Italy

Italians are famous for taking their time over things, savouring good food and enjoying their wine, and that's the sentiment that pervades ski resorts in Italy.

Some people find the infrastructure isn't quite as slick as in some neighbouring countries. But a few extra minutes on the lift is easily compensated by the terrain once you get up there.

For one thing, Italy has some impressive vertical. Many of the peaks in the Aosta Valley top 4,000 metres, giving you a long, challenging ride home. And for thrill seekers, heli-skiing in Italy's Val Ferret and Val Grisenche make it possible to take advantage of that height to the full.

Just don't forget you're in Italy. Gucci shades are an essential piece of kit ...

Sestriere is possibly best known of all ski resorts in Italy, partly for its challenging terrain and for being a former venue for the 2006 winter Olympics.

Cormayeur, at the base of Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc), is a popular all-rounder, with a lively night-life, plenty of decent grub, good riding for all levels and a transfer time to Geneva airport of about 90 minutes.

Every country has a party town and Sauze d'Oulx is Italy's. Only an hour from Turin, it caters for skiers and snowboarders who like to hit the slopes hard and the bars even harder. Not that everyone who comes here stays out till the crack of dawn ...

If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding in Italy off-season, things at the Passo Tonale glacier can kick off as early as the end of October and push on through till May.

Of course, in Italy there's no need to stick to one resort, especially in the Dolomites. Here the world's most extensive lift pass - the Dolomites Superski pass - gives you access to no less than 12 ski areas (including the likes of Val Gardena, Arabba, Val di Fassa, Cortina and Corvara) 460 lifts and 1,220 kms of piste.

It's not all about the vertical either. There's some excellent cross-country skiing in Italy too, particularly in the forests around Cavalese.

Cost

With plenty of reasonably-priced accommodation both on and off the mountain, Italy is still a sensible option if you're looking for an affordable week in the snow. Lift passes can be good value too. An average adult weekly pass costs around €160 (US$240), while the Superski pass will set you back around €30 (just under US$50) a day.

Getting here

Many of the ski resorts in Italy are less than two hours from Geneva or Turin airports, making transfers fairly painless.

To compare ski resorts in Italy by nearest airport, see our Resort Comparison pages.