60
WIZZ MAGAZINE
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2012
FEATURE
MI LAN
O
NE GREAT ADVANTAGE THAT SKIING HAS
over other holidays is that life’s problems are
put on hold. All thoughts are on that next
turn or, for many, the right restaurant for lunch.
The only real dilemma is choosing your destination.
With a choice of 6,000 resorts in 75 countries around
the world, the decision certainly isn’t an easy one.
The advantage of skiing in Italy lies in the friendly
and laid-back atmosphere, delicious food and the
good value for money. Lessons and lift passes also
tend to cost less than in the Swiss and French resorts.
Flying into Milan, you have a choice of some of the
best resorts in the country, all within an hour to three
hours’ drive. We run through our pick of the best.
ONE HOUR AWAY
PILA
•
Short breaks at low prices for beginners
•
Crowd-free, easy runs at weekdays
•
Get culture at nearby Aosta town
Only beginners will find enough skiing for a week in
Pila; for everyone else this is better for a three- or
four-day short break. Still, Pila’s 70km of mainly easy
runs are almost deserted on weekdays – apart from
schoolchildren, who tend to stick to the nursery slopes.
Prices are low; a private ski lesson is about half
what you’d pay in the cheapest A-list French resort.
Although Pila has a quiet nightlife, the valley
town of Aosta, linked by gondola, represents a life
outside skiing beyond that of a purpose-built ski
resort, with shops, bars, clubs, a cinema, theatre and
well-preserved Roman remains and Roman theatre.
Stay at Hotel Lion Noir (lionnoirhotel.it), a recently
renovated alpine-style venue which is a good-value
and unpretentious choice. It has wonderful views of
the Grand Combin of Aosta and it’s a ski-in, ski-out
hotel, being next to the Aosta-Pila cableway.
MONTECAMPIONE
•
For families at intermediate level
•
Three resorts with a variety of accommodation
•
Encompasses a spa village
The family-friendly resort has just 35km of piste, rising
to a top height of 2,000m. The slopes suit mainly
Why not combine a trip to stylish Milan with a spot of skiing?
SNOW REPORT
hour f rom Mi l an
PILA (PICTURED) AND
MONTECAMPIONE
1
hours f rom Mi l an
CERVINIA (PICTURED),
GRESSONEY AND
MADESIMO
2
Words by Felice Hardy
