I’ll be honest, the idea of skiing has never excited me. I know it’s not very classy and so it’s something I often keep to myself, just like I don’t like eating mollusks (you can be classy and cultured and not like a clam! You can do it!).
I skied once when I was 11, and although my mom insists I was good at it, I have no memory of it – nor do I remember enjoying it – so I think that’s probably a lie. For all intents and purposes, I never planned to ski again. But if you love the mountains like I do, or dream of a cold, snow-filled escape like me, your antipathy towards skiing puts you in a pretty sad situation. There’s an obvious rock and hard place joke here, but I won’t do that.
In my age group, it often feels like you have to choose between two holidays: a hot holiday or a ski holiday. Other cold places (Copenhagen, Reykjavík, etc.) are either extremely expensive or slightly explosive at this point. Moreover, these are city holidays. If you want a proper tundra, people will expect you to wear your salopettes.
But what if… you didn’t? It’s a question I’m searching for an answer to as I board the first SkyAlps flight from London Stansted to Bolzano, a small airport in northern Italy that, as of December, gives Londoners closer access to some of the Dolomites’ best ski destinations. SkyAlps has been operating since 2021, taking skiers to Bolzano from various airports in Europe, but Brits have had to wait until now to join the deal.
If the words “inauguration flight” don’t scare you, perhaps the term “propeller plane” will. Or if you’re me, an image of one will probably do the trick. I took a quick, wild dive into the aviation section of Google (i.e., I searched for “is safer a propeller plane or a jet????????”) and thankfully learned that the two are actually equivalent.
The flight was surprisingly uneventful considering we took off in rainy UK conditions and landed in an Italian blizzard. Yes, there is some turmoil, but not enough to whisper Hail Marys at the last minute. It took us two and a half hours to arrive in Bolzano, after which you will need to transfer to the resort of your choice. We headed to Alta Badia, staying in the nearby town of Corvara, which was another hour and a half by car. Before the SkyAlps flight, Alta Badia hopefuls would have to fly into Verona or Milan and take another train or two to reach Bolzano, as well as take another bus or car to their desired resort. It’s a bit of a hike, especially for someone who has no plans to tear up the slopes.
I actually had plans to ski on this trip, but due to an ankle injury, I quickly went back to my old spot, making it too risky to even try. So my ski trip quickly turned into a no-ski trip. “Aren’t you bored?” you can ask. No, reader, I wasn’t, and here’s why.
There are a few basic conditions for having a pleasant, ski-free ski trip: First of all, you need to choose your hotel very carefully. I stayed at Corvara for two. First up is the traditional, family-run five-star Hotel Sassongher, which will warm the bones of even the coldest person. Its decor is quite retro (note the assortment of fancy dolls), but this old-fashioned sensibility extends to the staff, making for an incredibly welcoming stay, it’s almost as if you’ve returned like a long-lost relative. big family Christmas.
There’s also a gorgeous “sky spa” (read: larger than the average outdoor hot tub) where you can admire the mountains without having to worry about lugging your skis up.
Unfortunately this brings me to my second point. Ski holidays without skis don’t mean you’re relegated to the foothills. If you go with a group of skiers and can’t or won’t join, you can still take the chair lifts and gondolas to meet them for lunch, apres, or a pleasant little ride like on the skidoo (basically a snow jet ski). I did. It’s great not to leave yourself out of the action, especially since you’ll miss out on some gastronomic highlights. Like Rifugio Col Alt, for example, which has some of the best versions of hearty mountain meals of the entire trip. The flavors were helped by some well-paired wines handpicked by our lunch companions Hugo and Ursula Pizzinini, owners of the luxurious Aman partner resort Rosa Alpina, which is currently under renovation (reopening next December in case you’re open to suggestions for ski season 24/25) .
Finally, the third point: Skiing out of a ski holiday gives you the almost mandatory peace of mind. While everyone else was sweating it out on the slopes and developing a rather unwarranted sunburn, I was on a relaxing retreat of my own making. Reading, swimming, spa. This part of my trip was especially nice at our second hotel, La Majun, in Corvara, a more modern four-star hotel with an 800 square meter spa. There are also a variety of treatments available, from lymphatic drainage massages to cellular recreation facials. I had a massage and facial, and when I came out my body was so relaxed that I had to use the balancing techniques I normally use when I’m very drunk.
If you still need that active side, you can spend time hiking, sledding or cross-country skiing, which your hotel will provide. While we were in Corvara there was even the opportunity to watch part of the Ski World Cup if you are into competitive sports.
There are some disadvantages to a ski holiday without skiing, but they are much smaller than you might expect. First, you’ll still need ski wear if you plan to hit the slopes, or at least do some Matryoshka doll-level layering – the cold just hits differently there. Fortunately, if you don’t mind reusing your ski equipment, you can now rent ski clothing from sites like Blanqo or Hurr. I put Blanqo’s Perfect Moment skis to good use, which meant I still had the après-ski Instagram post I’d been dreaming of without having to spend a fortune on ‘fit’.
The other downside is that you won’t feel as healthy as your pro-ski friends who will burn off meat-and-cheese-heavy Alpine cuisine by chopping up that powder. You, on the other hand, will be thinking about how much weight a chairlift can actually carry as you return from lunch.
But as for the disadvantages, they are not so bad. So if you’re sitting on Instagram feeling a heavy dose of FOMO this ski season, know that you don’t need the skills or inclination to have a dream ski-free ski holiday. Just a few rental salopettes, a swimsuit, and a really good book. OK – two good books.
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SkyAlps flights between London and Bolzano start from €184 one way. 50% discount for children aged 2-11. Under 2 years old is free. skyalps.com
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Hotel Sassongher offers Comfort Rooms from €300 per night for two adults sharing on a half-board basis. sassongher.it/tr
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Hotel La Majun offers rooms starting from €370 per night for two adults sharing on a bed and breakfast basis during the winter season. lamajun.it
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For more information about visiting Alta Badia, visit: altabadia.org