Valtellina is Lombardy’s great Alpine valley, on the border with Switzerland: a land of skiing, thermal spas, wine and a hearty cuisine of pizzoccheri and bresaola. It is famous above all for winter — Bormio and Livigno are among Italy’s most loved ski resorts — but it’s worth visiting in any season, thanks to the Stelvio National Park, the Alpine passes and the “heroic” vineyards that carpet the slopes. Its profile rose further in February 2026, when it hosted some events of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics: alpine skiing at Bormio and freestyle and snowboard at Livigno.
Today the legacy of those Games remains — upgraded facilities and a new international profile — and the story continues, because Bormio and Valdidentro will also host the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games. The choice of base depends on what you’re after: top-level skiing, spa relaxation, family quiet or a tour among the vineyards.
There is also a thread that runs through the whole valley: the table. Valtellina is one of the culinary capitals of the Alps, with buckwheat pizzoccheri, PGI bresaola, sciatt, mountain cheeses such as Bitto and Bormio’s Braulio bitters. At the table you grasp the character of this mountain — generous and genuine — and each area has its own specialities. Here are the best areas to stay, each with its own soul and recommended hotels.
Bormio: skiing, spas and the Stelvio
Bormio is the capital of Upper Valtellina: an elegant old town at the foot of a ski area with the legendary Stelvio slope, one of the most technical in the world, which hosts the World Cup downhill every year and in 2026 was the stage for the Olympic alpine skiing races. But Bormio is also spas: three thermal centres fed by natural hot springs — Bagni Vecchi, Bagni Nuovi and Bormio Terme — perfect for recharging after the slopes. In summer it’s the gateway to the Stelvio National Park and the famous Stelvio Pass, the highest in Italy.
Staying in Bormio means combining sport, wellness and the charm of an old town that’s alive all year round. It’s the most complete choice in Upper Valtellina, ideal for those who want to ski by day and enjoy the spa in the evening.
Sottovento Luxury Hospitality
A refined four-star a step from the centre of Bormio, with well-kept rooms and a touch of contemporary Alpine style. It’s the ideal base for those seeking comfort and elegance between a day on the slopes and a stop at the spa, in one of Italy’s most complete mountain resorts.
Hotel San Vitale
A historic, well-run hotel in the heart of Bormio, hugely appreciated by thousands of guests for its central location and welcome. Handy for the lifts, the spas and the pedestrian centre, it’s a reliable, worry-free choice for a ski week or a summer holiday on the Stelvio.
Livigno: skiing, glamour and duty-free shopping
Livigno is one of the most famous ski destinations in the Alps: a wide high-altitude basin nicknamed “Little Tibet”, with guaranteed snow for a very long season and two large ski areas, Mottolino and Carosello 3000. It’s the paradise of freestyle and snowboarding — fittingly, it hosted these disciplines at the 2026 Olympics — and, thanks to its status as a duty-free zone, of tax-free shopping too, with bargain prices on fuel, perfumes and sports gear.
In summer Livigno is a capital of mountain biking and trail running, with lifts open and miles of trails. It’s the choice for those seeking top-level skiing, social life and a touch of high-altitude glamour, bearing in mind the distance and the passes to cross to get there.
The basin offers slopes for every level, a large snowpark among the best in Europe and a long season thanks to the high altitude, often from late November to May. The town, long and spread along the valley, is served by free ski buses and packs in shops, restaurants and après-ski venues: it’s a destination that blends high-level sport with a lively, international atmosphere, much loved by young people and athletes alike.
Camino Rustic Chic Hotel
A four-star in Livigno with a wellness centre, sauna and Turkish bath, mountain-view rooms and private parking: ideal for coming back from the slopes and recharging. The “rustic chic” wooden style and the spa make it a warm base for a ski week with a touch of comfort.
Mohe Boutique Hotel
A design-led boutique hotel in the heart of Livigno, with modern spaces and an intimate atmosphere. Perfect for couples and for those seeking a contemporary style a step from the slopes and the shops, it blends the warmth of the mountains with a touch of refined elegance.
Santa Caterina Valfurva: the quietest mountain
Santa Caterina Valfurva is a small, compact ski resort at the foot of the Ortles-Cevedale group, home of champion Deborah Compagnoni. Less fashionable than Bormio and Livigno, it offers wide, well-groomed slopes set among fir woods, and a quiet, genuine atmosphere, perfect for families and lovers of authentic mountains. It’s linked to Bormio by the same Upper Valtellina ski pass.
In summer it’s an ideal base for hiking and mountaineering among the glaciers of the Stelvio Park. The right choice for those seeking snow and nature without the crowds and prices of the more famous resorts.
Hotel Vedig
A welcoming four-star in Santa Caterina, a step from the lifts, with a wellness centre and local cuisine. It’s the perfect base for a family ski week, between skiing in the morning and relaxing in the evening, in the quietest and greenest part of Upper Valtellina.
Tirano and the Bernina Express
Tirano, in the middle of the valley, is famous as the Italian terminus of the Bernina Express: the spectacular Rhaetian railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which climbs among glaciers and viaducts up to St. Moritz in Switzerland, and is one of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe. The town also guards the magnificent Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tirano and is surrounded by Valtellina’s terraced vineyards.
It’s the ideal base for those who want to experience the Bernina Express, setting off calmly in the morning, to explore the middle valley and its wines, and for those seeking a well-connected rail base, without the altitudes and prices of the big ski resorts.
DIMORA1934 Relax&Comfort
A cosy guest house in a 1934 building in the centre of Tirano, with air-conditioned rooms and great attention to detail. It’s the perfect base for taking the Bernina Express, which departs from here, and for exploring the middle Valtellina and its terraced vineyards.
Sondrio and the Valtellina of wine
Sondrio, the provincial capital, is the gateway to the Valtellina of wine: on the sunny slopes above the city stretch the famous terraced vineyards, a “heroic” landscape of dry-stone walls where the great Nebbiolo reds are born — Sassella, Grumello, Inferno — along with the prized Sforzato. It’s an authentic, low-tourism base, ideal for those who want to combine the mountains with food and wine, among cellars, pizzoccheri and bresaola.
From here you can easily reach all the valley’s destinations by train and car, and it’s the starting point of the Via dei Terrazzamenti, the panoramic route among the vineyards. The right choice for a slow trip, between good wine and terraced landscapes unique in the world.
Cà Rossa #Suite&Breakfast
A well-kept, welcoming B&B in Sondrio, with spacious rooms and warm hospitality. It’s the ideal base for exploring the Valtellina of wine, among cellars and terraced vineyards, with the convenience of the provincial capital and excellent links to Tirano and Upper Valtellina.
Alloggio del contadino
A genuine address steeped in the rural atmosphere of Valtellina, much loved by many guests for the warmth of its welcome. Perfect for those seeking a real connection with the land, good wine and home cooking, a step from the terraced vineyards and the centre of Sondrio.
This guide is part of our tour of the region: discover all the areas in Where to stay in Lombardy. Valtellina is easily reached from Milan and pairs well with a stay on Lake Como.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we are asked most often about where to stay in Valtellina.
What is the best area to stay in Valtellina?
It depends on what you’re after. For top-level skiing with spas, Bormio is the most complete choice; for slopes, glamour and duty-free shopping, Livigno; for a quiet, family-friendly mountain, Santa Caterina Valfurva; for the Bernina Express and the middle valley, Tirano; for wine and terraced vineyards, Sondrio. Upper Valtellina (Bormio, Livigno, Santa Caterina) is the heart of skiing, while the middle valley combines culture, scenic trains and food and wine.
Bormio or Livigno for skiing?
They are the two great capitals of Valtellina skiing, both excellent but different. Bormio has the legendary Stelvio slope and the spas, an elegant old town and a more classic atmosphere. Livigno, at higher altitude, guarantees long-lasting snow, is the realm of freestyle and snowboard and offers duty-free shopping, but is more isolated and social. To combine skiing and wellness choose Bormio, for reliable snow, parks and shopping Livigno. Both hosted Olympic events in 2026.
Can you still ski in Valtellina after the 2026 Olympics?
Yes, more than ever. In February 2026 Valtellina hosted the Olympic alpine skiing races at Bormio and freestyle and snowboard at Livigno, and since then upgraded facilities and a new international profile remain. Bormio, Livigno and Santa Caterina Valfurva offer slopes for every level throughout the winter season, and Bormio will also host the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games. It’s worth checking the lift-opening dates year by year, depending on snowfall.
What is there to do in Valtellina besides skiing?
A great deal: the Bormio spas, fed by natural hot springs; the Bernina Express from Tirano towards St. Moritz, a UNESCO site; the Stelvio National Park and the pass of the same name, the highest in Italy, a magnet for cyclists and motorcyclists; and the Valtellina of wine, with the terraced vineyards above Sondrio and tastings of Sassella, Inferno and Sforzato. Not to mention the cuisine, between pizzoccheri, bresaola, sciatt and mountain cheeses.
When should you go to Valtellina?
Winter, from December to April, is the ski season, with Livigno often open even longer thanks to its high altitude. Summer, from June to September, is ideal for hiking, mountain biking, the Alpine passes and wine tastings, with cool, pleasant weather. Spring and autumn are quieter: autumn in particular brings the colours of the harvest among the terraced vineyards. It’s always best to check the opening of lifts and passes according to the season.
Is Valtellina suitable for families?
Yes, very much: Santa Caterina Valfurva and Bormio have slopes for all levels, ski schools and services for children, while the Bormio spas appeal to young and old alike. In summer, easy trails, adventure parks and train rides make the valley a perfect destination with children too. For families, hotels with a wellness centre and local cuisine are ideal, or apartments in the resorts well served by the lifts.
