Home of the Alpine southern range
So…Italy. That amazingly romantic place where everyone thinks of nothing but gelatto, pizza, prosecco, bruschetta, bolognese, and countless other incredible culinary delights that have made their way across the globe. We’ve been lucky enough to have seen Florence, Venice, Portofino, Milan, and Garda Lake. Italy is easily Kate’s favorite country to be in; however, we’re not here to discuss that. We’re here to chat about what Italy can bring in terms of the pow-pow for the fam.
Encompassing a pretty lengthy region, Italy is home to over two hundred ski areas. Its alpine region stretches hundreds of kilometers from the western Cottian Alps towards the legendary Dolomites further east. The Italian alps essentially make up the southern border of the alpine region.
I will immediately knock Italy on one major thing involving getting to its slopes: tolls. Holy dearest of our Lord God does this country love its tolls. Rather than doing the simple thing and buying a windshield sticker for use of the nation’s highways, you’ll grow to love this thing called the Autostrade and it’s multitude of tolls that put the Washington, D.C. beltway’s EZ-Pass completely to shame. I’ve never been anywhere else in the world that unexpectedly decimated my mental state with a 45€ toll on top of the other 40€ I’d already paid in the last two hours. There’s a good chance I wasn’t doing this, right. Don’t take my advice on routes: I’ll be completely wrong.
Also on the Euro, the slopes in Italy that we did, in fact, try were the cheapest I’ve snowboarded in Europe. In Sestriere you can enjoy an entire week for the same cost as a single day in Breckenridge, Colorado (seriously). I’m sure this isn’t the rule for the entirety of Italian slopes, but it sure is an attractive aspect if you’re having to be selective about where you want to go. Sadly, the Italian Alps are a 6-hour plus drive from our home.
Depending on where you live or visit, I believe the Italian alps (combined with some Swiss areas) can be the most unique and rewarding areas to snowboard. Based on the Olympian count for Italy, I’d also trust that their ski schools are up-to-par.
The Snowboard Dad in Europe 