The LeShuttle guide to skiing in Livigno, Italy

With its snow-sure reputation, long season and stature among snowboarders, Livigno in the Italian Alps is an increasingly popular choice for a skiing holiday.  

What makes Livigno one of the most popular skiing resorts in Italy?

Perhaps because it has a long season and lots of reliable snow, with slopes catering for varying abilities and dedicated areas for snowboarders. Livigno is a world-class snowboarding venue, having hosted many leading freestyle events. There is also the bonus that Livigno is a duty-free enclave, making everything a little cheaper, especially the après-ski.

What makes Livigno different from other Alpine resorts? 

There is something about Livigno’s remote location that adds to its appeal. It often feels like a world apart, and is known as ‘Little Tibet’ – not just because of its isolation but how cold it can get! 

Where is Livigno?

Livigno is in the Alta Valtellina in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, very close to the Swiss border.

The village of Livigno, with the Carosello 3000 mountain to the left

Livigno skiing at a glance

Livigno ski resort

The resort spreads out over the two sides of the Lombardia Alta Valtellina valley, the Mottolino and the Carosello 3000. The ski areas on the two mountains are linked by a free bus service, and there is a car-free area in the town to make it safer to get around. Livigno is a long, linear resort, so make sure your accommodation is not too far from the slopes you will be using. 

Livigno is a snow-sure place to go. If it ever does thin out during the season, the resort has excellent snow making facilities and can cover 70% of the slopes.

Livigno has slopes for skiers of all abilities

The slopes

Its high altitude of 1,800 metres gives Livigno a reliable amount of snow.  There are 115km of marked runs in total for skiers and snowboarders, including 30km of easy runs, 65km of intermediate runs and 20km of difficult runs. 

The two main ski areas are the Carosello 3000, on the western side of the valley, and the Montellino, on the eastern side. The slopes on the Carosello 3000 are more suitable for intermediate skiers and beginners. The Montellino has more challenging runs and where you’ll find the main snowboarding slopes.  

Further up each mountain there is more challenging terrain for advanced skiers, including two black runs at 2,785 metres. The pistes for snowboarding are well maintained, and there is a strong emphasis on safety. The World Snowboard Guide rates Livigno 8/10, and said that ‘Livigno has nailed the freestyle scene’.

The winter wonderland of Livigno

Snow parks

There are four snow parks at the Livigno ski resort: the Mottolino, the Beach at Carosello 3000, Snowpark20 and the Amerikan Snowpark, which is dedicated to absolute beginners, little ones and family skiing. 

Mottolino Fun Mountain is one of the best snow parks in Italy, with 27 slopes, 60 structures for snowboarders and freeskiers, and freeride runs. Expert skiers will be thrill-seeking on the long and technical Giorgio Rocca trail, which has a red difficulty rating. 

Families and beginners have some great opportunities to learn on the gentle lower slopes in Livigno. Beginners will be glad to know there are plenty of drag lifts near the village, and over 30 lifts in all. 

Ski schools and lessons

If it’s your children or yourself looking to learn how to ski, or you are getting your feet back on the slopes after a long time, Livigno is equipped with plenty of ski schools. Whether its alpine skiing, snowboarding, telemark or Nordic skiing, you’ll be taught by highly skilled instructors, who’ll make it fun no matter how many times you go from vertical to horizontal! There are nine local schools in the valley, and lessons can be booked in advance, or when you arrive. 

Eating and drinking in Livigno

A Bombardino is the perfect post-slope cocktail!

Being a duty-free ski resort certainly helps people enjoy the nightlife in Livigno even more! The drinks are more reasonably priced than in most Alpine resorts, and there is plenty of variety, from cosy restaurants with crackling fires to trendy downtown bars with live bands and resident DJs. Choose from over 150 different nightspots in which to wind down after a long day on the slopes.

Make sure you try the Bombardino, the creamy egg liqueur invented in Lombardy. Topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, it is a staple on the Italian slopes and will give you all the warming winter feels.

More things to do in Livigno

Scenic highlights - Lakes, mountains, and national parks

If you need a break from skiing, or you are in Livigno outside of the ski season, there is still so much to do in this spectacular valley. Try paddle boarding or kayaking on Lago di Livigno, a lake 1,800 metres above sea level, created when a dam was built in the 1960s. When the sky is deep blue and the mountains are still topped with snow, a photo of the lake is a must! 

Livigno sits within the Stelvio National Park, a region noted for its beautiful landscapes of mountain ranges, Alpine meadows and coniferous forests. Wildlife, flora and fauna in this area is specially protected, and walking here you might see chamois, ibex and other mountain animals. If you’re very lucky you might even spot a golden eagle! 

In summer Livigno becomes an Alpine paradise

Other outdoor activities - Hiking, cycling, and winter fun

In the summer months Livigno is a resort transformed – these magnificent mountains become a haven for hikers and mountain bikers, with 1500 km of trails that weave through the peaks. The gondolas and chairlifts remain in operation throughout the year, so outdoor enthusiasts can reach the summits. Mountain bikers can enjoy high octane descents, while road cyclists test themselves on mountain stages that have appeared in the Giro d’Italia. If you love walking, there are no end of high level trails to follow, all with spectacular views of the valley. 

Aquagranda water park

If you need to get away from the slopes for a few hours, head for the Aquagranda water park on the lake edge. It is the highest water park in Europe, featuring a swimming pool, water slides, family sauna room, spa treatments, gym and sunbeds. The site also has an outdoor athletics track, and in summer tennis courts and a beach volleyball court.

Museum of Livigno and Trepalle

The remote area of Livigno has a fascinating history, and this charming ethnographic museum in the town explores the way local people lived in the past through a range of displays and activities. You will find out how people worked, what they ate and the clothes they wore.

Who is Livigno best suited to?

Snowboarders, intermediate skiers and beginners will absolutely love Livigno. Advanced skiers will also find challenging runs on each mountain, but may find other resorts with better black runs and off-piste potential. The terrain parks, super-pipes and jump lines in the snowparks mean Livigno is a world-class destination for snowboarders and freestylers to hone their tricks. 

Plan your trip to the Livigno ski resort

Livigno is a world-leading destination for snowboarders

Drive to Livigno from the UK

It takes around 12-13 hours to drive to Livigno from our Calais terminal. Driving to your skiing holiday is a great way to travel, because it means you can fit in more gear than a baggage allowance. Travelling through France (with tolls) via Reims and Nancy, you cross into Switzerland at Basel, then follow the A3 Swiss motorway.

Winter driving in the Italian Alps 

Winter tyres and snow chains are not mandatory in Switzerland or Italy during the ski season, but you should be prepared for driving in extreme conditions. You should carry snow chains in the event of needing them, and practice how to fit them before your holiday.                 

A word of warning – it can sometimes get so cold in the Italian Alps that diesel freezes. If you are driving a diesel car, try and fill up in Livigno, as the diesel sold there has an anti-freeze additive.

Travelling to Livigno via Switzerland 

There are only two roads from Switzerland into Livigno, and one of them, the Fluella pass, is closed during winter because of the heavy snowfall in the area. You can take the rail transporter from Chur, and then drive through the Munt la Schera tunnel. Arriving by the banks of the Lago di Livigno is simply spectacular!

Alternatively, you can drive via Saint-Moritz and approach Livigno from the south.

When to visit Livigno for skiing?

Livigno has one of the longest ski seasons in Italy, with snow on the slopes from late November right up to early May in some years. 

Ski you later in Livigno. Book your trip with LeShuttle

Ideal for all kinds of skiers from beginners to experts, and a snowboarding paradise, Livigno is a duty-free, snow-sure ski destination. Remember that the first part of your ski holiday is a 35-minute crossing from Folkestone to Calais on LeShuttle.