Cervinia Ski Resort Guide

Cervinia is one of Italy's most important resorts and has carved a niche as a rather upmarket enclave, perhaps in part because of its cross-border link to Zermatt in Switzerland. The resort is named after Monte Cervino, the Italian name for the Matterhorn, which it sits below.

It is also significant in ski history generally because this was one of the first resorts to be ‘purpose built' (more or less from scratch) in the 1930s. It also remains one of Europe's highest resorts, and with the ski lifts linking up to 3,899m (12,792ft) - Europe's highest lift-served point, Cervinia can offer something in the way of guaranteed snow.

In fact it is open for winter sports through the summer months with access to Zermatt's glacier skiing with some on its side of the border too. The summer vertical is usually the biggest available anywhere, just as the huge winter one is - providing a 15km (8.5-mile) long run.

Cervinia is at the head of the Aosta Valley of the Alps, on the western side of northern Italy, right on the border with Switzerland.