Inspired by the Olympics: The best Italian ski resorts for school ski trips
Daisy Mae Shuttleworth - Digital Content Executive at Experience Education
Daisy Mae has recently joined the Experience Education team, before working as a ski rep in Alpe d'Huez with SkiBound! Daisy studied Marketing and Management at the University of East Anglia and loves to travel, having interrailed around Europe and explored West Coast USA.
This year’s Winter Olympics has been hosted across Italy’s beautiful Milano-Cortina region.
It’s been a sensational few weeks which have showcased everything that’s great about Italy’s winter sport offering. With reliable, high-quality snow conditions, it’s a perfect destination for Olympic Athletes and students alike.
The Winter Olympics is a great way of introducing snowsports to the wider public, and it could provide the spark your students need to get involved in the next ski trip.
Beyond Cortina, Italy is home to a huge range of great ski resorts. Find out why our school groups love them as much as we do, with some Italian resort inspiration:
A World-Class Destination for School Skiing
Italy is renowned for its well-groomed, uncrowded pistes. Compared to ski resorts in neighbouring countries, your groups are likely to spend less time queuing and more time skiing.
Italian resorts are often far more affordable than comparable destinations in countries like Switzerland and France.
Featured resort: Bardonecchia, the home of Olympic Snowboarding
The charming resort of Bardonecchia hosted snowboarding events during the 2006 Winter Olympics. With a dedicated Olympic snow park and accommodation formerly used by the athletes, it’s an inspirational location for winter sports. Bardonecchia is perfect for school groups, especially those first-time skiiers.
The Olympic Village hotel is just a five-minute walk from the lockers, ski fit, and ski school meeting point. Bardonecchia is very safe for students and young people, with a family feel throughout the town. Skiing conditions are great, with altitudes of up to 2,750m and plenty of slopes for beginner and intermediate skiers. Thanks to its location on the border, you can enjoy panoramic views of the French Alps.
Featured resort: Sestriere, one of Europe's original purpose-built Olympic resorts
Another host resort for the 2006 Olympics, Sestriere was founded by the FIAT founder Giovanni Agnelli in the 1930s to create an accessible ski resort for his workers.
As it’s part of the Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski area, Sestriere offers 400km of connected terrain, meaning endless skiing possibilities for both students and teachers. With a mix of picturesque tree-lined runs and its wide, open slopes no two ski days are the same. There’s plenty of progression opportunities, with a good amount of red slopes for students to challenge themselves.
Staying in Sestriere’s Olympic Village, under the same roof as former champions is an amazing memory that school groups can treasure forever.
Featured resort: Passo Tonale, a snow-sure paradise
Not far from Cortina, Passo Tonale is a resort in the Italian Dolomites ski region that promises eye-watering views. Sitting well above the treeline, Passo Tonale is as snow-sure as you can get, with slopes that are fed by the Presena Glacier.
Fun Fact: The Presena Glacier was once the border between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War.
The resort of Passo Tonale has plenty of wide, well-groomed slopes that are ideal for students looking to perfect their technique. The village itself is safe and has a family-friendly feel.
How skiing can inspire students
Visiting ski resorts which are infused with rich heritage has a lasting impact on students. Having interesting connections to their trip will make it more memorable. They'll leave with some pretty cool stories too!
Skiing the same slopes as Olympic medal winners is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Inspirational moments, like the Olympics, can motivate students both on and off the piste. Skiing already improves students’ confidence, determination and adaptability, and having these Olympic associations can push them tenfold.
If you’re not already considering it, Italy should be on your ski trip destination list. With safe, school-focused resorts and excellent snow conditions, we always get great feedback from these trips.
Chat to our Italian experts to gain more Italian resort inspiration. You may inspire the next generation of Olympians!