley will have you feeling on top of the world.
Pila does quality over quantity, with a picturesque 70km ski area surrounded by the jaw-dropping Monte Rosa, Matterhorn, and Mont Blanc. Here, you can explore perfect pistes delivering varied skiing, ample snow, lively apres, and virtually non-existent lift queues. Beginners can take to the peaceful nursery areas and Grimod Bowl to brush up on their newfound slope skills, while snowboarders will feel spoiled with the sheltered slopes and snowpark. Meanwhile, freestylers can twist and turn through fun powder pockets tucked between luscious pine forest trunks, and true daredevils can go head-to-head against ‘The Wall’.
Although good all-season, we recommend March-April for bargain stays, epic bluebird days, and rising temps where the snow continues to flurry. For those with kids, half-term ski weekends promise big family fun minus the crowds. (But shh! You didn't hear about this secret spot from us!)
You’ll find our holidays more flexible than your average ski package provider, but a lot easier to put together than doing it all yourself. Choose where you want to go from thousands of options, travel the day you want, stay as long as you like.
For help finding a flexible ski holiday, call us on 0117 457 6000, email us at [email protected], or simply start a search.
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