A tourist, as a rule, primarily associates with Italy such as Venetian canals, Roman Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa or Milanese shops - in general, anything, but definitely not snow-covered slopes.
I always wanted to see the Italian mountains - after all, the Alps are spread all over Europe, but in order to ski... “No, there are other places for this where you should spend your ski vacation. There, probably, the equipment is better and there is more snow...”. Until recently, my thoughts were like that, but after this trip, they completely changed.
The young ski resort Livigno is located in the Alps, right on the border of Italy and Switzerland. In 2012, it was recognized as the best. The valley, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges, where the village of endless hotels, restaurants and shops is located, is an ideal natural area for lovers of skiing and snowboarding: a lot of snow, a lot of sun, almost complete calm and a very long skiing season from November to May.
You can get to the resort from the airports of Milan or Bergamo, about five hours along scenic roads, or Switzerland.
Arriving at Milan airport, I immediately felt a pleasant pacification. It came from friendly and tanned Italians, bright sun and fresh Milanese air. Having thrown our things into a bus, we drove for four hours, not taking our eyes off the picturesque panorama rushing past the window. You can get from other cities, but the travel time from this will not be greatly reduced.
It not allows enjoying the first view, the next one was already visible on the horizon. These were lakes, fields, vineyards, evergreen bushes and hedgerows. Later, snow appeared, and suddenly, out of nowhere, snowdrifts began to grow. That's how my husband, I and two our friends ended up in Livigno - an Italian commune formed from 3 villages, with an indigenous population of just over 5,000 people. It is located in the province of Sondrio in the Lombardy region.
The town consists of low-rise wooden cozy houses surrounded by majestic mountains on all sides. The architecture is appropriate - mostly old chalets made of dark wood, very picturesque. Once here, you instantly forget about the life of the metropolis.
The city is located between two ski slopes on which you can actually ski - there are two large ski areas in Livigno, located on two sides: the Carozello and Mottolino valleys, they are subject to a single SKI pass and the movement of free buses is organized.
There are the resorts of Switzerland nearby, and a weekly ski-pass allows you to ride a day there.
The tracks are mostly red, but they look more like blue. There are also black ones and a couple of officially blue ones. Buses carry skiers along the slopes directly to the ski lifts, and that is very convenient.
We were right after the Christmas holidays from December 27 and there were absolutely no people on the slopes, especially at 8-9 o'clock, and that I considered as a huge plus. The bulk of the people started to ski somewhere from 10 -11, and until that time it was especially pleasant.
But by the way, this bulk also did not bother and there were never queues for the lifts. The ski pass covers the whole valley and can be bought from many places near the ski lifts. Prices for ski passes are normal, for renting skis and equipment are quite cheap.
Buses in the city do not have numbers, but are distinguished by colors. They go often and allow you to safely move from slope to slope.
Trails are for every taste: there is a snowboard park (entrance only with helmets), cross-country skiing trails, free skiing without an instructor is prohibited due to avalanche danger, many ski schools for adults and children, equipment rentals. Many holidays and competitions are held, we caught some shows also.
During the day, the village dies out, of course everyone rides, but many shops work without a break and every day, which is surprising for Italy in particular and Europe in general.
And in the evening it turns into a continuous holiday, a lot of alcohol, discos - apres-ski right in the ski boots, noisy and fun.
Other entertainment is also enough: there is a skating rink, a swimming pool and more. You will not get bored!
To be mobile, we rented a car, but as I mentioned above, there is a bus (ski-buses) between the resorts, there is a single SKI pass for all the nearest ski areas, ski-buses is included in its price.
Livigno is a family resort with a lot of entertainment and educational programs for children, which are given considerable attention here. On the roller coasters, they fill the streets and restaurants and are accepted everywhere with love! After all, children are an integral part of a large and colorful Italian family, equal to adults in everything.
For lovers of sports, skiing or snowboarding, Livigno offers many possibilities. Beginners are provided with: a gentle mountain with a drag lift, a wide descent with a chairlift, a large number of instructors, many apres ski cafes for a break and even a slide with cheesecakes.
If the level is higher than a beginner, then you can easily move from a height of 1800 to 400 meters higher. Here you can train and practice braking, so that later you can conquer the highest point - 3000 meters and feel your power at the very top of the mountain.
Being on the border with the Swiss slope, and by chance or not by chance "turning the wrong way", you will find yourself in the famous resort of St. Morris.
It is unlikely that one week will be enough to ride on all the tracks (there are 76 of them in the resort), because not a small amount of time will be taken away by admiring the breathtaking landscapes and admiring the natural beauty. (Therefore, it is better to travel for at least 10 days). The ski season in Livigno lasts from about mid-November to early May.
For lovers of extreme skiing, the resort has 200 km for back country, heli-skiing, marked routes for ski touring and snowshoeing, dedicated ski areas for beginner free riders. Within the city there is a ski stadium, a new biathlon arena, 30 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails and 30 kilometers of fatbike trails.
Also, on the territory of the resort there are 7 ski schools, which employ 150 instructors. I especially enjoy riding in a group. If you have never skied before, the instructor will help you learn the basics, tell you what needs to be corrected and indicate the places where you need to practice. Also, of course, it will entertain with conversations and teach you not to worry in case of an unexpected hit on a black track.
After skiing, Livigno lures with many different cafes and restaurants. Everyone knows that one cannot remain indifferent to Italian cuisine. Wherever you have to eat: on the street, at the bar, indoors, not far from the mountain lift, it will always be delicious.
For lovers of nightlife, there are noisy clubs and bars open until the morning. Outside most of them there is a fire burning near which it is so pleasant to warm one's hands. Other methods of warming remain the responsibility of the bartender, who will gladly pour or cook whatever the soul desires.
Inside such establishments, a holiday constantly reigns, created by artistic waiters, lively companies, live music and food for every taste. For all the party-goers, Livigno hosts the best après-ski parties in the Alps, so sleep all day and dance all night.
Now about shopping. Shopping can be considered the main attraction - Livigno is a duty-free zone; it looks like one continuous duty free: perfumes, elite alcohol, sporting goods and all that, even fuel is cheaper here than behind the ridges of the nearest mountains.
In short, Livigno is filled with wonderful 250 shops, the assortment of which is amazing for every taste. You will find any product in them: from a head of Parmesan to watches with the Ferrari logo. It is cozy, stylish and tastefully furnished. It makes me want to go in and stay there.
The city has its own cheese factory, where you can buy milk and cheeses and other dairy products. It also has its own brewery and the "1816" beer garden attached to it. There is a great aquatic center.
For all ski equipment prices are about the same as elsewhere. Restaurants serve great Italian food and drinks (I recommend trying the wine Amarone).
To my happiness and surprise, every day of our stay was filled with the sun. They say here that Livigno is the sunniest ski resort in the Alps. I didn’t even think about checking the weather forecast for the next day and deciding how to warm up.
So, all the conditions for a wonderful pastime are available. A sea of snow, sun and freshness - I recommend it to everyone! Be set for an unforgettable trip and you won’t find any cons as it happened to me.
From Livigno we moved to Groste-Madonna Di Campiglio, but about that in another post.
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Thank you for reading. You are always welcome to check my posts.
All photos are original.
"Do what is right, mot what is easy nor what is popular" - R. T. BENNETH.
