Italian ski towns off the beaten path.
Less-touristed ski towns in Italy, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Capracotta's name entered the Guinness World Records in 2015 after a single snowfall set a new world record — a fitting credential for a page covering nine of Italy's quieter winter destinations. From Alagna Valsesia's freeride slopes beneath Monte Rosa to Bardonecchia's snowboarding legacy from the 2006 Winter Olympics, and south through the Apennine base towns of Castel di Sangro and Leonessa, these are places where the skiing comes with actual local character.
Macugnaga
High in the Italian Alps at the foot of Monte Rosa's dramatic east face, Macugnaga is a tiny mountain village in Piedmont offering skiing in winter and hikin…
Castel di Sangro
This compact town in Abruzzo's L'Aquila province, Castel di Sangro sits along the Sangro river with a central core of cafés and restaurants and a photogenic…
Alagna Valsesia
This compact alpine village in Piedmont's Valsesia valley, Alagna Valsesia sits at the foot of Monte Rosa — the second-highest peak in the Alps — and is inte…
Bardonecchia
This small mountain town in Piedmont's upper Susa Valley, Bardonecchia is a winter sports base with two ski areas — Colomion-Les Arnauds-Melezet and Jafferau…
Leonessa
Founded in 1278 at the foot of Monte Terminillo in the northeastern corner of Lazio's Rieti province, Leonessa is a little town with an outsized number of hi…
Arcidosso
This small Tuscan village on the slopes of Monte Amiata, Arcidosso draws visitors year-round with access to skiing in winter and mountain trails in summer, a…
Capracotta
One of the highest-elevation villages in central Italy, Capracotta sits in the mountains of Molise and holds several historic churches for a settlement of it…
Garessio
This pocket-sized Piedmontese village in the Ligurian Alps known for its mineral water, Aqua San Bernardo, which drew spa visitors at the turn of the twentie…
Sulmona
Sulmona, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy, has been producing confetti — the sugar-coated almond sweets — for centuries, and the tradition remains cent…