Luxury Skiing in Italy

Crowned Queen of the Dolomites, Cortina reigns supreme. Its throne of rugged peaks have inspired the likes of Hemingway and Montale, and played backdrop to some of the best films of all time, like James Bond’s ‘Eyes Only and the original Pink Panther. With shopping on Corso Italia (Italy’s Kings Road) and Passeggiata in Piazza Venezia being preferred sports, skiing’s often overlooked here. Though it shouldn’t be, with everything from Olympic downhill runs to dreamily empty off piste at your twin tips. Foodies can really feast – Cortina’s awash with top-notch eats like the old-school Tivoli, where the rarefied raviolis have earned it a sparkling Michelin star. But before you’re seated, head outdoors with a Spritz and watch the setting sun turn the surroundings a vivid pink. Now that’s a sight to behold.

Hats off to Mr Oesterreicher, who envisioned the town as a bolthole for the European elite and created just that back in 1882. What a bolthole: Piazza Righi’s the beating heart of the outfit, where elegant Victorian buildings purvey the latest couture, sports gear, jewels and fine art. For those who prefer supping to shopping, Croatti at Michelin-starred Dolomieu injects traditional flavours into innovative dishes. When skiing comes first and foremost, lifts whisk you straight from the town to the good stuff which totals 150km, from lovely forest trails to 70% gradient steeps – all the way up to a 2600m. And however you spend the day, the après here has serious class. We could hole away all week in Des Alpes’ cosy piano bar, and they host grand events in the restored 19th century Habsburg ballroom - from cabaret to dinner and dance.

Courmayeur’s quite the hotspot for Milan’s weekenders – and it doesn’t take long to see the appeal. A shopper’s cloud nine - here you’ll find the likes of Lacoste, Gant and Polo. There’s a Burberry just for the sprogs and Hermes sell a Courmayeur scarf if you’re looking for a special souvenir. Though if you didn’t set foot in a shop you’d still have a ball, and many come just for the restaurants: Michelin-starred Petit Royal serve their Aosta-influenced suppers in a dining room straight out of Hansel and Gretel. Or if you’re here to spa all day and dance all night, the therapists at Terme di Pre Saint Didier are nigh on miracle workers, and Courmaclub was designed by the same genius behind the Billionaire Club in Sardinia. But really, even if all you do is ski and sleep, you’re in for a wonderful week. Courm shares a lift pass with French legend Chamonix, and with everything from off-piste monsters to groomed cruisers, there’s oodles to explore.

Canazei hit the big time in the fifties and emits the most cosmopolitan vibes in the Dolomites. Much of it still looks like the farming village of bygone days, but step through the doors and you’re greeted with spa hotels and restaurants well ahead of the game. Wine & Dine, Rita and El Pael all come Michelin-recommended – and Antico Bagno describe their delights less as mere meals and more of a ‘ritual for the body and mind’. Speaking of which, the Eghes Wellness Centre’s a rather tempting new face on the scene, with facilities worth dedicating whole days to (camomile cave, aromarium, conifers bath…). After that, release your inner sommelier at the Barrique Lounge, where they have everything from local specials to Cristal Magnums. But by hook or by crook, don’t miss the great outdoors. These are the Dolomites after all, and the craggy UNESCO-listed landscape just can’t be missed: Whether you’re skiing along the famous Sella Ronda, pottering about on the local blue runs or reclining on a sun terrace somewhere, you won’t be forgetting the surroundings in a hurry.

Wood-clad chalets line Corvara’s old streets, with spired churches peering over and sending the charm factor into overdrive. These beauties house some serious grandeur: We’re talking five star hotels complete with cavernous suites, fully-fledged spas and fine restaurants. There’s history too: the Sassongher’s Jägerstube dining-room dates back to 1520, and it’s been run by the Pescosta’s for generations. As for Alta Badia’s foodie scene, well it’s in a league of its own. Forget the Sella Ronda – in these parts it’s all about the gastro ski safari, where you tour mountain huts and devour culinary delights along the way. Feasting needn’t end when you hang the skis up, with La Stua de Michil in the village serving Michelin-starred venison steaks. There are a few boutiques sprinkled in resort but the real treat comes in the form of delicatessens – kudos to anyone who manages to diet here.

Found in the UNESCO-protected Dolomites, Ortisei’s long been a world leader for its wood carvings, which adorn the villas, hotels and churches through Italy and beyond. The bustling trade hub for Val Gardena, it’s not lacking in shops; from locally produced crafts to old-school jewellers (like Runggaldier) and big name retailers (like Benetton). You’ll also come across two galleries and art of the edible kind in Anna Stuben: Chef Reimund’s reaped 16 Gault-Milau points and a Michelin star and sommelier Franz has won all sorts of awards for wine wizardry. But you’ll have to schedule in time for the culture side of things, with SO much to ski over here. The standard ski pass covers the 175km Val Gardena region, but an upgrade to the Dolomiti Superski pass unlocks enough to ski in a month of Sundays at a whopping 1200km.

Far off in the Ayas Valley, Champoluc’s secluded but by no means sleepy. Sure the spas in all their waterfalled glory might nearly have you drifting off to dreamland, but the arresting peaks of the Monte Rosa massif will soon widen your eyes. And the ski area’s really one to get the pulse racing - from 180km of corduroy to off-piste in fine feather. Invest in a guide and a heli-drop as this place has some of the world’s most thrilling terrain to tear down. And at the end of the day, the flavours waken taste buds you didn’t know you had: Il Balvio’s pasta dishes are exceptional and lips will tingle with joy with all those Patisseries. If you’re not for a soporific sherry by the fireside, on to Cafe Rimbaud which’ll fuel you for the night ahead with vintage tequilas...

King of Val Gardena, Selva’s a town where the local Ladin tongue lives on - and ta-dah... A wonderful medley of culture and styles appears. Step into one restaurant and you’re greeted with Italian wonders, try the next and its Austrian nosh a go go. But wherever you dine for the rest of the week, don’t miss the Alpenroyal Grand. Gourmands can blow their taste buds on Michelin-starred, 16 Gault-Millau-point nosh – with Dom P and vintage Porto kept in the cellar. Around town you can hardly move for artwork, from wood carvings that hark back to the region’s traditional trade to avant-garde ice sculptures. The gaggle of hotels (around twenty have four stars) tick all kinds of boxes - many with outrageously sumptuous spas and wine bars moments from your suite. There’s plenty to see and ski on the mountains – Selva has smooth access to the Sella Ronda and whacking great Superski area, which is fit to bursting with craggy limestone peaks every which way.

The finer things extend to the slopes in Kronplatz. It’s not often you find a gondola with a heated leather interior, and these ones are well worth a sitting - if only for the views from the top of Plan de Corones. Because you’re in the Dolomiti Superski area, where dramatic peaks dominate the skyline and never-ending pistes put skiers face to face with them. You’re not short of restaurants, like Schöneck where Karl Baumgartner’s Mediterranean flair has earned a Michelin star and 16 Gault-Millau points. If that hasn’t hooked you, the 30 year old wine cellar might, with over 500 fine wines to sip through. Across the whole valley, wellness facilities are ship-shape - the 3000m2 Cron4 Spa has a 6-pearl award for its offerings, which include THIRTEEN sauna rooms.

Sometimes it calls for a proper getaway, and nothing says seclusion quite like little Arabba. Huddled within the giant Dolomites, the Austrian-Italian influence gives the place its own kind of charm – ambling past the Tyrolean style buildings is a treat in itself. Those goodies just keep coming: Michelin-recognized White Stube dish up candlelit meals you never want to end, with a wine cellar stocking the finest from Veneto, Trentino and South Tyrol (they'll arrange tastings if you fancy something a little different to the usual après). After supper, go for some good old fashioned ice skating under the stars on the natural rink. Or retire to your spa hotel, where the likes of Turkish baths, Finnish saunas and Nordic remedies send all manner of twinges packing. But the real reason you come here’s the skiing. Plonked on the legendary Sella Ronda circuit, with the Marmolada glacier teetering overhead, Arabba has some of the prettiest, snowiest terrain in all the land.