Where to go: Italy
Last updated at 15:31 29 November 2001
Italy has some splendid large lift-linked ski areas, such as the Milky Way area (Sauze d'Oulx, Sestriere, etc) in the west and the Sella Ronda (Selva, Canazei, Arabba, etc) in the east as well as hundreds of smaller ones.
Scenery can be spectacular too, especially in the dramatic Dolomites in the east, where the red-tinged peaks rise sheerly from the slopes (the movie Cliffhanger was filmed there).
Resort atmosphere varies enormously from cheap and cheerful places attracting younger people such as Sauze d'Oulx and duty-free Livigno to chic and sophisticated Cortina d'Ampezzo, which attracts the jet-set crowd with second homes, and Courmayeur, which at weekends is packed with crowds from Milan and Turin.
Wherever you go you'll usually find well-groomed, easy intermediate cruising pistes.
Italians don't take their skiing too seriously, but do like the good life - so expect long lunches of great-value pasta washed down by red wine in little mountain huts followed by some late-night clubbing.
If you don't over-indulge yourself, you'll enjoy empty early morning pistes and lifts while the Italians are recovering.
Food and, especially, drink are relatively cheap here.
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