Travel essentials

Getting there Italian ski specialists include family specialists Esprit Ski ( espritski.com), Ski2 (ski-2.com)

For independent travellers heading to the north-western Italian Alps, the skiers’ stalwart, Geneva airport, is closest to some of the well-known resorts.

Turin is the better bet for Sauze d’Oulx (comune.sauzedoulx.to.it) and Cervinia, while Milan is the closest option for resorts such as Bormio (bormioski.eu).

For the Dolomites, the options are more likely to be a drive through the Brenner Pass from Innsbruck or a shorter trip from Verona, while resorts on the southern side of the mountains, including Cortina, are closer to Venice.

Many bigger-name Italian resorts provide low-cost shuttle services to connect with flights. Madesimo (visitmadesimo.it) is offering free weekend transfers from Milan airports now and next month.