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It’s not just the gelato that keeps cold in the summer months… Pick an Italian resort with summer skiing and the slopes do too. Set the alarm early, ski until the lifts close and spend long afternoons feasting on pizza in the sunshine.
Italy might not have as many summer ski resorts as Switzerland and Austria, but the high quality and low costs are fantastic. We’ve also included other glacier ski areas, which might not be skiable all year, but do have far longer seasons than the rest.
Italy: Top Summer Ski Resorts & Glacier Ski Areas
Skiing knows no season under the eye of the Matterhorn. Lift linked from town, a whopping 25km of corduroy makes up the largest summer ski area in Europe – as well as the highest, at an eye watering 3500m. It’s a cruisey selection of reds and blues up here, shared with Swiss neighbour Zermatt. But if you want to ramp up the tempo, the Gravity Park on Plateau Rosa comes complete with a Big Air, superpipe and kickers to keep adrenaline levels high. Ski School Cervino offer on the spot lessons, and Warren Smith and Burton run summer courses here too – prepping you perfectly for wintertime.
With a lofty altitude of 3016m and average snow depth of 4m, the Presena’s a dream to ski – and while it isn’t a regular affair, it’s not unheard of for the glacier to be skiable in the summertime. Reach it by a system of three lifts from the right side of town - the views of the Adamello are incredible on the way up. You’re met by 3.7km of pistes spread over 3 wonderfully scenic runs - a black and two reds. The black Paradiso, famed for its awesome 11km descent and 1100m vertical drop, takes you all the way down to the Ponte di Legno. In the powder department, there’s the 16km Pisigna run that heads towards Legno over an exhilarating 1650m of vertical.
Marmolada’s the big name in these parts. Though not skiable in the summer, it sees the best conditions in the Dolomites at each end of the winter season. At 3354m, this is the highest peak in the Dolomites, and it’s also home to the areas only skiable glacier - and Arabba is its closest neighbour. From the top point, Punta Rocca, there’s a stunning view across the craggy Gruppo del Sella. But here’s the best bit: There’s an average snow sure depth of 2m on the top bits. Cramming in the best views and conditions is the legendary 12km Bellunese red piste. Famous for its 1000m drop, it runs through the glorious Fedaia Pass and towards Malga Ciapela – where you can link back to Arabba, or head straight up to Rocca and ski it all over again.
If you’re happy to broaden your search to ski resorts in other countries, you can add many more summer ski areas into the mix. Austria has some brilliant options – like the Hintertux glacier (near Mayrhofen) which is usually skiable 365 days a year, and Kaprun's Kitzsteinhorn glacier, which was the country’s first skiable glacier.
Among our favourite summer ski resorts in Switzerland and France, Saas-Fee and Les 2 Alpes both have socking great snow parks, making them the biggest and best for freestyle. Or if you fancy a long-haul summer trip, check out Whistler – where the Horstman glacier’s one of North America’s finest. Find the 10 best summer ski resorts on the planet here.
Italy - best summer & glacier ski resorts
| Resort | Best features |
|---|---|
| Cervinia | Theodul glacier – Europe’s biggest summer ski area |
| Passo Tonale | Presena glacier – sometimes skiable in the summer |
| Arabba | Marmolada glacier – only skiable glacier in the Dolomites |
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