Livigno is a duty free village on the Italian / Swiss border and is known for it's value due to its status as a duty free town. The reason for this is steeped in mystery, but the most popular reason is that the tax men used to arrive for collection, only to never return. We stayed at the self catering Capriolo apartments booked through Inghams which we paid £300 - quite reasonable as we went during the Xmas period. The brochure said the apartments sleep up to 4 but I'd say that was definitely a squeeze. Also be wary of the ground floor as we were woken quite a few times in the early morning by revellers. As far as I'm concerned, Livigno is the best place to go for self catering. The food is good, hearty and cheap whether you like simple pasta (home made) or meat fondues. Pizza's are cooked in a traditional oven and costs about £3 and as for the alcohol!. I thoroughly recommend the Bella Vista. We stumbled upon this place by accident but have since found it is the favourite place for the reps. We ate there for 3 nights, indulging in 3 courses, coffee, sweets, drinks and apperetifs and it only costs about £15 per head.

As a ski resort, I think the mountains are neither long or challenging enough for an intermediate boarder/skier, but perfect for anybody who wishes to learn. The abundance of snow ensure you won't get hurt too much when you fall and all the instructors speak good English. We went during Xmas '02 and found it was absolutely freezing. I know this is what you expect for that time of year but really, as an experienced boarder, it was FREEZING! This is due to to it's snow-sure high altitude which can kick up a bit of a wind.

This is what my opinion is: Good for beginners but intermediates and experts would find it boring very quickly. Parents or guardians of young children should also be aware of the 7 hour transfer from Milan airport and make sure you're not staying near one of the many cheap
drinking holes. Prices make it great for shopaholics. Everything is cheaper from designer clothes to toiletries to electricals to cigarettes and alcohol. We bought a 0.5cl bottle of Blue Smirnoff for £3!!! Great food at fantastic prices so definitely recommend self catering. And plenty of cheap apres ski.