Summer Skiing in Italy

Skiing knows no season under the eye of the Matterhorn. Lift linked from town, a whopping 25km of corduroy makes up the largest summer ski area in Europe – as well as the highest, at an eye watering 3500m. It’s a cruisey selection of reds and blues up here, shared with Swiss neighbour Zermatt. But if you want to ramp up the tempo, the Gravity Park on Plateau Rosa comes complete with a Big Air, superpipe and kickers to keep adrenaline levels high. Ski School Cervino offer on the spot lessons, and Warren Smith and Burton run summer courses here too – prepping you perfectly for wintertime.

With a lofty altitude of 3016m and average snow depth of 4m, the Presena’s a dream to ski – and while it isn’t a regular affair, it’s not unheard of for the glacier to be skiable in the summertime. Reach it by a system of three lifts from the right side of town - the views of the Adamello are incredible on the way up. You’re met by 3.7km of pistes spread over 3 wonderfully scenic runs - a black and two reds. The black Paradiso, famed for its awesome 11km descent and 1100m vertical drop, takes you all the way down to the Ponte di Legno. In the powder department, there’s the 16km Pisigna run that heads towards Legno over an exhilarating 1650m of vertical.

Marmolada’s the big name in these parts. Though not skiable in the summer, it sees the best conditions in the Dolomites at each end of the winter season. At 3354m, this is the highest peak in the Dolomites, and it’s also home to the areas only skiable glacier - and Arabba is its closest neighbour. From the top point, Punta Rocca, there’s a stunning view across the craggy Gruppo del Sella. But here’s the best bit: There’s an average snow sure depth of 2m on the top bits. Cramming in the best views and conditions is the legendary 12km Bellunese red piste. Famous for its 1000m drop, it runs through the glorious Fedaia Pass and towards Malga Ciapela – where you can link back to Arabba, or head straight up to Rocca and ski it all over again.