Best ski resorts near Milan
Milan is a beautiful, cosmopolitan, stylish city in the North of Italy, but within a hop, skip and a jump you can be on your snowy adventure. So we're here to share the best ski resorts close to Milan.
Milan is a beautiful, cosmopolitan, stylish city in the North of Italy, in the region of Lombardy. It’s perfect for a weekend break to explore the famous Il Duomo cathedral and shop in the glitzy designer stores. But if you are looking for something a little more high altitude, snow-related and thrilling than shopping in a city, then Milan is also perfectly situated to be a gateway to some of the best ski resorts in Italy. Within two and half hours you can access the incredible Aosta Valley in the Alps or the major Milkey Way ski area in the Dolomites-why excited to explore the top ski resorts near Milan.
So, we’re here to divulge some very exciting information on the 10 best ski destinations near Milan. To get to these resorts if you are not coming from Milan centre, then you can fly into either one of the cities two airports, Milan Malpensa or Bergamo. Either way, you will be in the mountains living the high (altitude) life in no time.
Gearing up for high-altitude adventures to go skiing near Milan
As you prepare for your exhilarating ascent to the snowy summits, selection of your ski attire should be priority number one. The perfect ensemble can vastly augment your experience, optimising comfort, augmenting performance, and ensuring style on the slopes.
Amid your wintry prep, take a moment to delve into our spectacular range of ski jackets below.
Top ski destinations near Milan
Under 2 hour away from Milan
Montecampione
Where: Camonica Valley, Lombardy, Italy
Distance from Milan: 1 hour 45 minutes (119.1km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 30km
Elevation: 1,200 and 2,000 m
Montcampione is a small resort so close to Milan, you will find many Italian city workers jumping in their car and spending a weekend here when the snow is good. This means that Montcampione has kept an authentic Italian vibe and remains relatively quiet most of the week, so you can enjoy minimal queues and minimal tourists. The benefits of visiting a small unknown resort are endless and of course, a major one, is the prices, as Montcampione will allow you to do a ski trip on a budget. Although the piste extent is not that of other major Italian resorts, it still has some great terrain for a long weekend. Those who are intermediate to advanced will love how many red and black slopes there are to challenge yourself.
Ridestore recommends
This resort is perfectly set up for snowboarders, so this is an ideal resort for those wanting to advance your boarding skills.
Champoluc
Where: Aosta Valley, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours (169km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 132km
Elevation: 1212 m – 3275 m
Just two hours from Milan, you can be in the famous Aosta Valley, which has an abundance of incredible resorts, but the closest and arguably one of most underrated is Champoluc. It is also part of the great Monterosa ski area, which surprisingly still remains pretty secretive. This hidden gem is authentically Italian, but without the glitz and glamour, instead, it is rustic, wholesome and fuss-free. Champoluc is also enjoyed by many Freeride World Tour riders because of its amazing freeride potential. With it being a stone’s throw from Milan, Turin and Geneva, you would think the word would get out, but we are happy to keep this our (and the Italians) little secret.
Ridestore recommends:
Hire a car and easily explore the many resorts in the Aosta Valley, all unique and incredible in their own right.
St Moritz
Where: Canton of Grisons, Switzerland
Distance from Milan: 2 hours (162km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 155km
Elevation: 1,720 and 3,022 m
St Moritz is surprisingly one of the nearest resorts to Milan, even though it is actually in the Swiss Alps. Just two hours from the glamorous city is the most glamorous ski resort, known for its upmarket glitz and indulgence. Expect nothing but a 5* experience from the moment you arrive, as the hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs will have you wining and dining like a celebrity. You will even get top quality service on the mountain, as the slopes are groomed to perfection, so you can enjoy a relaxed ski to your next champagne drinking spot. St Mortiz is a place to be seen, so don’t work too hard on the slopes but put more effort into your choice of apres jacket.
Ridestore recommends:
Treat yourself to one of the many spas and thermal springs in the area.
Over 2 hours away from Milan
Alagna
Where: Piedmont, Aosta Valley, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours 15 mins (148.2km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 132km
Elevation: 1,212 and 3,275 m.
Alagna is part of of the awesome Monterosa ski area, along with nearby Champoluc and Gressonay, so although the town itself is small and quiet, there is surprisingly a lot of action up on the mountain. Alagna is a UNESCO world heritage site since 2013, and it’s easy to see why, being one of the prettiest and stunning ski villages in Italy. The town is small, rustic and laid back, providing a tranquil environment to rest from a big day on the mountain. Whilst the skiing is some of the best in the area, with it being connected to the Monterosa, the high altitude and snow-sure pistes. The snow is always plentiful in Alagna, so you can also expect some of the best off-piste and freeride in the Alps, so for those in the know, they can experience untouched, deep and challenging backcountry.
Ridestore recommends:
Do the Monterosa ski loop for a big day out, you will cover some tracks and explore the whole area.
Courmayeur
Where: Mont Blanc, Aosta Valley, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours and 10 minutes (218km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 41.5km
Elevation: 1,205 and 2,755 m.
Another Aosta Valley resort is the glitzy Courmayeur, which sits on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc mountain. Courmayeur is a beautifully chic, glamorous and cosy Italian resort, just the kind of place you would expect in Italy, with stunning restaurants and designer boutiques lining the pretty Alpine street. The rich Milanese do tend to flock here on a weekend, but don’t think its all Prosecco drinking and no skiing, as Courmayeur has some great terrain for riders who like them long but steep. You will also find, low key, lots of freeriders because of the awesome off-piste and backcountry potential.
Ridestore recommends:
Book a tour guide and do the famous Valle Blanche into Chamonix, you don’t have to be an expert off-piste rider, but a competent enough to tackle some deep powder.
Pila
Where: Aosta Valley, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours 10 minutes (188km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 50km
Elevation: 1,540 and 2,740 m
Pila is a small resort just up the mountain from the city of Aosta, so it is very easy to get to if you’re self-driving- you can’t miss it. Pila isn’t as fancy or elegant as some of the other Italian resorts, but instead, it is a fuss-free ski focused destination. Pila is the perfect resort to learn to ski or to develop your skills, as the pistes are long, wide and perfectly groomed. There are excellent ski schools that can help you find your ski or snowboard legs. It is also the ideal atmosphere to learn, as there are few crowds to spook beginners and wide-open pistes to improve your carving confidence.
Ridestore recommends:
There are not many ski in ski out resorts in Italy, but Pila is an exception so make sure to book one of the slopeside accommodation options and make the most of this novelty.
Cervinia
Where: Aosta Valley, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours 20 minutes (189km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 322km
Elevation: 1,562 and 3,899 m.
Cervinia is one of the most famous ski resorts in Italy because it can rival the resorts in France for altitude, piste extent and vibrant atmosphere. It sits at the Italian side of the towering Matterhorn, connected to the Swiss resort Zermatt. Zermatt is notoriously difficult to get to, whilst Cervinia is super easy from Milan and several other airports, so in no time at all, you can be cruising on the glacier at 3000m. The altitude is, of course, a massive draw, as Cervinia is perfect for a long and snow-filled season. Down in the town, it is a very pretty and is bursting with beautiful restaurants, fun bars and nightclubs all with a true Italian charm.
Ridestore recommends:
For non-skiers, they can still join you for lunch on a pedestrian pass at the Rifugio on Plateau Rosa at a whopping 3500m.
Madesimo
Where: Valchiavenna, Lombardy, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours 15 minutes (147km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 37km
Elevation: 1,550 and 2,948 m.
Madesimo is another low key resort, not on the main ski circuit in Italy, but none the less, it a great little place, ideal for a relaxing weekend getaway. The town has plenty of bars, restaurants and shops and even a couple of apres bars to enjoy a warming drink after a mountain day. Whilst on the mountain there are great slopes for the intermediates, but the advanced and experts may not feel challenged enough. Although, for those in the know, there are some backcountry options, where you can pop on some skins, trek up and blast through 3km of fresh, deep powder.
Ridestore recommends:
Night skiing is a great activity, where they off you to eat dinner at a mountain restaurant and ski back down into town.
Sauze d'Oulx ski resort
Where: Val Di Susa, Piedmont, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours 10 (215km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 400km
Elevation: 1,372 and 2,789 m.
Sauze d’Oulx is in the awesome Milkey Way ski area, which boasts a whopping 400km of slopes connecting a bunch of resorts in Italy and France. You are guaranteed to not get bored in Sauze d’Oulx, with endless terrain and slopes to explore. The ski area is great for all range of abilities, but in particular, it is great for intermediates, with most of the pistes being red. You must save some energy on the mountain, as Sauze d’Oulx has some of the best apres and nightlife in the Italian Alps, famous for its party scene. Unlike a lot of Italian resorts, the Brits love to come here for its clubs, but also because of its charming village, which of course has classic Italian restaurants and good food- it’s all about the balance.
Ridestore recommends:
To explore the full Milkey Way ski area, you can take the bus to the different resorts and have a new adventure each day.
Bardonecchia
Where: Val Di Susa, Piedmont, Italy
Distance from Milan: 2 hours 37 minutes (226.9km)
Ski-Able Terrain: 100km
Elevation: 1,312 and 2,800 m.
The Turin Olympics in 2006 brought some well-needed investment into Bardonecchia and since then it has thrived and become an awesome destination. Although Turin is the closest airport, it is still under 3 hours from Milan. It is a very sunny valley, that connects two ski areas together, making for 100km of terrain that is perfect for beginners and intermediates. Those looking to get away from the crowds but still have great skiing and boarding, then Bardonecchia is the ideal place. In the town, although a small resort, there are some amazing restaurants to fuel up and some great apres bars to wind down.
Ridestore recommends:
Left from the Turin Winter Olympic days, there is an Olympic halfpipe and snow park, which can be used by those looking for a challenge and work on their slopestyle skills.
FAQs
How long does it take to travel from Milan to the nearby ski resorts?
Generally, travel time varies depending on the resort, but most are reachable within two to three hours. For instance, Montecampione is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes away, while Alagna takes around 2 hours 15 minutes.
Are there budget-friendly ski destinations near Milan?
Yes, there are plenty of budget-friendly ski resorts near the city. Montecampione, for example, is known for its affordability, while still providing a great skiing experience.
Wrapping up
So there we have it, 10 of the best ski resorts in under 3 hours from the glamorous Italian city of Milan. The general theme that runs throughout, is that many of the Italian resorts tend to quieter and lesser-known by tourists, this means less time wasted queuing and more time spent bossing the tranquil pistes. Plus, many of the resorts have remained authentic and traditional, still oozing a comforting Italian Alpine atmosphere. But, you can still party and apres-ski in the major resorts, cover some serious ground across connecting ski areas and eat like an Italian, all whilst not breaking the bank. To be honest, there seems to be very little reason why flying into Milan for the next ski break is not booked already!
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