Sestriere (Italy)

In 1932, Fiat’s managing director, Mr Agnelli, was the first person to decide to build a modern ski resort in the Alps. The result was a village, which may not be the most charming, but it does have some very strong plus points. The village is located at the very heart of the huge ski area of Via Lattea (the Milky Way) ski area. The resort gained its international reputation after hosting the World Cup Ski Races in 1997 and the Winter Olympics in 2006.

The magnificent Via Lattea ski area with over 400kms of slopes and excellent skiing for all levels at high altitudes means that Sestriere really is a perfect ski holiday destination. Although the area offers skiers and snowboarders everything they can possibly wish for, cross-country skiers have to settle for slightly less here. The high altitude also guarantees skiing until May. This ski resort's international reputation means there is a pleasant cosmopolitan atmosphere here but there are also many reasonably priced restaurants offering excellent local specialties if you'd rather not pay the international prices.