Italy skiing holidays 2008
Get skiing in Italy's Piemonte region (photo: ATL Cuneo / W. Leonardi)
Italy may be better known for its attractive cities such as Rome, Venice and Florence than as a skiing destination, but remains one of the most popular places to ski in Europe.
The main base to head for is Turin – home to the 2006 Winter Olympics - close to the neighbouring Alpine ski areas of France and Switzerland.
Ski resorts close to the city include the popular Sauze d'Oulx, Bardonecchia and Sestriere, located by the French border.
Further north, closer to the Swiss border are Alpine resorts such as Breuil-Cervinia (on the Italian side of the Matterhorn), Pila and Cogne, also noted for their beautiful landscapes and good snow cover.
Another draw for skiers in Italy are the Dolomite Mountains, which run along the north east of the country. The resorts across the range are united under the Dolomites Superski area, which has more than 1,200 kilometres of slopes, with 400 lifts and a dozen ski resorts, peaking at 3,340 metres.
The best known resorts in the range include Cortina d'Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio.
For more information see the
Italian tourist board ski page.