Learning to ski in Italy is heavenly. There are plenty of passionate instructors with a good grasp of English, and you’ll find seemingly endless miles of quiet, easy slopes and flattering pistes to progress to. All while being surrounded by the breathtaking Alps.
Italians take their skiing, aperitivi, and digestivi very seriously. Thus, ski holidays in Italy will always be as much about good food and drink as it is about skiing and snowboarding. Take a look at our top Italian ski resorts for beginners, and if you’d like some expert guidance, our friendly team is just a call away.
We’ve taken a fresh look at these resorts for winter 25/26 to make sure they’re still the best beginner Italian ski resorts for your next ski holiday.
Madonna di Campiglio, Dolomites
Set in the heart of the Brenta Dolomites, Madonna di Campiglio offers a blend of style and rustic Alpine charm. Its 150 kilometres of pistes are ideal for beginners, with plenty of wide, gentle slopes to build confidence on. The well-linked lift system makes it easy to explore different areas, like the Cinque Laghi and Pradalago. Though the resort sees a lively buzz in the evenings with cocktail bars and boutiques, the slopes remain welcoming and uncrowded during the day. Just two hours from Venice, Madonna di Campiglio is perfect for a weekend escape.
Stay At:
Hotel Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti is a five-star renewable hotel with its own amazing spa.
Cervinia, Aosta Valley
One thing that’s guaranteed to make learning to ski easier is great snow. Soft and fresh, it’s breezier to turn on, and nicer to fall on; so if you’re learning to ski, head to Cervinia. At 2,050 metres, the resort is one of the highest in Europe, and you’ll typically find an abundance of fluffy snow on its wide, cruising slopes. A great option for beginners and early intermediates, chairlifts access some lovely long blue runs straight from the resort. There is also gondola access to see more blues at mid-mountain, Plan Maison.
Stay At:
Ideally situated near to Cervinia’s nursery slopes, the Hotel Punta Maquignaz is one of the most attractive hotels in resort.
Pila, Aosta Valley
This relaxed car-free ski-in/ski-out resort in the Aosta Valley is a firm favourite amongst families and beginners. The convenient access to the slopes makes it easy for newcomers to quickly gain confidence and enjoy the experience. Bonus points are awarded for the overall quietness of the resort, giving you ideal conditions to practice those turns in peace. If you need professional guidance, there’s excellent tuition from the ski schools.
In addition, Pila offers a unique twist to a ski holiday. Just a 15-minute gondola ride away is the historic Roman town of Aosta, a charming destination that couldn’t be more different from a typical purpose-built resort.
Stay At:
Hotel La Chance in Pila is a beautiful boutique hotel with true Alpine charm and located close to the slopes.
Claviere, Piedmont
Straddling the Italian-French border and sharing its slopes with Montgenèvre in France, Claviere is a wonderfully calm and peaceful place to learn to ski. Its slopes contain the resort’s well-designed nursery slope, while further afield is the intermediate heaven of the Milky Way region, a network of 400 kilometres of pistes that covers Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere.
Crowds are a rare sight here, meaning lift queues are almost non-existent. While the resort offers a peaceful atmosphere, there are several excellent restaurants and a couple of authentic bars in the traditional village.
Stay At:
Hotel Bes is a charming four-star hotel with a spa and restaurant in Claviere.
Kronplatz, South Tyrol
The skiing on Kronplatz’s dome-shaped mountain is a dream for beginners and early intermediates – mainly because there are so many more gondolas here than any other type of lift. Easy access aside, the runs are also very beginner-friendly, thanks to that smooth, rounded mountain the resort is situated on. Amid the jagged Dolomite landscape, Kronplatz stands out like a sore thumb – if that thumb were unusually round. Largely unknown in the British market, Kronplatz in South Tyrol is one of the best Italian ski resorts for beginners.
Stay At:
The Falkensteiner Hotel Kronplatz is located in the South Tyrol mountains of Italy, and is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.
Livigno, Lombardy
Don’t let the long transfer time deter you, Livigno is worth the trek. A snow-sure resort set in a wide valley close to the Swiss border, it’s relatively rare in its combination of good, reliable snow and wallet-friendly prices. The runs and the village spread along the valley, and you’re never too far from a good beginner slope; if you’re ready to push through to the next level, the longer blues around Costaccia are ideal. As a bonus, Livigno has duty-free status, so it’s great for bargains as well!
Stay At:
Hotel Amerikan in Livigno has an enviable position, just 20m from the lifts. The hotel features an eco-friendly indoor pool, pizzeria, and restaurant.
Ortisei, South Tyrol
Nestled in one of the Dolomites’ most breathtaking locations, Ortisei is more of a fully-fledged town than just a ski resort, with charm and character that go well beyond the slopes. Part of the Val Gardena region, which links into the massive Dolomiti Superski area (1,200 kilometres of pistes – now that’s something to aim for!), the main attraction for beginners and early intermediates is the slopes at Alpe di Susi. Accessed by gondola, they’re on a sunny plateau above the town and wend their way over meadows and pastures. Being one of the best Italian resorts for skiing, you’re never far from a charming pit stop. Ortisei is also a key part of the Sella Ronda, an intermediate circuit around the Gruppo del Sella pink-tinged rocky massif.
Stay At:
Hotel Adler is one of the best hotels in the Dolomites, offering the highest standards of comfort and service.
Paganella, Trentino
Small but perfectly formed, Paganella is a charming ski resort. Facing the Trentino Dolomites and overlooking the Molveno lake. The slopes are the ideal combination of racing reds and easy-going blues through the trees. The best place to learn is the nursery slopes above Andalo, which, along with easy blue runs, make it perfect for beginners. There’s also a range of off-piste terrain for experts, as well as night skiing available two days a week, so you can keep the fun going in the dark.
Passo Tonale, Lombardy
On a mountain pass between the Trentino and Lombardy regions, Passo Tonale is a safe choice for family groups and beginners. The resort’s sunny, spacious nursery slopes are perfect for learning, offering an unbeatable setting for beginners. There are also plenty of easy, reassuring blue runs to progress to. The resort’s slopes spread in two different directions: one to the authentic mountain town of Ponte di Legno and one to the Presana glacier. In total, there are 100 kilometres to ski on, reaching an altitude of 3,100 metres. There’s also plenty to do off the slopes, including tobogganing, ice skating and Skidoo rides, or even swimming at the ‘Butterfly Indoor Pool’
Stay At:
Hotel Delle Alpi is Passo Tonale is traditional Alpine style hotel with easy access to the slopes.
La Thuile, Aosta Valley
La Thuile is one of the best Italian ski resorts for beginners because of its great nursery slopes at the base of the ski resort. The Espace San Bernardo area is an excellent choice, not only with La Thuile’s nursery slopes, but with more found on the French side, in La Rosieré. A bonus point goes to La Thuile for the excellent ski schools with top-class instructors.
For those ready to move onto slightly more challenging slopes, having mastered the basics, there are 50 kilometres of blue slopes to explore. For intermediate and advanced skiers, La Thuile offers a range of red and black runs at the top of the mountain, as well as a sharp black run back down to the village. Try heliskiing if you’re feeling adventurous.
When off the slopes, the village has a range of restaurants, cafes and shops to explore. The Planibel complex has a swimming pool, sauna, steam room and fitness centre, or get the bus to the larger resort, Courmayeur.
Stay At:
Montana Lodge and Spa in La Thuile is a luxury five-star hotel with the stunning Mont Blanc as a backdrop.
To find out more about the best Italian ski resorts for beginners, please call our ski experts on 0207 471 7700.
