The essential guide to Livigno ski resort

The beauty of Italian Alps is well known to the world. 

Many outdoor enthusiasts consider the Italian mountains as one of the most beautiful places in Europe!

But they offer more than just a beautiful landscape - the unforgettable winter holidays. Sunny Italia is known worldwide for its excellent ski resorts and great weather.

More advantages of skiing in Italy:

• Italians party from 2 PM after the skiing right on the spot! Every day! 😀
• Razor-sharp and wide ski slopes
• Italian food at hand (no further comment needed)
• Weather is better in the Italian Alps. Sun is an important ingredient of any holiday!
• Amazingly friendly, smiling and helpful people

So, which mountain resort should we choose if we look for a superb Alpine ski resort?

The answer is: Livigno.

Let's have a look at what Livigno has to offer for winter sports lovers:

Livigno ski resort

Livigno is the number one ski resort in Italy (and also one of the best mountain resorts in Europe!). It's the highest-ranked ski resort in the country with a score of 4.7 ⭐ voted by Google Maps reviewers and local guides.

What's more, many skiers and snowboarders consider Livigno one of the best ski resorts in Europe. Its ski infrastructure gives an example of how a proper ski resort should look like.

Livigno is a picturesque mountain resort hidden in the Italian Alps in the region of Lombardy. It's surrounded by mountains and I have the feeling that the town's architecture is a mixture of Italian, Austrian and Swiss elements.

It's a relatively new ski resort - in the 50's it was still a small Alpine village cut off from the rest of the world for the majority of the year. Only after a famous tunnel under the Alps was built Livigno started developing dynamically.

Livigno town is actually one main street from which forks off many transverse streets. The biggest advantage of Livigno is the closeness of ski slopes - there are many ski-in/ski-out hotels.

Another great advantage of Livigno is the fact that you can ski down from almost 3000 metres right to the ski resort's centre.

OK, let's have a look at the numbers:

• altitude: 1816m - 2900m
• the total number of lifts: 32 including 6 gondolas, 14 chairlifts, 12 t-bar lifts
• Ski season: November 30th - May 3rd
• total number of ski pistes: 78, with the sum of the length of 115 km
• easy (blue): 40km, moderate (red): 55km, difficult (black): 19km
• snowparks: 2
• night skiing: 4 hours
• the longest ski piste: 2km

A great number of easy ski slopes and lots of ski schools make Livigno one of the best ski resorts in Europe for families and beginners but advanced skiers and extreme enthusiasts can have their expectations met too.

Livigno is located in a valley and divided into two separate ski areas: Carosello 3000 (Vetta Blesaccia and Costaccia mountains) and Mottolino Fun Mountain (Monte della Neve and Monte Sponda mountains).

Carosello 3000

The bigger ski area in Livigno. Chair lifts take skiers up to 2800 metres where you can choose from many exciting ski slopes. On the top of the mountain, there is also a bar where you can relax admiring the breathtaking panorama of the Italian Alps.

The slopes here are in excellent condition, not very long but sunlit and wide, perfect for ski carving. No one skies over one another and there is enough room to not feel pressured to get down quickly. Most of the ski pistes are blue and red. 

Carosello 3000 area offers one snowpark and one fun slope.

Here are the items available on Amazon that you may find useful for the winter:

A great advantage of Carosello 3000 is the fact that it adjoins almost the whole length of Livigno and ski slopes descend practically to the main street - you can ski down straight to your hotel.

The Carosello 3000 lifts are open from December 1st until May 1st.

Ski lifts:

PRO TIP: to get current information about Carosello 3000 ski lifts' status, weather conditions and snow reports you can download my3000 app. The my3000 app is available on Google Play and the Apple Store.

Here are some accommodation options from Booking.com:

If you are interested why do we recommend Booking.com feel free to read our story about it here.

Mottolino Fun Mountain

Mottolino ski area is located slightly away from Livigno main street. Fortunately, a ski bus shuttles frequently between the town and Mottlino Fun Mountain - transfer lasts about 10 minutes.

Ski runs are longer and more difficult than Carosello slopes. The highest point you can get is 2500 metres. The majority of slopes are also sunlit although lower parts are covered with forest.

If you stay in Trepalle district you can ski down directly from Mottolino.

Mottolino Fun Mountain is especially attractive for snowboarders - the snowpark here is enormous!

There are 27 ski runs: 6 blue slopes, 16 red slopes and 5 black slopes.

There's also something called freeride cross - an exciting ski trail that combines freeride and freestyle. This route includes natural obstacles typical for off-pistes and some fun elements like curves, jumps, step-ups, etc.

Here are some accommodation options from Booking.com:

If you are interested why do we recommend Booking.com feel free to read our story about it here.

Livigno ski pass

The lift pass is usually a magnetic scannable card. It's an essential element for your ski holiday. Without ski pass, you can't access the slopes. Each ski resort has its own card.

Livigno ski pass allows you to access both the Carosello 3000 and Mottolino ski areas.

The price of a ski pass depends on:

• the month - February and March are the most expensive
• your age - youngsters and seniors get lucky
• length of your ski vacation - you can use one ski pass for up to 14 days but such a long ski vacation is rather costly

In high season in 2019/2020, an adult lift pass for 6 days costs 247 EUR.

Click here to get more information on the current Livigno ski pass price.

The best idea for ski holidays in Livigno is to buy accommodation together with a ski pass - it's a cheaper option than purchasing a hotel and ski pass separately.

Click here to get such a deal.

Free Ski

It was Livigno where the popular Free Ski bargains were offered first.

Free Ski is a deal where you get a free ski pass if you make a booking in a certain hotel. The bargain is made every year in low season - the first three weeks of December and almost the whole of April.

Click here to get such a deal - hotels that offer free ski passes.

Livigno weather

What makes Livigno the most popular ski resort in the Alps? 

The brilliant weather!

Livigno is situated between the Swiss Engadin Valley and the Italian Alta Valtellina valley. Thanks to its location this mountain resort has the sunniest ski slopes in the whole Alps. When it's cloudy and windy in other nearby ski resorts, in Livigno the sky is blue and skiing conditions just couldn't be more perfect.

In November and December, there are heavy snowfalls in Livigno so the ski season starts early and lasts until the first week of May.

So, if you wonder if there is snow in Livigno in December - yes, there is, a lot of it! 😀

The most reliable weather website that provides current ski conditions is snow-forecast.com.

Livigno hotels

Are you wondering where to stay in Livigno? That's a tough one - there are lots of great hotels in Livigno.

So, which ones are the best?

• Camana Veglia - beautiful Alpine-style hotel located right next to the Carosello 3000 ski lift. Guests are satisfied with spacious and comfortable rooms which are beautifully decorated to match the mountain style of the hotel. Breakfast is ample and delicious, with a wide choice of food suitable for different tastes.
• Hotel Croce Bianca - a welcoming hotel situated close to the Mottolino gondola. Friendly and attentive staff. Guests are delighted with the location and cosy rooms, each one with a bathroom.
• Hotel Daniela - comfortable family-friendly hotel located close to Livigno centre. Guests appreciate the helpful staff and excellent breakfast. Heated ski room.
• Chalet Li Baita - spacious apartments located in Trepalle, very close to the Mottolino ski lift. Guests are happy with warm and cosy apartments and a fully-equipped kitchen.
  
  

Best family skiing in Italy?

I started off as a beginner and progressed to the intermediate level thanks to a great variety of ski runs. At the beginning of our ski vacations, I spent most of the time in the lower parts where slopes are easy and mild. Then I tried my skills on higher and more difficult ski runs and they turned out OK.

Truth is, there are no really difficult ski trails in Livigno which would be suitable only for professional skiers.

Even if you don't want to risk skiing on red slopes, there are about 40 kilometres of easy (blue) ski runs which is more than enough to have fun. 🙂

Anyway, it's always good to prepare well for the ski season and stay safe on the slope.

Ski gear rental

There are many ski gear rental shops in Livigno. Some even offer the option of online gear booking.

Here are the most popular shops with the widest choice of ski gear to rent:

23030 - Livigno
+39 0342 996240
[email protected]
online booking

Defox2 Ski
Via Bondi St. 401
23030 - Livigno
+39 (0)342 970641
[email protected]
online booking

Rent and Go Zinermann Sporting
Via Plan, 21/h
23030 - Livigno
+39 0342 996685
[email protected]
online booking

Things to do in Livigno

Livigno is not only a dream destination for winter sports lovers. It's a great place to have even if you're not into winter sports.

Let's have a look at non-skiing attractions in the town:

• eating & drinking

In the evening the main street in Livigno fills with people. Beautiful mountain-style townhouses offer restaurants, cafes serving delicious Italian coffee and desserts and, of course, countless pizzerias. It's certainly not difficult to make up for calories lost on the slope.

Oh, let's not forget about Bombardino - a popular Italian cocktail made of Advocaat or eggnog and Brandy. It's served hot, with whipped cream on top. There are usually a few flavours to choose from: coffee, rum or whisky.

Best restaurants in Livigno:

• La Tea di Cip & Ciop - located conveniently close to the slope at the bottom of Carosello 3000 mountain. Cosy place with a fantastic view of Livigno from the terrace. Friendly and attentive staff. Beautifully presented authentic Italian food. The best risotto I've ever eaten.
• Angels & Demons - delicious homemade food at reasonable prices. I especially liked Tagliatelle with cabbage, butter and Bitto cheese. Beautiful decor.
• Ristorante Bellavista - another awesome restaurant in Livigno. Wide choice of delicious Italian food. Every pizza we ordered there was mouthwatering. Generous portions - great value for money.
  

• shopping

Livigno is a duty-free area which makes it a paradise for shopaholics. Interestingly, it was Napoleon who set Livigno a duty-free town in 1805!

There are lots of fantastic shops offering perfumes, alcohol and brand clothes from famous Italian fashion houses - all available at a lower cost than in your own country.

Our favourite shop was Botia Cantoni - a very well-supplied shop offering a wide range of merchandise. Lots of local products at reasonable prices.

• après ski

Local draft beers, mulled wine, delicious cocktails and a live band playing pop-country covers - let's enjoy a good party after the day spent on the slope! Dancing in skiing shoes on a table is a must-do for everyone looking for fun and memorable experiences that make you smile many years later.

Après ski parties tend to end quite early (about 10 PM) so if you still need some more dancing there are many clubs in Livigno entertaining fun-seekers late in the night. Look for those with a dancefloor and serving local cocktails like Miky's Disco Club - the essential element of Livigno nightlife.😉

• Bagni Vecchi SPA in Bormio

Thermal baths located in ancient rocks. There is also a large outdoor panoramic pool overlooking the picturesque Bormio valley. A perfect option for a relaxing and memorable trip.

Getting to Bormio from Livigno takes about 1 hour by car. There are also direct buses going from Livigno to Bormio - you can check the timetable here.

You can check the Bagni Vecchi SPA opening hours and prices here.

Nearest airport to Livigno

The closest airports to Livigno are:

• Bergamo Airport - Orio Al Serio
• Milan Airport - Milan Malpensa

Click here to find the best deals on flights.

BERGAMO AIRPORT 

Airport code: BGY

Address:
SACBO Via Aeroporto 13
I-24050 Orio Al Serio

Phone: +39 035 326323

The airport has only one terminal.

How to get from Bergamo to Livigno?

Bergamo airport is located about 200 km from Livigno. Travelling from the airport to the mountain resort by car takes about three and a half hours.

There are two options to get from Bergamo airport to Livigno fast and problem-free:

• Livigno Express - airport shuttle going directly to Livigno town centre. Online booking is required at least 3 days before transit. You can book Bergamo - Livigno bus here.
• Car hire - the fastest and most convenient way of travel. Click here to find deals on car rental.

MILAN AIRPORT

Airport code: MXP

Address:
21010 Ferno
Province of Varese

Phone: +39 02 232323

Transfer from Milan Malpensa airport to Livigno:

The airport is located about 230 km from Livigno. Travelling from the airport to the mountain resort by car takes about three and a half hours.

You have two options to get from Milan airport to Livigno:

• Livigno Express - airport shuttle going directly to Livigno town centre. Online booking is required at least 3 days before transit. You can book Bergamo - Livigno bus here.
• Car hire - the most comfortable way of travelling. Click here to find deals on car hire.