Italian Alps (Winter)

As showcased in the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, the Italian Alps are renowned for their winter sporting activities, with some of the world's best natural settings and modern facilities for skiers and snowboarders. Enjoy both the steep slopes from the Olympics as well as some bunny hills in the Montagnedoc area of the alps. Non-skiers can still ascend to the heights in a cable car ride up Mt. Blanc for majestic views. Join Italian weeekenders in the shadow of Mt. Blanc, ski down the challenging slopes of Courmayeur, stopping at mid-mountain cabins for mulled wine and international camraderie, then hitting the lively nightlife in the ...

As showcased in the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, the Italian Alps are renowned for their winter sporting activities, with some of the world's best natural settings and modern facilities for skiers and snowboarders. Enjoy both the steep slopes from the Olympics as well as some bunny hills in the Montagnedoc area of the alps. Non-skiers can still ascend to the heights in a cable car ride up Mt. Blanc for majestic views. Join Italian weeekenders in the shadow of Mt. Blanc, ski down the challenging slopes of Courmayeur, stopping at mid-mountain cabins for mulled wine and international camraderie, then hitting the lively nightlife in the village. The gateway to the Alps, the city of Turin is more of a modern industrial center. Despite many improvements for the Olympics, it still pales in comparison to other Italian cities as a destination for art and architecture. Turin does have a surprisingly good Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio) that is worth visiting, and a fine cafe culture with many dining options serving characteristic Northern Italian cuisine.

About the Expert

Bill Fink is coauthor of Pauline Frommer's Italy, contributing the introduction, sections on Tuscany and Umbria, and chapters on Italian food, arts, and history.