We love skiing! To be honest with you, I started skiing quite late, only after I met my spouse and only because he has always been an avid skier. It’s fair to say that he has now passed the skiing bug to me and now we love nothing more than to go skiing as a family. We are super lucky as M comes from a small village near Lake Como, right on the Italian Alps. Although not a skiing area, we are within driving distance of some of the best slopes you can find in Italy. Our favourite place to go skiing is Livigno, a gorgeous town and ski resort, famous for its “snow that never ends” and its tax-free status.
Where Is It?Livigno is located in the Sondrio province, on the Italian Alps at 1,816 metres above sea level, right by the Swiss border.
Getting here will take you a little while. You have three options to fly into: Milan (4-5 hours drive), Zurich (3 hours drive) or Innsbruck (3 hours drive). Whatever route you choose, make sure to always check the weather forecast as heavy snowfall might result in road and tunnel closures.
Livigno is the perfect skiing resort no one wants to share. Probably Italy’s best-kept secret has gotten more and more popular in the past few years. Imagine a fairytale winter wonderland, a natural valley immersed in nature and surrounded by snowy mountains. The fantastic slopes, tax-free shopping, apres skiing, and spa are also a great bonus!
Livigno is extremely kid-friendly. Not only are there plenty of beginner runs and skiing schools to start the little ones’ skiing journey but there are also plenty of activities to keep them entertained if they are still a little too young to make their way down the mountains. The ‘Kinder Park Lupigno’ is a great place to start. Its adventure paths, tube track, and racetrack are exactly what you need to keep the little ones busy, plus they also offer the Kid’s Club with qualified staff to look after your kids if you need a little free time. We have spent countless hours here when our kid was still too little to join us on the slopes. I am actually not sure who had more fun!
Playgrounds in the snow are also scattered around the town with inflatables, treadmills, and slopes of various kinds for kids of all ages.
This is the best part of going to Livigno: the long season. Livigno snow records are so good that the season opens in November and goes right through May! Talk about impressive. It also makes it a little bit more affordable as November and May are counted as off-peak!
We love coming to Livigno and there is nothing we don’t like really. It is truly the perfect place for a group holiday. We usually go with our extended family and friends and there is something for everyone. From the tax-free shopping to keep the non-skiers entertained, the glorious spa for a little relaxing time, the food, and the apres skiing. You just have to take your pick.
When it comes to actually skiing in Livigno, there are over 115km of runs for all abilities, with the slopes split into two halves: East: Mottolino and West: Carosello 3000 and Costaccia.
Mottolino is a great place to start as it has a great mix of abilities. Mottolino also has its own ski park (the best in Italy and in the top three in Europe) including a professional-only course.
Carosello 3000 and Costaccia are where you find the skiing schools, there are plenty to choose from, we never used any as we are also self-taught but plenty of our friends have and never had a complaint. I also really recommend the west side for beginners as it’s the perfect blend of blue slopes that run alongside red runs, in case you want to challenge yourself after a little practice.
Aquaranda is also great if you fancy a day away from the snow. The water complex has 25 main pools and a kid one too, plus the wellness and beauty area.
If you also fancy trying something new there is a fantastic 30km long cross-country trail, fat bike tours, and snowshoeing to choose from.
To be honest, once you are here there is nowhere you would like to go but if you want a little break from skiing in Livigno and fancy a day trip, you can also make a little drive to Bormio ( 50 mins drive) a natural thermal spring town and the largest thermal centre in the Alps.
I think the better question would be where not to eat. What I like most about Livigno is that the runs end right in the centre of town so you are surrounded by fantastic places to eat and you can easily meet up for a quick bite to eat with the non-skiers before going back for more after lunch.
Our favourite places are:
If you want a taste of truly delicious Valtennese dishes, this is the place for you. Located just a few steps away from the ski lifts, the kitchen is also open all day, making it the perfect spot to stop at any time.
For reasonable prices and delicious food, this is a must-go. The menu has lots of choices, including pizzas, so you know there will be something for everyone.
One of my favourite restaurants in Livigno, the local dishes are delicious, friendly staff and great prices too. You will not be disappointed.
Where To StayWe always come back to the same hotel every year: Hotel Livigno! My spouse’s family has done so since forever, so it’s a little like coming home every time we are back. Open since 1912, this is the very first hotel to have been opened in Livigno.
The hospitality is great, the food is amazing and you will not find a better place to stay. It is also conveniently located only 100 metres from the slopes!
You will need a ski pass to access the slopes, Livigno ski pass will allow you access to both Carosello 3000 and Mottolino, it will also give you free access to the buses to and from the slopes.
Prices do vary depending on the month – Feb and March are always more expensive, age – juniors and seniors do get a nice discount and the length of your holiday.
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