The Italian village of Livigno has captured my heart, it really is a fantastic destination for winter sports. It probably sounds quite cliché, but really all the ingredients for a top holiday are present. Livigno breathes sportsmanship, in every possible way, and that really appeals to me. In the winter you come here to ski and that is very nice here, whether you want to do it on the slopes or next to it. There are two not too big, but fun and challenging ski areas waiting for you. And the village is also impressive: a long, cozy street with lots of nice shops, restaurants, bars and beautiful churches. The atmosphere in the village is very cozy and with some fresh snow falling you seem to be walking in the setting of a romantic film. There are hardly any reasons not to go here once. But if you’re not completely convinced yet, I’ll show you what the perfect evening in Livigno looks like, which of course starts with a nice day on the mountain.
To ski!
Imagine that you have been freeriding all day with a guide, not really the tough stuff, but freeriding for beginners. Livigno has special approaching areas for this and we also dive a bit through the trees. That is just a bit harder than a normal day on the slopes, because your thighs have to work a lot harder in the deep snow. In any case, it gives a satisfied feeling, from 09:00 to 16:00 in the snow ensures that you can fall asleep like a log after one glass of wine. Then you could choose to stay in your hotel after such a wonderful day and have something to eat there, to fall asleep on time and be fit again the next day. But it can also be done differently, and we have done that.
It’s obvious to stay down in the village, but the evening can be so much more fun. On both mountains in Livigno (you can go up on two sides of the village) there are several mountain huts that are also open in the evening. Most mountain huts are best reached with a snowmobile or snowmobile, but there are also mountain huts that you can walk to yourself. Walking uphill is easiest with snowshoes, so we tie them under, put a light on our heads and walk up!
I personally think snowshoeing is one of the nicest things – besides skiing – to do in the mountains in winter. The nice thing is that you don’t need much for it, just the snowshoes (for those who don’t know it: a kind of racket that you tie under your regular shoes that gives you a good grip in the snow) and a few sticks are also handy . You also don’t have to do much for it. What makes it so much fun for me is that it’s effort, but in a relaxing way. Uphill, a bit of condition is useful, because that can be tough.
La Tea di Cip & Ciop
We depart from the center of Livigno and climb up the Carosello, on our way to a tiny mountain hut called La Tea di Cip & Ciop, which you can translate as ‘the mountain hut of Chip and Babbel’. The walk there doesn’t take that long, I estimate that it took us an hour, but that’s mainly because we occasionally took a break to enjoy the view of a beautifully lit Livigno!
It is special to see the ski slopes once in the dark, it has something mysterious and romantic at the same time. The crackling sound of the snow under your snowshoes and, furthermore, only the sound of your own breathing make such a nighttime snow walk a kind of meditative relaxation. Away from the material and one with nature. A wonderful moment to clear your head…
Once we arrive at La Tea di Cip & Ciop, nibbles and chats are already waiting for us. Inside the mountain hut it is nice and warm, although no one is cold after such a walk uphill. We crawl at the top of a cozy table and are spoiled with delicious wine and local specialties such as beetroot risotto and semi freddo from Braulio (Italian bitters from the region). Delicious!
After such a delicious three-course dinner and sitting inside for a few hours, it’s nice to go outside again and get some fresh air. Even a little exercise can’t hurt after such a dinner. Nibble and chat treat us to a Pisang Ambon-like drink – to ‘warm up’ for a while – and then we walk down again. That is a lot faster than going up, but the view is still just as beautiful. And once you are in bed, tired from skiing and satisfied after such a wonderful walk and dinner, you can say that this must be the perfect evening in Livigno!
