Snow’s Up In Italy
Winter is on its way again in Europe which mean it’s time to dust off those ski boots and get ready for another season of great slopes and sporting events. With the economic challenge that many people around the world are facing, ski holidays may be just the thing to help break up the gloom. Italy has become an increasingly popular destination for both skiers and snowboarders in the past several years and there are many resorts to choose from.
History
Italy first hosted the Winter Olympics back in 1956. The games returned to the country in 2006 and as a direct result many of the facilities have been improved. It has made Italy one of Europe’s better ski destinations and visitors can expect both cross country and downhill runs of high quality.
Skiing In Italy
The peak of Monte Bianco is at an elevation of 4,810 metres and is located right between France and Italy on the border. This mountain has an alpine range that provides a crisp snow-covered area with resorts dotted all around the Acosta Valley in Italy. Some of the most famous areas for skiing now lay in Italy which has become renowned for having the best slopes in Europe. Areas that are the most famous include the Dolomites (Dolomites-Super-Ski) and the Milky Way (Via Lattea) in West Piedmont. Skiers can expect hundreds of kilometres of pistes all linked together by efficient lift systems.
The best reviewed resorts mostly consist of Cervinia, Courmayeur, La Thuile in Valie d’Acosta, Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx and Bardonecchia west of Turin. When the Olympics took place in 2006 these resorts benefitted from many of the improvements required by the international ruling committee for the games. There are other popular resorts though including Livigno, Madonna di Campiglio and the now very fashionable (some might say ‘pretentious’) Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Cortina is one of the more upmarket resorts and has been known to attract a lot of show offs and rich tourists looking to flash their money around to anyone willing to look. As such it is not really recommended as the best place to go if money is tight.
Skiing on a budget
Not all of the resorts mentioned above are going to be to everyone’s taste particularly if budgets are stretched. Do not let that put you off booking a trip though as there are many offers already available on the internet for the 2011-2012 season. Short breaks, tailored trips and some incredible bargains can be found especially now as many operators are aware of the financial constraints.
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