Found in the Alta Badia ski area and a linked offshoot of the Sella Ronda circuit, Corvara is one of the bigger villages. It is also one of the more lively. There are lots of restaurants, bars and hotels and, as one recent visitor has noted, 'if you like good food and great wine and beer, this is the place for you'. The other villages on the circuit offer even more eateries, but drinking and driving is just as stupid in Italy as it is anywhere else. Corvara is very conveniently positioned to get the most out of the region's skiing, much of which favours intermediate cruisers and beginners. Experts may well want to stay in nearby Arabba for some of best tough stuff in the Italian Alps. Unfortunately, as with the less well-known Italian resorts, foreign languages are not widely spoken, so ski school in particular can be a bit of a problem.

Overall, Corvara is a good spot for getting the best of the Alta Badia and the Sella Ronda areas – also offering plenty to occupy your stomach in the evenings…