Italy, Europe
Livigno
Ski Livigno's 115km of high-altitude slopes. Snow-sure skiing at 1816m, duty-free shopping, and 2026 Olympic venue.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
30 Nov 2025
Closes
1 May 2026
Days open
152
Annual snow
4m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Livigno provides a distinctive high-altitude skiing experience in the Italian Alps, known as "Little Tibet" due to its remote location and cold, dry microclimate. The resort features 115km of slopes distributed across two distinct mountain sides—Mottolino and Carosello 3000—which are currently separated by the town valley. At an elevation of 1,816m, the village is one of the highest in Europe, with terrain extending to a summit of 2,798m, offering a significant vertical drop of 982m. The trail network is well-balanced for various skill levels, comprising 28% beginner, 55% intermediate, and 17% advanced terrain across 78 designated runs.
The skiing infrastructure is split between the eastern Mottolino side, favoured for its renowned snow park and wide-open freeride zones, and the western Carosello 3000 and Sitas sectors, which offer extensive sun-drenched cruising pistes. As a duty-free zone since the Napoleonic era, Livigno maintains a unique economic status that influences its vibrant après-ski culture and retail sector, featuring over 250 shops. The resort has been selected as the official host venue for freestyle skiing and snowboarding events for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, cementing its reputation as a global hub for gravity sports.
The village atmosphere reflects its Lombardy heritage, with traditional stone and wood architecture stretching along the 4km valley floor. While the two ski areas are not yet physically connected by a lift, a frequent and free shuttle bus service provides efficient transit between base stations. Family-specific infrastructure is a core focus, with multiple dedicated children’s areas and nursery slopes situated at the village level, allowing easy access for beginners before they progress to the high-altitude plateaus.
982m
Vertical
78
Runs
115 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
The Terrain
78 runs across 115 km of piste
Livigno spreads 78 runs across 115 km of piste of terrain. It leans intermediate at 55%, with 22 beginner runs to find your feet and 13 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
78
runs
78 runs across 4 grades
Beginner22 runs · 28%
Intermediate43 runs · 55%
Advanced13 runs · 17%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Livigno
The winter season in Livigno is among the longest in Italy, typically spanning from late November through to the beginning of May. The resort’s high base elevation of 1,816m and its geographical positioning near the Swiss border result in a cold microclimate that ensures reliable snow preservation. Average annual snowfall reaches approximately 3.5m, but the resort’s primary advantage is the consistent sub-zero temperatures that allow for highly effective snowmaking across the majority of the 115km trail network.
Peak skiing conditions are generally found between January and March, when the snowpack is at its deepest and the "Little Tibet" dry powder is most prevalent. The north-south orientation of the valley allows skiers to follow the sun, starting the morning on the Mottolino side and moving to the Carosello slopes in the afternoon. Late-season skiing in April remains a significant drawcard, as the altitude prevents the rapid softening of snow common in lower-lying Alpine resorts, maintaining firm morning pistes well into spring.
Livigno frequently offers "Ski Free" promotions during the shoulder seasons in December and April, where lift passes are included with local accommodation bookings, making it a strategic choice for early or late-season trips. The professional grooming teams operate a large fleet of snowcats nightly to manage the 78 runs, ensuring that even during periods of low natural precipitation, the World Cup-standard pistes remain in optimal condition for recreational and professional use.
Season 2025 - 2026
30 Nov 2025
Opens
1 May 2026
Closes
152
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Livigno, and where to stay
Livigno is situated in the province of Sondrio in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, positioned within a high-altitude valley between the Engadine and the Upper Valtellina. Access to the resort is unique due to the Munt La Schera tunnel, a single-lane regulated passage that connects Livigno to Switzerland and provides the primary northern entry point. This tunnel requires a toll and operates on a timed schedule, particularly on Saturdays, which is a critical consideration for self-drive travellers from Northern Europe.
The closest major international gateway is Innsbruck Airport (INN) in Austria, approximately 180km away with a transfer time of roughly 2.5 to 3 hours depending on weather and tunnel traffic. Zurich Airport (ZRH) is 210km to the northwest, offering a reliable alternative for international arrivals via the Swiss motorway network. From within Italy, Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Milan Linate (LIN) are approximately 250km away, with transfers typically taking 3.5 to 4 hours via the scenic route through Lecco and Bormio.
For rail travellers, the nearest station is Tirano, located 70km away, which serves as the terminus for the scenic Bernina Express and provides bus connections to the resort. Despite its secluded Alpine positioning, the village is highly navigable, with a pedestrianised central zone that encourages walking between hotels and the duty-free retail boutiques. The proximity to Bormio (38km) and the Swiss resort of St. Moritz (45km) allows visitors to explore multiple world-class ski destinations within a single regional itinerary.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Livigno, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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26 Aug 2026
Unstable Glacier Above Randa Puts Zermatt-Area Village on Alert
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26 Aug 2026
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25 Aug 2026
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23 Aug 2026
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23 Aug 2026
Two Confirmed Dead as Search Continues After Swiss Alps Fire
The death toll from Thursday night's fire at Restaurant Beverin in Thusis, Switzerland, has begun to firm up. One Swiss outlet, citing Graubünden Cantonal Police, reports that two of the five people initially reported missing have now been confirmed dead, leaving three unaccounted for. The building's collapsed stairwell and structural instability have slowed recovery efforts throughout. Here's what's changed since the fire broke out, and what's still unconfirmed.
22 Aug 2026
Selwyn Snow Resort Closes Early as Rain Ends Its 2026 Season
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22 Aug 2026
Current conditions
Snow Report
Updated 27 Aug 2026
2798m
summit
+0cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Partly Cloudy9°C / 22°C · S 14km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
0cm
48 hours
0cm
7 days
0cm
Base depth
0cm
Season total
15cm
Total lifts46
Live open status isn’t available right now.
30 Nov 2025 - 1 May 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 40 hours· Updated Aug 27, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
2,798 mUpdated Aug 27, 2026 at 6:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0cm
Days 8–14
0.0cm
Thu, Aug 27
Foggy
Temp22° / 9°°C
Snow0.0cm
Wind14 km/h S
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Livigno snow report
Get the latest Livigno snow report — real-time snowfall, snow depth, and mountain weather for this Italy resort, spanning 1816m to 2798m in elevation.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Livigno is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 982m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Livigno's 1816m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
Snowfall and depth figures for Livigno come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 46 lifts, including 4 8-person chairlifts and 6 quad chairlifts.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Livigno's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.