I Found It Was Less Expensive to Take a Ski Vacation in Italy Than in the U.S. — Here's How I Did It

The first chilly wind of November taunted me: I still hadn’t booked our annual family ski trip. But I was hesitant to shell out hundreds of bucks a day for lift tickets in the Rockies, and lodging was already scarce.

On a whim, I checked availability in Italy’s Dolomites. The Dolomiti Superski pass, accepted at 15 resorts, was just $78 a day — and flights to Milan were also, somehow, surprisingly affordable. I booked that very night. 

A month later, my wife and I were drinking Spritzes on a bluebird afternoon at Val di Fassa while our two kids took laps on the bunny slope. The town at the base of the resort, Pozza di Fassa, had everything we needed, including a cozy apartment (many are listed at fassa.com), ski rentals right by the gondola, and an excellent pizzeria, Al Ponte.

The mountain, meanwhile, offered a mix of challenging and beginner slopes for our family’s varied skill levels. Our six-year-old son is already able to navigate black-diamond runs, but our four-year-old daughter needed lessons — and from someone other than me. That was easily accomplished at our next stop, Kronplatz, a resort area about three hours’ drive from Val di Fassa. Because these mountains draw an international crowd, group lessons are often taught in English — and can be had for just $71 a day. Skiing with new friends gave our daughter the confidence to make it down longer runs. 

Halfway through our trip, we were able to ski as a family, which opened up new opportunities — and eased the logistics of kid handoffs. We’d go hard in the morning before breaking for lunch at AlpiNN, a restaurant where tables along the glass walls seemed to float over the valley below and where children were as welcome as ski boots. We’d eat wonderfully rich risotto and dumplings stuffed with speck, the incomparable Italian smoked ham, before heading out for a few more runs.

We rounded out the adventure with two nights at Marmolada, the highest peak in the Dolomites. The seemingly endless piste from the summit is groomed, but is not suited to beginners. Fortunately, a gentle run near the base — which had both a T-bar and a magic carpet — kept our daughter happily occupied for a full day. Marmolada’s impressive terrain means it’s not an obvious choice for families with young kids, but for us it served as a perfect finale — as did our wonderful last dinner at Baita Dovich, a boutique hotel and restaurant with a memorable prawn carpaccio and avocado sorbet.

On our last morning, we had time for a quick arrivederci lap on Marmolada before hopping in the car. On our way back to Milan, we stopped in the city of Trento, where we found a lunch of mezzalune al pesto at a sidewalk café. Though it was March, we were in short sleeves in the 70-degree sun. 

We’d managed to ski some of the world’s best slopes — and dine at restaurants that far exceeded many we’ve visited in the Rockies — all for significantly less than we would have spent on a last-minute trip closer to home. A momentary impulse might have led us to Italy, but we’ve spent the past few months meticulously planning our return.

A version of this story appeared in the November 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "The Sweet Spot."