Snow globe perfection. Photo / Livigno Tourism
For a lesser-known winter wonderland, make a beeline to Italy’s Little Tibet, writes Carmen Jenner.
It’s a struggle to resist breaking out into song, Julie Andrews style. The hills are indeed alive with the chimes of church and cow bells. Located in the Alps in the Lombardy region edging towards Switzerland, Livigno is often referred to as Italy’s Little Tibet. The peaks surrounding the popular ski resort town reach over 3000m above sea level, causing plenty of open-mouth rubbernecking from someone from Perth, like myself, a city known for its relatively flat terrain.
Livigno’s peaks sprinkled in snow taunt snow bunnies and the athletes roaming around town in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in February. I’m visiting in October, and soon enough, the entire town will be blanketed in white, ready to be scooped up in a snow globe.
For now, the slopes redefine the colour green for cyclists powering along their paths. I spy jubilant trekkers returning from life-changing summits, as others head into the woods past grazing donkeys. Much like over-indulgent holidaymakers, rotund cows gorge on carpets of pastures on gravity-defining inclines. I savour the results of their bovine gluttony with a cheese board at Latteria, a dairy factory and restaurant showcasing over 20 local producers.
At around 1800m above sea level, Livigno’s township sits in the Alta Valtellina valley, surrounded by majestic mountains and dozens of ski slopes that literally slide into town, some just metres away from our family-run accommodation, Carpe Diem Hotel and Trattoria. Like many of the locals I encounter, Sofia Cantoni, the owner of our cosy hotel, is curious to see how the Olympics will affect tourism; not that her hotel needs any further attention; it is usually at capacity during the busy winter months.
As other ski destinations in Europe experience elevated temperatures, Livigno’s high altitude ensures a long winter for an extended ski season. The unique position in the Alps is one of restaurateur John Cusini’s favourite things about Livigno.
“I love how the isolation maintains tradition. We grew up helping each other in this pristine mountain community.”
John’s restaurant, Al Mond Vei, located in a converted cow shed, is adorned with handcrafted timber made from local larch and pine. A staircase opposite the entrance includes a carving of his grandfather on the balustrade, with three other “thieves in the night”, depicting them smuggling in tobacco and alcohol.
Al Mond Vei has gained momentum for its traditional Livigno cuisine, including slow-cooked beef ribs served with polenta and aged cheese, in-house-made pasta with deer ragu, and rabbit with chickpea hummus. Begin your feast with a selection of cured meats, exuding a silkiness imparted from the local cattle grazing on the surrounding pristine grass pastures. Then ask for a tour of the secret cellar downstairs, where smugglers caught with contraband, much like his grandfather, were once held overnight. Progress upstairs to admire John’s collection of antique cow and goat bells, some dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
When he’s not serving the community with local cuisine, John is part of the voluntary rescue team.
“I love skiing and mountaineering, but we must respect that the mountains are stronger than us.”
With snowboarding and cross-country skiing, one of his favourite things to do is to ski up to the Bernina Pass, especially at sunrise. Or take the train along the former trade route for panoramic views in a heated carriage.
If, like me, you’re a novice at skiing, don’t despair, as Livigno has around 10 ski schools with patient instructors ready to guide you in many kinds of snow sports. At the other end of the scale, experienced heli-skiers can reach Livigno’s peaks by helicopter and bravely experience off-piste skiing in the natural terrain.
As Livigno braces itself to host the Olympics’ freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions, many athletes have already arrived to acclimatise to the altitude and train at Aquagranda’s world-class sporting facilities. Preparations are under way for the competition slopes with the construction of the aerial and mogul race tracks on the Carosello 3000 slope, the adrenaline-inducing Livigno Snowpark, gondolas and chairlifts with heated seats, and an underground car park.
Livigno’s alpine wellness takes the adventure down a notch at the Acquagranda. While I left the professionals to pump it out at the gym, Olympic-sized pool and running track, I sampled the salt-water pool. I built up the courage to dip into the outdoor jacuzzi with the freezing air on my face, relieved that my towel and robe were in a heated wardrobe metres away. A fan of the heat, I declined the cold plunge pools and instead opted for the range of saunas, where swimming costumes are optional, followed by a massage fit for an Olympian.
As Livigno looks both to the future and to the past, this picture-perfect alpine town remains steadfast in its traditions celebrated in a winter wonderland.
The writer was a guest of Livigno Tourism.