Italy has a unique geography that makes it perfect for skiing and other winter sports. It may be famous for its Mediterranean beaches and beautiful weather, but with the Alps forming the northern border of the country, and the Apennines forming its spine, Italy has more than its share of mountains and snow.

The northern cities of Turin, Milan and Venice can provide a base for a weekend's skiing and snowboarding, and there are superb ski resorts in the north-western Alpine regions of Piedmont (such as Sestriere and Bardonecchia) and Val d'Aosta (Courmayeur and Cervinia to name just two). In the north-east, the regions of Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto have the Dolomites, with terrific resorts such as Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The pleasant surprise is that however far south you go, there's still good snow to be head. Head into Tuscany and you can ski at Abetone and Amiata. Le Marche has Monte Vettore, while the central-southern region of Abruzzo has fine skiing on Gran Sasso and Maiella. And if you'd never dreamed of skiing in Sicily, there's a delight in store ... the ski slopes on Mount Etna.

Click here for listings of ski hotels, holiday rentals, bed and breakfasts and other vacation accommodation in the Italian mountains.