To be perfect, a mountain holiday during the winter season must have one key element... And no, it is not snow, but a special person with whom to share exciting experiences and memorable emotions!
In its 211 km2, Livigno encompasses many souls: some have their roots in the history and traditions of the resort, others have been consolidated in recent years and have their sights set on the future and innovation, and still others allow one to explore the Valtellina destination through the senses...
Family winter holidays? To make everyone happy, the perfect solution is the mountains, which combine winter sports and other outdoor activities in contact with the snow, gastronomic culture, moments spent wrapped up in the warmth of the hotel room or flat... But above all, it is a guarantee of quality family time spent having fun!
The whitewashed Little Tibet of Italy hosts many international stars, so the countdown to the December event has begun.
Maybe it's the altitude, maybe it's the pristine white landscape or maybe it's the crisp air that caresses the face... but in winter, mountain villages turn into enchanted places with a fairytale atmosphere. And Little Tibet is certainly among them, with its pedestrian centre lined with typical mountain wooden houses and a layer of white blanket covering the entire surrounding area. In the evening, then, the lights, sounds and flavours of tradition give the setting an even more magical aspect.
The landscape is changing guise: autumn colours are giving way to cold temperatures, the first snowflakes and ice covering the valley's streams and lake... Clear signs that the favourite season for winter sports enthusiasts is about to begin again.
When autumn arrives in Little Tibet, the landscape is tinged with endless shades of brown, yellow and red, transforming itself into a marvellous impressionist painting, in which the colours merge with one another: a true spectacle for both the eyes and the mind, able to encourage national and international citizens and tourists to experience days marked by a slow pace and to immerse themselves completely in the scents and flavours of the mountains
Summer in Livigno has just begun, and while the trails are starting to get crowded with mountain hikers, taking advantage of the sunny days that the fine weather brings to venture through the spectacular, green-tinged landscapes, the more curious can let themselves be surprised by some unusual activities and enjoy an alternative holiday.
10 June marks World Gin Day, one of the world's best-loved spirits thanks to its versatility, which makes it a suitable ingredient for creating cocktails for different occasions.
With the arrival of warm weather, Livigno's bike area finally reopens as well, and from June 10 it will be ready to welcome all two-wheelers on its 3,200 km of GPS-mapped trails.
In Livigno, everyone can find the romantic experience they prefer and choose from the numerous wellness proposals, outdoor activities and food and wine experiences for couples.
Livigno's snow is a different story.
It is a condensation of its essence, and of its spirit. It is unique.
Particular.
If I were a tourist, I would only come up there to ski and have fun, because you don't find snow like this anywhere else.
Different than elsewhere, different than everywhere else: the snow in Livigno is dry, without
moisture, perfect for the creative, the adventurous.
It is not very fast, but it is among those with the best grip in the world: it sticks to the ground, gives you grip, allows you to attack it.
It is the ideal travelling companion for those who want to pull perfect lines, feeling total control of the vehicle underfoot.
It is fun, like no other I have ever tried. Plus, of course, it's mine.
On that snow, I have been playing since I was a child, ever since brother Lorenzo and I used to get up to all sorts of mischief in the garage at home, hoping to get away with it.
There was also Andrea and Elisabetta, but the relationship between the two of us was unique.
Stronger.
We were great screw-ups, almost punks, but if they gave me the chance, I'd go back in a heartbeat. To start all over again and again.
Mischief included.
Andrea, our older brother, was a big motor enthusiast, and in a small shed behind the house, he kept his precious trials bike under lock and key.
It was a kind of sacred object, which we were not allowed to touch, the real pass to the adult world, and the day Lorenzo and I managed to steal the keys to the lock was like opening the door to a parallel universe.
I was in the third grade, my brother in the first, and we found a way to start the motorbike and started it up on the big lawn behind our parents' house.
I think Mum's screams made the whole valley tremble.
A bit like Dad's, when we smashed a 50-litre demijohn of his favourite wine, doing tricks with the skateboard.
Now, that's what I remember from childhood. I remember lightness and fun.
I remember outdoor games and sport. Football, biking and snow, our snow.
Dad was always into skiing, which is why I started with that. Then I discovered the board, and I didn't want to know anymore.
There's no other motivation than simply 'having wanted it'. And I never even needed a different motivation.
Snowboarding has always been mine, and mine alone. I was the first in the family. There's the whole weight of will, in that: I liked it from the start, I don't really know why, and the fact that it was my decision, my choice, automatically made it irreplaceable.
Part of my identity, I wouldn't have given it up for anything in the world.
"I want to do this", at the exact moment I said it out loud, it was true. And I didn't need a why.
Sometimes life is easy. Falling in love is easy.
And the love that needs no explanation is also the love that lasts the longest.
I need to have happiness in my life.
I deserve to have it, like everyone else.
Athlete or non-athlete.
Adult, non-adult, or something in between.
Livestock and gasoline.
Grass to mow and tires to inflate.
Wipers and cheese.
Hard work again and again.
I come from a family that never questioned the meaning of work because the answer has been rooted in it since its existence.
My family would spend half of its time working the land and attending to the livestock and the other half struggling from evening to morning to manage two gas stations in the fog of the Bergamo suburbs.
Only God knows how many boys and girls grew up the same way in my area and beyond; children of an Italy raised on the ideas of their grandparents, the wish for independence, the stern frankness of the ordinary, which knows no rest and cannot give in to holidays.
At least not all of them.
For all mountain lovers, Livigno is the ideal destination to live experiencesunforgettable experiences with the family surrounded by unspoiled nature: a unique and fascinating in which to combine relaxation, fun and sports - both for adults and children - throughout the summer period.
Italian kids love to play football.
It's our national sport.
It's part of our culture.
It's the first tool we have to socialize with other people.
Two backpacks as goal post, a supertele ball with its unpredictable trajectories (or a tango ball at best, which is heavier and flies less), a handful of friends... and there you go.
This applies to almost everyone; however, my story, my career and my life originate within the folds of that “almost”.
I grew up in San Rocco di Marano, a small rural outpost in Valpolicella, hidden between Veneto's hills, far away from the sea, and far away from the mountains, not too much though, since nothing in our Country is truly that far.
500 meters above the sea level, more or less, around 80 families in total, and just over 200 people - a clustered, intimate community, where last names are never used.
Well, then, to play football, more often than not, the town lacked the numbers, the people to make up two teams. And we had to find other ways to fill the time, and for my friends and I, the bike was our first choice.
Partly out of necessity, and party magical.
Partly a way of getting around, and party a way of life: my two wheels have always been my favourite place in the world, where I became a master of the road and of my own time, free as I was to go wherever I wanted, alone, minding my own business.
For an active kid, pushing on those pedals, crushing miles and miles in the narrow streets of that ancient town I was lucky to call my home, was the most effective way to entertain himself, a stress-relieving practice that calmed my anxiety and drained my energy reserves.
My mother said that, when it was time to ride my bike, I forgot about everything else, and I didn't even care about food.
I've always loved to tell a good story, and also to have many photos within reach, to reignite the memories featured in those stories.
If you think about it, it's funny how much narrative, how much storytelling there is in every single shot, and how all the film rolls of your life can become a jigsaw to pass down to others. Your photo albums say a lot about who you are, especially to yourself.
Every picture is a moment, and every moment a dot in the sky. If you connect them all, you'll see your personal constellation, the one that guided you right to this moment, and made you who you are today.
I've always been the baby of the house, the last of the breed.
The outnumbered third son, born seven and ten years after my sisters. And I turned being at the back of the line into a lifestyle.
Since I was a child.
Stray to the core, desperate enough, always curious, my favourite game was being outside, sneaking out of the house as soon as school was over, and getting back at sunset, covered in snow, earth or who knows what else.
They were the 1980s, there were no cellphones, and when a child went out to conquer the town, mothers and fathers couldn't do anything else but wait for them, hoping they would get back all in one piece, without racking up too much damage.
I liked to play with wood, and build makeshift shelters in the woods or in fields. I liked to take my out-of-towner friends - those who came here for the summer and stayed all season - out to explore. I liked to watch construction sites, and bother workers into telling me how things were built.
The Mottini family and the Beppin cousins.
Achille Compagnoni and the four brothers.
Thoeni's dad, Don Parenti and the Longa family.
Engineer Pellentz and the Sartorelli family.
To write a story, you should always start by defining its characters, and when you want to tell a one that is one-hundred years old, the candidates are plenty, and someone always ends up outside the frame.
The Olympics revolution always starts from the bottom up.
It starts at ground level and grows upwards, like a little brother who you watch grow one day at a time. Where I am now, on the far side of China, a short distance from Mongolia, there was nothing until a few years ago.
No structures.
No buildings.
No installations.
Nothing.
Just ice, the mountains and a small local community, that used mules to go up and down the paths and only had electricity until seven in the evening, before someone, somewhere, turned off the meters.
The flavor of the New Year Eve is festive, you greet the past year welcoming the new one with good intentions ... and then why not spend a last day of the year with activities outside the ordinary? Here are our tips to live a December 31st outside the box.
Piccolo Tibet launches "Contrabbando, il gin bandito" (Contraband, the bandit gin), a limited and numbered edition of London Dry to give the authentic taste of juniper berries collected in the land. Forge of creativity, dynamism and innovation, Livigno also launches the new board game Filón- al plu guz da Livign, available from Thursday 23 December.
After the garments of the winter collection signed by Livigno, this year the Piccolo Tibet surprises its visitors with two new products that enhance the tradition and the history of the resort, but also the entrepreneurial spirit and the initiative of its community, which has contributed to makingthis ancient alpine territory, one of the most prestigious mountain resorts in Italy.
Filón- al plu guz da Livign (the board game that rewards the most cunning of Livigno)
Who is looking for an original gift, has one more reason to visit the Little Tibet: from Thursday 23rd of December it will be possible to buy Filón"- al plu guz da Livign (in Livigno's dialect -the most cunning of Livigno). Filòn is the new board game set in Little Tibet where you can challenge friends and family and, at the same time, get to know the commercial activities of the town, from the Livigno Dairy to the Aquagranda center. Once you have chosen your pawn, the game begins that leads the participants to buy, sell, build and bargain hotels, apartments and ski lifts in order to bankrupt the opponents, and prove that they deserve the title of the most astute of Livigno.
Between Quiz cards and Occasions to be taken on the fly, the game rewards cunning, shrewdness and ability to face adversities and transform them into opportunities. Filòn well represents the locality and its history, also dotted with individuals with tenacity, ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit and flair for business.
The first inhabitants of Livigno, of unknown origin, settled here despite the harsh climate, building their houses in the valley in single file, directly on the meadows, carefully mowed once a year to obtain forage necessary to feed the cattle.
In the course of the centuries, also because of its isolated position and a subsistence economy, at theterritory of Livigno were recognized special rights, from which derives the status of customs-free zone. In spite of certain fiscal advantages, the village did not change either its aspect or habits and in the next one hundred and fifty years, the inhabitants remained almost all peasants and farmers.
Once the Foscagno Pass and the Munt la Schera Tunnel were introduced, within a few decades, ski facilities, comfortable hotels and lodgings, entertainment and accurate services were built. Today, old stables and barns have been partly converted into perfumeries and luxury boutiques, the houses have multiplied to welcome the ever more numerous visitors. The snow, which in the past had condemned this territory to isolation in the past, has turned out to be one of its most precious resources, combined with uncontaminated nature and the high quality of services and infrastructure.
"Jole has fun tripping all her classmates that go back to their seats".
Fifteen years should be enough, for the stature of limitation to expire. However, to be sure, I kept all my school booklets with the teachers' notes.
Because you never know.
Dutifully stacked in my drawer, they stare at me, ready to remind everyone where my temperamental behaviour comes from.
According to the first one, it looks like I had fun tripping my classmates that walked back to their seats, oblivious to any reprimand and proud like a pirate with an eye patch.
Not one, not two, not three classmates.
Everyone of them, without exception, when they got back from the restrooms or, who knows, recess even.
It is hard to believe I made each and every one of them fall, also because I hope that, after the first ones, the others were intelligent enough to understand it was best not to walk by my desk. However, given the occasion, we will take for granted that I tried with everyone who walked by.
Falling on your noses is not that bad, I thought, since I liked it so much. When I was little, I spent my afternoons playing with my big brothers, and often I was a guinea pig in their applied mechanics experiments. Like when my brother decided to tow me around Livigno's streets inside a crate with wheels made entirely of Lego blocks, on his Rollerblades.
Even though the cockpit shattered after the first gutter and my butt ended on the ground, I laughed my head off and started reassembling the pieces of my multicoloured racing car.
My knees were always scraped and full of crusts, as it should be when you are a kid, and I never thought that a few healthy falls could spite the teachers so much.
"After being reprimanded,
Jole continued to go down the stairs climbing on them"
Alas, this one is also true.
I never liked doing things like other people did. Where is the fun in blending into the crowd?
Going up and down the stairs is like going up and down a mountain. There are precise rules I often showed I wasn't keen on following.
When I was told something, I very often did the exact opposite.
A little bit out of conviction, and a little bit for sport.
And I tried many, many different sports, believe me, until I found the right one for me. Space is not an issue in Livigno, nor are options, and between rock climbing, mountain bike and cross-country skiing, in the end I chose skiing, because I could follow in my brother's footsteps - my hero.
He is eight years older than me, and when he set off in the afternoon to go skiing, I made my mum take me along too, even if I couldn't join his team. Quite the contrary.
While he came down diligently, in line with his team-mates, I followed them around accompanied by my mum, an unwanted guest at the end of the group, so that I could do what he did.
There was no way to make me change my mind, or I would start bellowing and ruin the peace and quite of the entire valley, and not even his coaches' nasty looks would make reconsider.
"Jole throws pieces of paper in class.
Her lack of interest for our activities continues, this year too"
Maybe when I was little, I was a little over dramatic, I must admit it. However, this does not change the fact that there are always different versions of the same story, and you shouldn't judge until you hear them all.
If you paint the pieces of paper thrown in the air, they become confetti, and maybe they were my way to express joy. Same goes for my lack of interest, that cannot only be blamed on those who show it, instead of those who caused it. What is certain is that, although I was never an easy student, or an easy athlete, I had something to give, and somebody understood it, at some point.
Sometimes it is a teacher, other times a friend, or an American uncle, but in my case it was Lorenzo, my coach, who understood what I'm like right away.
I always tell it like it is.
Even when it goes against my interest.
Especially when it goes against my interest.
And if I must choose between being a little bit more of a suck-up, or continuing to be myself, well, you know the answer to that.
Everything is immediate, with me. I've always been good at recognizing who is standing in front of me right away, and this is why I talked to everybody, but I trust very few people. There are many good coaches, especially in our field, but there are only a few of them you can talk too, and for my mental well-being, being able to express myself is at the root of everything.
"You sucked": if you say it in the right way, some athletes may gain the right energy to go back uphill and do everything better.
I'm not one of those athletes, and behind my broad shoulders, there is a hidden sensitivity that no one can see, and that jumps out only when I'm really mad.
No screaming or crazy things, I retire in a corner and cry alone, so that no one can see me.
Well, everything has always been easy with Lorenzo, because he knows when to say something and when not to. When to speak with his eyes and when to trust my expression. I know what I do, even if this does not mean I'm always right.
"Jole's behaviour at the gym becomes increasingly improper and dangerous. I found it hanging head down from a piece of equipment."
Head up or down, everything is relative. It depends on what side you are looking at me. A good idea quickly becomes a bad one, however, I've always been lucky to have people that understood me right away, by my side. Take my sister, for instance.
She was the one who convinced me to switch sports.
A spin worthy of a great contortionist, or better yet, a freestyler, which suits me best. I was going pretty good with alpine ski. But not enough to make me completely happy. When I reached the border between the European Cup and the World Cup, which usually defines your maximum level, I got stuck in the middle.
I did my first competition in the senior circuit in Soelden, at the beginning of the season, and I made the team thanks to a few injured athletes, sure, but also because of my merits.
I even brushed to top 30 qualification.
And then nothing.
Not a single call.
Maybe, to deserve another chance, I should have won that competition, who knows. The fact is that I never got over that glimpse of adventure, left left mid-game.
Too old to be truly young.
Too young to feel so old.
Today still, I struggle to place myself in time, and in those seasons that followed that single Austrian bib, I always felt out of place, and sports had become a duty, while skiing was still in my heart. I got back home moping, sad like an ibex without its antlers, until my sister - who apparently knows her psychology stuff - advised me to change.
"Jole says she did not deserve the punishment and she doesn't want to do it"
Enough punishments, especially if undeserved.
Enough feeling the right person in the wrong place.
Enough feeling all eyes on me, if I want to drink a beer after training, with my life-long friends.
At first, skicross did not convince me, because it was impossible not to see it as a fall-back. My sister had devoted her body and soul to short track, and had been one of the last athletes left out before Turin 2006. She did not want me to feel the same disappointment. So she pushed me to try something new, and - against all odds - it worked, because I feel in love with it right away.
Coming down side by side with your opponents gives you an unmatched adrenaline rush, and a heated competition fares well with my personality, as edgy as an elbow.
In reaping good results fast, there is the pleasure of discovery and vindication, and - like a gift you weren't expecting under the tree - I perceived a much more relaxed work environment, where I can be myself, without fear.
Today, the chance to go to Beijing is real, and so is the prospective of competing against the best athletes in the World in the future, which is something that, in alpine ski, would have been impossible, for many reasons, half of which depend on me.
If I arrange all the teachers' notes I got as a kid in chronological order, I end up with a nice story, that makes someone laugh and someone else gasp in astonishment; yet, if I read it carefully, it can explain the way I am, because if I went back in time, I'm sure I would do the same mischief, only this time more cleverly.
And if I end up going to the Olympics, I'm sure the cafeteria manager will get the chance to write me a nice note. He doesn't even have to struggle to come up with the words. He can copy what my teacher wrote, fifteen years ago:
“Jole roams around the desks, as if she were in the city square."
Happy as a clam, I'd add.
JOLE GALLI / CONTRIBUTOR
Livigno on the starting blocks to officially kick off the winter season from November 27th, many news in the program to give visitors a warm welcome back on the ski slopes.
The "Little Tibet" announces the beginning of the winter season 2021-2022, from the end of November in fact it will be possible to put on the boots to have fun on the snow thanks to more than 115 kilometers of ski slopes and lifts scattered all over the valley. Already since October 23rd athletes, such as the Norwegian national cross-country skiing team, sportsmen and ski enthusiasts can have fun and train on the ring dedicated to cross-country skiing, made with the snow stored during the summer through the Snowfarm. Work includes completion this Saturday of the first mile of the ring.
As a destination of excellence for outdoor sports, the proposal of Livigno to enjoy an active vacation, includes fat biking, ice skating at the Ice Arena, horseback riding or snowmobiling, ice climbing, spectacular high-altitude experiences such as paragliding or Sunrise Emotion & Luxury Breakfast at Sitas Ski Area, to ski at the crack of dawn, and even ski mountaineering and snowshoeing.
In this regard, there are many activities to discover the area in the name of fun: there are many "managed trail", monitored and easily passable thanks to the indications and signage. The Alpine Guides are also always available to accompany visitors on these routes and in paths of greater difficulty according to individual needs.
In this resort you can combine outdoor activities with many other experiences such as being pampered at the Aquagranda center for a day of wellness and fun for the family; learn about the traditions and customs of the area at the Mus!: museum of Livigno and Trepalle; devote yourself to the most exclusive shopping along the kilometer of boutiques, specialty stores and single brand that animate the center; taste the delicacies in restaurants and local shelters to be conquered by flavors and fragrances anchored in tradition but aimed at innovation and new contaminations.
The "managed trails" for snowshoeing and ski mountaineering
Not to be missed for the more active visitors are the "managed routes" of the Freeride Project dedicated to snowshoeing and ski mountaineering to venture independently along special marked routes, which allow even the less experienced to go to the discovery of beautiful panoramic trails. With regard to snowshoeing, seven routes have been mapped out, marked by special green poles to discover independently the Tee Val Federia, Val delle Mine, Sentiero dell'Arte, Crap de la Paré, Baitel da Plascianet, Giro delle Tee and in the Dairy area the Tea dal Brun route. All maps can be consulted free of charge by visiting: https://www.livigno.eu/en/snowshoes.
With regard to ski mountaineering there are four routes available, Costaccia, Trepalle-Li Crapena, Croce Valandrea and Deschana, marked by blue and orange poles. All routes have an initial check point to verify the proper functioning of A.R.T.V.A., once the check is done, you can venture along the paths that are constantly beaten and monitored by freeride experts.
The best version of oneself always appears reflected in others, in their qualities and ideas. Parallel worlds, changed by time, and made different by life, that sooner or later touch each other, and draw common parables.
At least for a while.
With the arrival of autumn, the Alps release a symphony of colours and shades that enchant and fascinate visitors, thanks to the warm tones of yellow and orange, which paint the landscape creating an evocative atmosphere not to be missed. In this magical context, Livigno offers a mix of experiences between nature, relaxation, shopping and culture, ideal for discovering the many facets of Little Tibet in a long weekend immersed in the valley, among the colours and scents of its extraordinary landscapes.
Three thousand and eight hundred meters swimming.
Portion number one.
Them, the others, already did 400, then 500, then one thousand.
I’m standing on the lake shore, with the eyes lost in the red buoy reflection, tied to the athletes so that the rescue boats can find them, if needed.
Shopping in Livigno becomes an explosion of style and awaits you on 25 and 26 September in its more than 250 shops to experience two unmissable shopping days, with events and previews of the new fall/winter collections.
When I walk in the evening of Livigno, avoiding the streets of the center, I need only a few steps in the right direction to find myself completely alone, in total peace.
This summer for your vacations, choose to share the beauty of Livigno's nature with the whole family.
5 activities including relaxation, nature, shopping and traditions, not to miss a single day of your holiday and enjoy mountains in summer even when it rains.
We are used to see it there, long long, its blue-green surface rippled by the wind, surrounded by larch trees.
Discovering even the most hidden corners of the Little Tibet becomes an exciting challenge thanks to a contest that, until September 26th, rewards the desire to explore. The proposals are active and fun, accessible to all, that combines itineraries on foot or on two wheels in the heart of the Italian Alps. Up for grabs are winter stays, technological gadgets and accessories for sports.
When important things arrive, those that change your life, after all, you always want to believe in them, even when, inside you, a voice repeats: "not too much, please".
You want them to be possible scenarios, but you still have to be careful not to deceive yourself. Because the disappointment of having believed in it and then of not having succeeded, would risk leaving you empty inside, which is never a good thing.
Always attentive to sustainability and to the development of committed projects, Livigno teams up with travellers and launches the Plogging, the new frontier of trekking that rewards the greenest guests by combining personal well-being with respect for the environment.
How much is a pat worth.
How much is a kiss worth.
How much is a “good job” worth.
The mountains are made of tales and of the echo of their winds, that no paintings and no film can ever sum up in something that fits in a pocket of your jeans.
The valleys, the mushrooms, the rocks.
The new shoes at my feet, running shoes, that my father gave to me and tied for the first and last time, so that I could follow him on the trail, amid the holly trees.
I’m first and foremost a girl, a women who loves to bike, who wants to pursue her dreams. Because my dreams revolve mostly around sports right now.
They are huge.
And I could give up anything just to fulfil my dream.
People don’t know this, people will never understand this, because it is something only I can feel.
On June 12nd the bike season is ready to start in style in Livigno with the opening of the Mottolino Bike Park, followed by the Mountain Park Carosello on June 26th and the Mountain Area Sitas on July 1st. With the bike area fully open, 3200km of mapped trails will be available and social distancing is of course guaranteed!
I know I’ve ruined many athletes, perhaps more than those I’ve managed to inspire.
I’ve always been convinced I don’t have any great physical talent, which is why I thought that the only way I could stand out was by working more than the others.
At least 15% more.
It wasn’t an expression, a mindset as it were, but rather a mathematical calculation.
15% and up.
When I realized I had won the Giant Slalom Cup, it was as if my whole life had flashed before my eyes in a minute.
Historical events and recurrences, in a game of dates and places that return and that link my
my most beautiful season ever to those of my beginnings, those that really made me
realize that I could belong to this world of absolute excellence.
Throughout the winter, it was like lying to myself, or at least like omitting
some pieces of the truth. When you're doing something great, it's a matter of seconds when
someone distract you tapping on the shoulder and steal it from under your nose, and
then I wanted to protect my journey, pretending not to fully understand its real
value.
I skied free, trying to isolate myself from everything that wasn't strictly "snow and
stakes", convinced that in sports, the sums are only added up at the end.
Always.
Partly for superstition, and partly because anything can happen in skiing, right up to the last gate.
The first flight was a quiet one, from Milan to Rome.
A regular journey, nothing special.
A domestic flight, full of career men with briefcases and families leaving for a classical Roman holiday.
The second flight, from Rome to Sofia, was decidedly more eventful.
They boarded us on a shaky, somewhat rickety military plane, escorted by the Soviet army, who watched us with a mixture of admiring wonder and stiff disapproval.
Those were the seventies, and the whole world was held back and divided up, something today’s youngsters would find really hard to believe.
There was the Iron Curtain, Germany was divided in half, though not exactly half, and the whole of Europe looked like the map of a board game of strategy, something like Risk, in constant turmoil.
ATTENTION! IMPORTANT UPDATE
It is with regret that we communicate, following the ordinance signed by Italian Minister Speranza this evening, 14th February 2021 at 19:00, the CLOSURE OF THE SKI LIFTS until 05th March 2021.
We are disappointed. In these days we worked tirelessly to prepare slopes, lifts, hotels, shops, restaurants. We think that the mountain deserves more respect.
Updates will follow
It has been a difficult beginning of the season, made of continuous promises and continuous postponements, which required many sacrifices from everyone, but that finally allows us to return to almost normal life and to host you on our snow white slopes.
The snow that fell this winter was a lot, it reached almost 4 meters, and thanks to this we can guarantee you natural snow at least until May!
The opening of the lifts was possible thanks to the observance of the new habits maintained until now, we ask you to make a little more effort and adapt to the news that will also be in the world of skiing.
Below is a small guide to help you better orient yourself with the ski lifts opening:
When will the lifts open?
ATTENTION: UPDATE. Ski lifts are closed till 05.03.2021
The lifts will open on Monday, February 15TH, thanks to the confirmation that the Lombardy Region is in the yellow zone. To access the lifts the use of a surgical mask and the maintenance of interpersonal distances of at least 1 meter will be mandatory .
At this link, starting from Monday 15th, you can see in real time which lifts will be open: https://www.livigno.eu/en/ski-lifts.
Can I come on holiday to Livigno?
Entry into Italy is permitted without any special justification if you came from Foreign Countries that are in the "C List" of the Italian Health Ministery.
Almost all EU countries are in the "C List", (except Austria, UK and Northern Ireland which are in the "E List" with mandatory quarantine upon arrival)
Included in the "C List" are currently also Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, San Marino, Vatican City and Monaco.
To enter Italy, in the case of a stay or transit from countries on List C in the last 14 days, in addition to filling out a self-declaration, a molecular or antigenic test is required, which is carried out with a swab and a negative result in the 48 hours before the Entry into Italian territory.
For more details please visit www.livigno.eu/en/info-coronavirus
For more detailed information, please see the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
You can also fill in the interactive questionnaire, which may help to provide guidelines for your specific situation.
Which behaviors should I adopt on the lifts?
The use of the surgical mask is compulsory and the maintenance of interpersonal distances must be of at least 1 meter, even between members of the same family.
The capacity of the Cable Cars and Chairlifts with bubble is reduced to 50%, which means that if the cable car usually carries 10 people, only 5 will now be able to ride it at a time; if the chairlift has a capacity of 6 people, only 3 will be able to ride it at a time, and so on. Charilifts without the bubble will work at its 100% seats capacity.
We kindly ask you to respect the rules, keeping the mask on and keep a distance of at least 1m with other people. The lift operators will show you how to get around, we ask for your cooperation to make everyone's day as pleasant as possible.
How can I buy the ski pass?
The ski pass can be purchased online here, starting from Saturday 13 February, and can be purchased up to 7 days in advance.
Ski passes purchased online can be picked up at one of the many pick-up points
- Points of sale of the ski lifts
- Directly at the hotel if equipped with ticketing system pickup point
- Or at the automatic cash machines present here:
- Carosello 3000 cable car (lift n.11)
- Mottolino cable car (lift n.3)
- Gondola Livigno Centro - Tagliede (c/o skipass ticket office located under the restaurant tagliede)
- Botarel chairlift (lift n.29a)
- Skipass office (c/o Aquagranda, via Rasia 999)
Access to the lifts will also be possible thanks to the pay-per-use service offered by Telepass, My Pass Ski and Telepass Pay. Seasonal ski passes can instead be purchased only at the Skipass Office, while regional ski passes will not be available this year.
Are hotels, apartments and shops open?
Of course, apartments, hotels and shops are open and ready to welcome you. To find out which businesses are open and their opening hours, we kindly ask you to download the My Livigno App.
Hotels and apartments offer a free cancellation policy for those who wish to book their holiday in advance. Hotels offer free cancellation of your stay until the day before arrival without having to prove any reason. In apartments, instead, you can cancel your stay up to seven days before your arrival, without having to prove any reason; from the seventh day until the day before, the cancellation is free only for proven Covid. Find out more: FREE CANCELLATION FOR YOUR HOLIDAY IN LIVIGNO.
Are bars and restaurants open?
Bars and restaurants are open from 01.02 with table service until 18:00 (maximum 4 people per table or family). Take away and delivery service for restaurants is active until 22:00 and will allow you to receive delicious dishes or gourmet products at home or in hotel/apartment. The take away and delivery service for bars is active until 18:00.
Discover here the complete list of delivery restaurants.
Can I do the Covid-Test in Livigno?
For ski holidays that are as safe as possible, it is also important to keep the health situation monitored, day after day. To meet this important need and to protect the health of workers, residents and visitors, Livigno has equipped itself with rapid hygiene tests that can be performed in emergency situations or uncertainty by going to the point specifically set up at the Aquagranda Active You! centre. It is possible to book the test by contacting the number: 0342 970277.
For tourists who need PCR test, you can contact these two medical clinics (not in Livigno):
>>Morbegno: Multilab Soluzioni Diagnostiche Avanzatetel: 0342 1949401
>>Piantedo: Affidea Valtellinese Radiological Center https://www.affidea.it/i-centri/affidea-centro-radiologico-valtellinese/
Do you need more information?
Discover our INFO CORONAVIRUS page
This year the Valentine's day will be even more intimate than usual, and why not treat yourself to a Livigno elopement to break the routine of everyday life? The snow will not fail to make it even more magical...
We propose a two days to make your weekend in the Little Tibet really unforgettable. The magical atmosphere and the snowy mountains will be the perfect romantic setting for two days of fun and pure relaxation.
Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, ice skating or extreme and adrenaline-pumping activities such as paragliding: Livigno is a paradise for those looking for fun in the snow even without skis or snowboards.
Snowshoeing and ski mountaineering are two activities that allow you to experience the mountains in freedom, without "leaving trace" and to reach easily distant places otherwise inaccessible in winter. They are really fascinating sports that give a strong sense of fulfillment and freedom, but they also require experience and preparation to be practiced.
To meet the needs of all those who want to start practicing snowshoeing or ski mountaineering, Livigno has created the "managed trails", which offer everyone the opportunity to start in more controlled areas, where it is difficult to get lost, and objective dangers are constantly monitored.
If you are a beginner and you are fascinated by this world, we recommend that you be accompanied by an Mountain Guide, who will be able to give you useful advice on equipment, technique and the risks you might encounter.
I’m at the start gate.
I tighten my bindings.
Grab the handles.
Feel my entire body extend from my hands to the board, as if we were a single being.
My feet extend along the board, I can feel up to 50 centimetres in front of me.
I feel everything.
I move the board underneath me and feel how far it goes.
I feel good.
I don’t feel cold, I don’t feel hot, I breathe quietly, my diaphragm is relaxed.
I can see clearly, I adjust my mask a little and feel really centred.
I’m where I need to be, in my place.
And when I feel like this, I know I’ll make good time.
I’ll do the competition well.
Larch, in dialect "lárasc" is a tree that turns yellow in autumn and has always been the subject of various uses in local culture.
Amongst the traditional mountain cabins and huts, sculptures carved into larch trees proffering a thousand different shades of red, yellow and orange and breathtaking panoramic views, Livigno offers visitors the very best slow trails for enjoying an autumn break in nature.
To make hiking even more incredible, and to experience unique emotions, Livigno offers 5 experiences that combine it with adrenaline-pumping activities such as e-bike, yoga, climbing and kayaking.
Wear the clothes of a farmer for a day: at the Alpe Federia you can brings the animals to pasture, help to prepare the cheeses and butter, and sleep on the Mountain Farm after a delicious typical dinner.
Increasingly smarter and more interactive, the free My Livigno App is back in stores. Featuring new sections and functions, visitors can organise their stay in Livigno in just a few simple steps and enjoy a tailor-made holiday in Little Tibet to the full.
Just a stone's throw from the sky, where the truest, most authentic adventure is called nature, Livigno has refreshed its family offer this summer with 5 unmissable activities that will make for an unforgettable holiday delighting children and parents alike.
Are you dreaming of walking in the nature, without worry about the presence of too many people? We have the solution: the innovative Check&Go system!
Since a couple of days in the meadows of Livigno, a huge tricolor heart stands out between two hands. It is the last work of two local artists, which brings with it a special message after the isolation.
Biathlon calls Livigno and Livigno answers to Biathlon! Lisa Vittozzi and Thomas Bormolini at the forefront of the awaited Biathlon World Championship these days in Anterselva.
There’s much more love in the air at 1816m: 6 ideas for celebrating the perfect valentine’s day
Outings on the snow with or without your skis, special packages for relaxing together, romantic dinners and adrenaline-high activities. There’s no better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than by surprising your partner with a weekend of love completely immersed in the beauty of Little Tibet.
In Livigno the World Rookie Fest is back, the launching pad for future snowboarding champions
Livigno, snowboarding and freestyle...a long history that will culminate with the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
New Year in Livigno: among the snow-capped peaks of the Italian Alps, the Little Tibet welcomes 2020 with shows, theme parties, gourmet dinners and sports stars.
Psssttt! Hey! Can you hear me? Hello! Where does this voice come from? It's me, the museum!
I'm right here, in the corner, behind the roundabout. I have a discreet appearance, I have no flashy colors, but you should notice me: I am different from the houses that surround me, I stand out. I may seem a bit old-fashioned, perhaps, but I am a building with several years on its shoulders.
Second home for many Italian athletes, the Little Tibet opens the winter season 2019/2020 welcoming the Gold Olympic Alberto Tomba among the snow-capped peaks of the Italian Alps, which charmed the kids of the Livigno Ski School with the stories of its career and the tips to become the champions of today and tomorrow.
Christmas Markets, decorations, illuminated trees and snow-covered landscapes: the Christmas and festive atmosphere you breathe in the mountains is always magical, but in Livigno, in the breathtaking setting of the Italian Alps and at 1816 meters high, it is even more so.
Whether summer or winter, Livigno is the perfect destination for a holiday with the whole family. In a fascinating naturalistic setting, the Little Tibet offers the possibility of combining relaxation with leisure and entertainment, in a safe and child-friendly environment.
Altitude Training on fire in Livigno: from Pellegrino to Johaug. Italian Swim Team training for Tokio 2020
It's 06:01 pm, and Livigno can officially feel the thrill of the Olympic dream. Indeed, has just concluded in Lausanne the conference in which the 86 members of the International Olympic Committee expressed their preference among the two candidate countries for the 2026 Winter Olympics: Italy and Sweden. Now we can say it: #DreamingTogether!
With 47 votes in favor of Italy, Milan-Cortina is confirmed as the site of the Winter Olympic Games in 2026, and Livigno will be part of this incredible project since it will host the Freestyle and Snowboard competitions, as well as the Olympic Village.
Warm sun and clear skies perfectly describe the Good Morning! we enjoyed from Little Tibet today. At dawn there were already visitors kitted out with rucksacks and walking shoes wandering along the many pathways in the area in order to spend time enjoying nature with their families.
Among these were Davide, Elisabetta and their children: “Livigno was where we came on our first holiday as a couple and, today, as our family has grown, we still find it is the perfect place for our holidays. We know we’ll be able to enjoy happy, carefree, relaxing days here, having enormous fun with our children. The bond we have with this place is inexplicable - it stems from our hearts and reconciles perfectly with our minds.”
Relax with a multi-sensory Aufguss experience guided by our sauna masters, meditate whilst engaging both your body and mind under the starry sky the night of San Lorenzo, or even treat yourself to a regenerating scrub. These are events from June to August at Aquagranda that you simply must not miss during your stay in Livigno.
Aquagranda is one of the highest sports centres above sea level in Europe, where fun, sport and relaxation coexist, a real open-air gym covering 10,000m2 that attracts sportsmen and women and national teams from all over the world, specialising in a range of disciplines. This - and so much more - is Aquagranda Active You!, a sports and wellness centre in step with the times that brings together all the necessary services for lovers of sport indeed, but not only.
For summer 2019, there are so many appointments in the Wellness&Relax area, specifically for those of our visitors wishing to take a real holiday focussing on wellbeing indeed, but also those who want to recover and build up their energy levels after a sports packed day.
Aufguss experience in the Finnish sauna
Don’t miss out on the Aufguss experience in the Finnish sauna, held in association with AISA, Associazione Italiana Saune Aufguss (the Italian Aufguss Sauna Association) every day at 4pm, 5.30pm and 8.30pm.. Aquagranda welcomes true sauna experts and masters, who guide guests in experimenting with special Aufguss rituals and entertain them with a real show.
The sun rises over Mottolino with the feeling of something new in the air - the fragrance of long summer days - and the village seems to bloom along with the bright colour of the snowdrops on the green meadows. The mountain peaks, however, are still covered in snow as if to remind us just how amazing the season that’s just ended was. And who could blame them!
There are so many bikes out and about in the village now, with families, youngsters and couples all in the saddle. Indeed, the passion for two wheels finds fertile ground at this time of year thanks to the many activities - both new and revised - Livigno offers fans of this sport. Mountain bike, enduro, down-hill, cross country, road bike, flow country… Visitors are truly spoiled for choice, especially as these are just a few of the many weekly activities they can do on their two-wheeled friends.
Sembra davvero ieri… gli addobbi, le luminarie che hanno avuto la capacità di scaldare i nostri sguardi, per non parlare dei mercatini di Natale che ci hanno permesso di acquistare regali meravigliosi e degustare tutte le specialità del posto. Abbiamo chiuso gli occhi e, da un momento all’altro, ci siamo ritrovati catapultati a febbraio, ad un passo dalla festa degli innamorati e dall’occasione di vivere quel giorno, mano nella mano, tra le candide vie della nostra splendida Livigno.