Italy's most beautiful mountain villages in the snow

When snow covers the slate roofs, turns cobbled lanes into fairy-tale passages and wraps bell towers in soft white blankets, Italy’s mountain villages are at their most beautiful. You do not need to ski to enjoy them: a walk, a good meal and a stunning view are enough.

The Dolomites: villages among the peaks

Cortina d’Ampezzo (Veneto)

Cortina d’Ampezzo, the ‘Queen of the Dolomites’, is much more than a ski resort. Its Corso Italia is one of the most elegant streets in the Alps, with boutiques, historic cafés and lit-up shop windows that create a timeless Christmas atmosphere.

Don’t miss: the Basilica of Santi Filippo e Giacomo, the view from the Cinque Torri
Local food: casunziei (beetroot-filled pasta), apple strudel

Ortisei / St. Ulrich (South Tyrol)

In the heart of Val Gardena, Ortisei is steeped in Ladin culture. The streets of the centre are lined with houses decorated with frescoes and carved wood, a sign of the valley’s woodcarving tradition.

Don’t miss: Via Rezia and its woodcarvers’ workshops, the Museum Gherdëina (Val Gardena Museum)
Local food: schlutzkrapfen (filled pasta), spinach dumplings (canederli)

San Candido / Innichen (South Tyrol)

Close to the Tre Cime Dolomiti ski area, San Candido is a medieval village with a 13th-century collegiate church and a magical atmosphere in winter.

Don’t miss: the collegiate church, the Christmas market (in December)
Local food: tirtlan (Tyrolean fried pastries), goulash

Chiusa / Klausen (South Tyrol)

On the way to Gitschberg Jochtal, Chiusa is listed among ‘I Borghi più Belli d’Italia’, the association of Italy’s most beautiful villages. Säben Abbey (Sabiona) towers over the village like an Alpine holy mountain.

Don’t miss: Säben Abbey, the medieval main street
Local food: traditional smoked speck

Aosta Valley: the real mountains

Cogne (Aosta Valley)

Cogne is the gateway to the Gran Paradiso. In winter the Sant’Orso meadow becomes a white expanse at the foot of the mountains, and the village keeps a rare authenticity.

Don’t miss: the ‘Alpine cathedral’ of the Gran Paradiso, the frozen waterfalls
Local food: crema di Cogne (a chocolate cream dessert), mocetta (cured meat)

Chamois (Aosta Valley)

Chamois is the highest municipality in Italy that can only be reached by cable car: there is no road. In winter it is a haven of silence and untouched snow.

Don’t miss: the view of the Matterhorn (Cervino), snowshoe walks
Local food: mountain-pasture fontina, carbonade (Aosta Valley beef stew)

Piedmont: Occitan and Walser villages

Macugnaga (Piedmont)

Macugnaga, at the foot of the east face of Monte Rosa, keeps its original Walser architecture: dark wooden houses with balconies full of flowers (even in winter!).

Don’t miss: the old Walser church at Staffa, the Mountain Museum
Local food: batsulà (baked polenta), hazelnut cakes

Bardonecchia (Piedmont)

Bardonecchia has an old town with medieval arcades and the feel of a small mountain town rather than a holiday village.

Don’t miss: the Art Nouveau Palazzo delle Feste, Les Arnauds (an Occitan hamlet)
Local food: gofri (Piedmontese waffles), genepì

Central and southern Italy: surprises in the Apennines

Pescocostanzo (Abruzzo)

Close to Roccaraso, Pescocostanzo is one of the most beautiful mountain villages in Italy. The collegiate church of Santa Maria del Colle, the noble palazzi and the paved lanes feel like the Renaissance under snow.

Don’t miss: the basilica, bobbin lace (tombolo), a local craft
Local food: Sulmona sugared almonds (confetti), arrosticini (lamb skewers)

Scanno (Abruzzo)

Close to the ski area of the same name, Scanno is a medieval gem set among the mountains, with its heart-shaped lake and maze of narrow lanes.

Don’t miss: Lake Scanno, the traditional costumes of Scanno
Local food: Pan dell’Orso (a honey and almond cake), mostaccioli biscuits

Civitella Alfedena (Abruzzo)

In the heart of the Abruzzo National Park, this tiny village is surrounded by ancient beech woods. In winter you may spot wolves, deer and chamois.

Don’t miss: the Wolf Wildlife Area, snowshoe hikes in the park
Local food: Abruzzo pecorino, sagne e fagioli (pasta with beans)

Morano Calabro (Calabria)

Close to Monte Pollino, Morano Calabro is a nativity-scene village perched on a hill. Snow turns it into a mesmerising picture, its coloured houses rising out of the white.

Don’t miss: the Monastery of San Bernardino da Siena, the Museum of Agricultural History
Local food: fileja pasta with ragù, peperone crusco (crispy dried peppers)

Tips for visiting mountain villages in winter

Arrive at sunset: golden light on snow makes for magical photos
Eat local: have dinner in a local trattoria, not a chain restaurant
Buy local crafts: every village has its own (wood, textiles, ceramics)
Stay in a B&B: it is a completely different experience from a hotel
Take your time: villages are best enjoyed slowly, on foot

To find the ski areas near these villages, explore our resort map.