Skiing in Aprica, Italy

Czechs are mountain lovers – that’s one of the first perks expats learn about. And it's not just a stereotype; we genuinely enjoy hiking, biking, skiing, and any outdoor activity in high altitudes. Since the Czech mountains are not that high, especially compared to those in neighboring countries, we leave for the Alps whenever we can, especially when it comes to downhill skiing.

Češi milují hory a outdoorová dobrodružství. Tohle je jedna z prvních věcí, které se o nás expats naučí. A nejde jen o stereotyp. K čemu bychom jinak měli jarní prázdniny, když ne k lyžování? A protože naše hory jsou možná fajn na běžky, ale ke sjezdovému lyžování se moc nehodí, každoročně od nás vyjíždějí plné autobusy i osobáky se střešními rakvemi do zemí, které jsou na lyžovačku o poznání vhodnější. Třeba právě do Itálie.


Aprica, located at the borders with Switzerland in the Lombardy region, is a popular destination for us; we almost have a monopoly on the village throughout a good portion of the winter. You might know it as a common second-home destination for people from Milan and other nearby cities – many of them own apartments in flat buildings constructed in recent decades. The Italians typically visit for skiing during Christmas, New Year's Eve, Carnivale week, and Easter, while the Czechs dominate the slopes for the rest of the winter season. No wonder that menus in the mountain lodges are frequently translated (often by machine) into Czech.

But why is Aprica so popular among the Czechs? Despite its reputation as a somewhat old-fashioned and small ski resort, it's one of the most budget-friendly in Italy. It's also ideal for families with children and less experienced skiers. I've even heard my Italian friends joke that everyone from Milan learned to ski in Aprica before moving on to larger resorts. The beginner-friendly environment was the primary reason we chose it over other resorts, as this trip was my Spanish girlfriend's second time skiing for real (those brief stays in the Czech mountains don't really count). Since we stayed just before Easter, the slopes were far from crowded, and we only occasionally encountered fellow Czechs.

Aprica patří k nejoblíbenějším střediskům mezi Čechy, až na pár týdnů v zimní sezoně je to taková česká enkláva v Lombardii, kousek od hranic se Švýcarskem. Krom Čechů sem samozřejmě jezdí i Italové, hlavně z Milána a okolí. Řada z nich má apartmán v některém z nedávno postavených činžáků, a tak přijíždí hlavně na Vánoce, Nový rok, karnevalový týden a na Velikonoce. Krom toho jezdí v létě na kola a na túry po horách. Každopádně když se vyhnete těm zhruba čtyřem italským týdnům, češtinu tu uslyšíte na každém rohu. I menu v horských chatách bylo přeložené do češtiny, a vzhledem k nesmyslům, které se v něm objevovaly, zřejmě skrze nějaký translator.

A proč máme takovou slabost právě pro Apricu? V očích Italů jde sice o lehce nemoderní a malé středisko, ale má své výhody. Je cenově hodně dostupné, a navíc se skvěle hodí pro rodiny s malými dětmi a začátečníky. Kamarádi z Itálie vtipkují o tom, že je to taková lyžařská školka, do které chodil každý z Milána, než si troufl na větší resorty. A protože T. vlastně pořádně lyžovala jen jednou (krátké pobyty na českých sjezdovkách se tak úplně nedají počítat), byla tahle lyžařská školka to pravé. Navíc jsme si vybrali fajn termín těsně před Velikonocemi, kdy jsme měli sjezdovky víceméně jen pro sebe. Kolem bylo jen pár Čechů.


Before I guide you through the slopes and lifts, let me briefly introduce Aprica ski resort by the numbers: it offers 50 km of slopes ranging from 2,300 to 1,200 m altitude. 27 km of these slopes are beginner-friendly blue runs. True, Aprica is somewhat old-fashioned – out of the four chairlifts, only one has a protective bubble for inclement weather, and there are more T-bar lifts than you might expect. On the bright side, the Superpanoramica slope is the longest suitable for night skiing in Italy, spanning 6 kilometers. It is illuminated once or twice a week. We opted out of night skiing this time, having exhausted ourselves during the day. It also didn't fit our schedule; we would have had to skip dinner. Nevertheless, skiing on an illuminated slope at night is an incredible experience I highly recommend.

Ještě trocha čísel – Aprica nabízí 50 kilometrů sjezdovek (jen pro srovnání – největší české středisko je Špindlerův Mlýn s 25 kilometry). Z toho 27 kilometrů jsou ty modré, vhodné pro začátečníky. Na Alpy není středisko nijak vysoko, lyžuje se mezi 2 300 a 1 200 metry nad mořem, ale i to stačilo k tomu, abychom jezdili na metru sněhu. Je pravda, že nejde o žádné supermoderní středisko, spíš naopak. Jen jedna ze čtyř sedačkových lanovek má takovou tu ochrannou bublinu před větrem a sněhem, a taky je tu víc kotviček, než kolik byste možná čekali. Ale zase je tu nejdelší sjezdovka pro noční lyžování v Itálii, šestikilometrová Superpanoramica. My tedy noční lyžovačku vynechali, poctivě jsme lyžovali přes den, a navíc bychom museli vynechat večeři, ale jinak noční lyžování doporučuju. A teď už vzhůru na sjezdovky!


Unfortunately, our weather resembled more of January than March, with snow falling most days. At least I could show my girlfriend a taste of real winter. However, I missed the typical March sunny days, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Instead, for the first two days, all we could see was this:

Počasí nám bohužel tentokrát nepřálo, byl to spíš takový leden než březen. Většinu času sněžilo, ale alespoň jsem mohl T. ukázat opravdovou zimu. Taková ta klasická březnová alpská pohoda s malebnými výhledy na okolní hory mi ale chyběla. Většinu času jsme se mohli kochat zhruba takovými panoramaty:


When I reached the highest point at 2,300 meters to take a ride or two on the expert slope, all I could see was dense fog. However, with good ski glasses, you can actually see through it, at least well enough to avoid getting lost in a cloud and possibly injuring yourself.

A když jsem se vydal až nahoru, do 2 300 metrů, abych si párkrát projel černou sjezdovku, přivítala mě takováhle hustá mlha. Naštěstí je přes ní s dobrými lyžařskými brýlemi vidět. Tedy dost na to, abyste se někde nepřizabili.


If you're curious about how it looked when visibility was clearer, here are some shots from the top on another day. It wasn't particularly sunny, but you can certainly notice the difference.

Kdyby vás zajímalo, jak to tam nahoře vypadá, když je alespoň něco vidět i bez brýlí, tady je pár fotek z jiného dne.


Just to clarify – I'm not really complaining about the weather. I'm glad we had fresh natural snow; it's always better for less experienced skiers like my girlfriend. Besides, when snow caps adorn all the trees and huts, it looks simply marvelous.

Aby to nevyznělo blbě, to počasí nám vlastně docela vyšlo. Čerstvě napadaný přírodní sníh je pro začátečníky skvělý. A navíc se nám naskytly krásné výhledy na zasněžené stromy a horské chaty. Podobnými jsme se tuhle zimu u nás kochat moc nemohli.


Before I forget – the lodge below is Rifugio Valtellina, arguably the best pizza place in Aprica. You have to earn it, though. The hut is some 800 meters higher than the village. My mum speaks Italian, loves the country, and is a devout skier, so she has, of course, been to Aprica. She lost a word with the pizza guy there, discovering he runs a summer pizzeria somewhere in Sicily, and this rifugio is his winter job. Then he has free spring and autumn to chill. What a dolce vita, right? Sadly, I didn't take a picture of the pizzas there - we were too hungry, and they were too good to waste time documenting them.

Abych nezapomněl, na fotce níže je Rifugio Valtellina. Dostanete tam asi tu nejlepší pizzu v Aprice. Ale budete si ji musel zasloužit, chata je totiž asi 800 výškových metrů nad vesnicí. Moje mamka je vášnivá lyžařka, a protože miluje Itálii, naučila se italsky. Místní lyžařské areály má kompletně projeté a v Aprice samozřejmě také byla. S místním pizzařem se dala do řeči, a kdyby vás to zajímalo, má pizzerii někde na Sicílii, kde pracuje v létě. Tohle je jeho zimní působiště, jara a podzimy má volné. Tomu říkám dolce vita! Fotku pizzy bohužel nemám, byli jsme hladoví a obě naše pizzy vypadaly tak lákavě, že jsme nemarnili čas a rovnou se do nich pustili.


And now for something good to finish with. Here are more shots from the less foggy moments, and an obligatory Bombardino di Casa. What better drink to enjoy in an "Après Ski" bar than the famous local hot cocktail?

A teď něco na závěr, abych to uzavřel optimisticky. Tady je ještě pár fotek ze chvilek, kdy bylo vidět o fous víc. A taky Bombardino. Co jiného si dát après ski než místní slavný horký koktejl? Na ty, které se u nás čas od času prodávají v supermarketech, rovnou zapomeňte, tohle je di casa.


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31 comments
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Spectacular presentation, the area is perfect, beautiful landscapes and very good quality in terms of aesthetics, super content, a hug.

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When I saw the title, I read it "Skiing in Africa" 😃 That didn't sound good at all... 😂

I didn't know that Czechs like to go to Italy in search of good skiing places... But, I know that some of my friends went to Czechia skiing... As I'm not a big fan of snow and cold, I will just enjoy your snowy photos from Italy! Snow over trees and huts looks amazing on a sunny day!

Thanks for sharing!


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Same here, not a big fan of winter sports, cold and snow in general so I have never heard of Aprica before and thus read "Africa" too :D Jamaican bobsleigh feel :D

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Hahahaha... That made me laugh... 😃

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I will keep you a place on the beach... :)

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Well, you can ski in Africa too ;) And then there's sand skiing, but I've never tried it.

Our mountains are fine for cross-country skiing, which is akin to biking - you go from one place to another faster than you could walk. They are not high enough to provide slopes (and snow conditions) like the Alpes, though.

Thanks for your support :)

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The scenery is absolutely breathtaking @godfish, it sounds like you really had fun! The pizzas must have been good after all that snow!

The weather patterns seem to be changing everywhere; we have all seasons in one day here in SA. One minute we think Autumn is on the way and the next it's like mid-summer again!

That hot drink sure looks good!

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Well, where else to have pizza but in Italy :)) They were truly amazing. And if you ever get to Italy in winter, treat yourself with a Bombardino di Casa, it's definitely worth it ;)

Yep, you're right, this winter was rather unusual, yet it's likely the way it's gonna be in the upcoming years.

Thanks for stopping by!

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No ruku na srdce,

kdo si na lyže čuchne ven, tomu už doma nevoní. :)

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A není se čemu divit, Alpy jsou úplně jiná liga :) Plus atmosféra, skvělá (v tomhle případě) italská kuchyně, úroveň služeb... České hory prostě nemůžou konkurovat.

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From my perspective (I live in city at 100m above sea level), this mountain does not seem small and does not seem like it is for beginner skiers.

You had a real winter fairy tale, a winter idyll 🙂

I'm still more for spring and summer.
OK, I like to see such scenes of winter, but from a warm room, with a cup of tea or mulled wine (and I can also imagine myself with a hot cocktail).

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They are quite easy. Compared to glaciers in 3,000+ metres, for instance ;)

I love skiing and am hapy my girlfriend is getting into it. Then you can enjoy hot drinks or sauna even more than if you spent all day in a warm room ;)

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I listened to the stories of skiers, my friends... Getting up early in the morning, getting dressed and on the slopes as soon as possible. And there, until dusk, by cable car up the mountain, downhill on skis. And just one more lap, one more wire.
Skiing must be loved a lot, it is a physically tiring sport.
I like activities when I bring my muscles to the point of complete exhaustion, but I've only skied once in my life, when I went down a hill in my neighborhood and crashed at the end of the trail 🤕 and then I never skied again.
Walking in the snow, snowballing, sledding and sliding are possible, but skiing on a steep slope is not🙂
Maybe I would dare to get on skis in the cross-country skiing option, but I don't have company for that, nor where to ski...

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You need somebody to teach you, it's kinda impossible to learn that by yourself ;) Cross-country skiing is a bit easier, but still, having somebody to at least show you how to is quite handy :)

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I think I'm too old for a beginner skier now.
But I would definitely get to Rifugio Valtellina for pizza while walking 😀

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My girlfriend also started as an adult ;)

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Going to 2300 meters and getting such beautiful views.... Foggy, unclear, pure and full white like clouds is more than I have dreamt in my life.

  • budget friendly for many people.... But, where should I go? I should first make my visa and tickets 😂. But before all that I have to buy a good mobile with good camera so that I can get clear pictures 😆.

Aprica.... Read about this for the very first time but I am surprised to read that it is nestled in the borders and near to Switzerland( again a dream destination for me)


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2,300 metres ain't that high ;) you have way higher mountains in Pakistan. I know nothing about the visa requirements, but to kick off your skiing experience, you can stay home, just to see if you enjoy it at least a bit ;)

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Wow! I like that snow world 🤩🤩

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(Edited)

Go for a holiday next winter then, and you'll experience it yourself ;)

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Wow, that's quite thick snow. And I like to be able to visit places that have thick snow like this and also to feel how cold it is in areas like this

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Take a holiday next winter :) I am sure there are some places to go in your region. Australia has the Alpes too ;)

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In my area there is absolutely no snow. And here the weather is quite hot. But I want to be able to visit countries that have snow because I have never experienced playing in the snow.Hopefully I can save enough money to be able to go to countries that have snow.😃👍🍻🤝

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Hello godfish!

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What I had to come and say is.... 😍

LOL.. oh my god "pescado" what beautiful pictures. That looks extreme, but divine.

And that drink with a meringue on top, what the hell is that? 😶

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