Cervinia Information

Apres-ski

Cervinia can be lively at weekends and during holiday periods when the in-crowd from Turin and Milan are in town, but equally it can be very quiet in the week. There are 30 or so après-ski bars from which to choose.

Lo Yeti (tel: +39 0166 949 196; www.yeticervinia.it) is one of the more popular après-ski bars in Cervinia, while the Dragon Bar (tel: +39 0166 940 255; www.hoteldragon.it) tends to attract North Europeans, particularly for its satellite TV coverage of big sports events. Max Club Cervinia (tel: +39 0166 948 560) is one of two clubs in the resort, and becomes livelier after midnight.

Eating out

Cervinia is something of an Italian foodies paradise with everything from a quick homemade pizza and espresso – all of high quality – up to the gourmet standards demanded by the well-heeled Italians who enjoy frequenting the eateries here. In either case the onus is firmly upon authentic cuisine, local ingredients and creating a happy atmosphere.

There are now more than 50 restaurants in Cervinia and its surrounds, so there's plenty of choice. La Chandelle (tel: +39 0166 948 998; www.hotelhermitage.com) in Hotel Hermitage is a great choice for a gourmet meal offering local and international haute cuisine and an excellent wine list.

La Taverna di Gargantua (tel: +39 0166 940 167) is a good mid-range choice; while for the Italian staples, head to Falcone (Via Meynet 8) with its mouth-wateringly good pizza. Metzelet (tel: +39 0339 139 0005, www.metzeletbar.it), likewise, does great local cuisine alongside alpine favourites such as fondue.

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

Cervinia has a good range of activities besides skiing and boarding, both on and off the slopes.

Within the village there's a sports centre, cinema, bowling alley and an ice skating rink. For something a little different, visit an ice grotto on the Klein Matterhorn, have a go at ice karting, or view the scenery from above with an awe-inspiring paragliding trip. Car drivers also have the chance to test their skills on a 1.5km-long (0.9-mile) ice circuit.

Back on the slopes, among the numerous options are: snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ski kiting, snow biking and tobogganing. Visitors who are feeling truly energetic can have a go at ski mountaineering, which opens up lesser-ventured and harder to reach spots – courses are run by trained guides from the Cervino Mountain Guides Society (tel: +39 0166 948 169).

Family fun

In what is a rather rare Italian non-ski nursery facility, Biancaneve (tel: +39 0166 940 201) – located near the ticket office and cable car station – accepts children from birth to age 10. And there are four ski schools, including the Cervino Ski School (tel: +39 0166 949 034; www.scuolacervino.com), which also operates a ski kindergarten for children aged five and older.

The Far West Baby Ski Park was recently extended and offers carpet lifts and child-friendly ski lifts, as well as tubing runs, inflatable obstacles and a family picnic area. Once confident on their skis, the little ones can explore Cervinia's wide and generally easy pistes via easy-access chair and cabin lifts.

Retail therapy

Cervinia's shopping opportunities are more plentiful than the ski resort norm, with around 70 shops in town; including some stylish fashion outlets and jewellers for well-heeled clientele.

For a wide range of wines, head to Bottiglieria Cappana Alpina (tel: +39 0166 948 710); or for a special gift, try the jewellers Re Mida Gioielli (tel: +39 0166 940 090).

Beyond these options, there is the usual selection of ski and souvenir stores, grocery shops, bakeries and a laundry service.

Splashing out

Fans de Sport (tel: +39 335 457 155; www.fansdesport.it) organises all sorts of snow sports for visitors who fancy something a bit out of the ordinary. Snow kiting involves being towed along the snow on your skis or board by a giant kite; while those opting for zorbing will be strapped inside a giant, transparent ball and rolled down the snowy slopes. Other alternatives include dog sledding, snowmobiling and paragliding.

Hotels

The resort has a good selection of all kinds of accommodation, including a large selection of apartments to rent. There is also an increasingly wide range of hotels in Cervinia, ranging from simple pensions to luxurious establishments, with the choice, particularly at the higher quality end, increasing year on year.

Luxury

Moderate

Cheap