Italian Alps & Dolomites: Sestriere, Passo Tonale & the Via Lattea with your class
Italy's Alpine resorts are the best-kept secret in the school ski trip market, offering snow reliability, extraordinary scenery, excellent ski schools, and a value-for-money proposition that France and Switzerland simply cannot match. The two flagship school group destinations are as different as the regions that contain them. Sestriere sits at 2,035 metres in the Piedmont Alps, at the heart of the Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski area, 400 kilometres of interconnected piste spanning five Italian resorts and crossing into France at Montgenèvre, giving adventurous groups the option of skiing between two countries in a single afternoon. Passo Tonale sits on a high mountain pass in the Adamello-Presanella massif, at an altitude that guarantees excellent snow conditions from November through May, with a glacier above the resort that remains skiable into summer. Both resorts have decades of experience with British and international school groups, well-organised ski schools, and evening programmes that range from bowling and discos to gelato-making workshops and pizza evenings. The Italian Alps also offer a unique cultural bonus that France and Austria do not: a genuine Italian village atmosphere at resort level, and the Dolomites as one of the most visually extraordinary landscapes on earth.
Trip highlights
The Via Lattea ski area, 400 kilometres of piste connecting five Italian resorts and crossing into France, giving school groups access to one of the largest ski areas in the Alps on a single lift pass
Italian mountain culture, group pizza dinners, gelato-making workshops, and the authentic warmth of Italian mountain hospitality give the trip a cultural dimension that pure ski resorts in France and Austria cannot replicate
The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of pink limestone towers, recognised as one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes on earth, visible from the slopes and providing extraordinary context for geography and earth science curricula
Curriculum links
Practical information
- Resort altitude: Sestriere 2,035m (resort) / 2,823m (top); Passo Tonale 1,884m (resort) / 3,016m (glacier top)
- Ski area: Via Lattea 400km of piste; Passo Tonale/Adamello 100km of piste with glacier
- Ability levels: all levels catered for, groups split by ability for all lessons; Passo Tonale particularly recommended for beginner-heavy groups given its wide, gentle slopes
- Lesson structure: Italian ski school instructors (Scuola di Sci) certified to national standard; typically 2–3 hours morning and afternoon per day
- Equipment: full ski equipment hire included; helmet compulsory for under-18s in Italy
- Evening programme: supervised disco, bowling, pizza evenings, gelato workshop, optional snowmobile experience
- Local currency is Euro (€); spending money recommended for après-ski, souvenirs, and optional extras
- EHIC/GHIC or equivalent travel insurance with winter sports cover strongly recommended
- On the Move is the officially accredited school trips provider for the European Schools in Belgium; every trip has a dedicated project manager with 24/7 emergency support.
A day by day
✏️ This is an example timetable — we can adapt the destination, programme, duration and budget to suit your group.
Students come home with…
- a new ski skill, an experience of one of Europe's most spectacular natural landscapes, and, often, a genuine affection for Italian mountain culture that is quite distinct from what they encounter in the cities.
In pictures
Ski Trips - your questions
Our ski trips work for pupils from around 10 years upwards. Valmeinier is designed specifically for primary-age beginners (P5–P6); our other resorts suit secondary groups of all levels. Lessons are grouped by ability, so everyone progresses at their own pace.
Yes. Ski hire (skis, boots, poles and helmet) and lift passes are included in your package. Pupils only need warm clothing — we send a full kit list well in advance.
Every group travels with qualified instructors and meets regulation chaperone ratios. On the Move holds ABELIO safety certification and we provide full insurance, 24/7 emergency support and a detailed risk assessment.
Popular winter dates fill up fast — we recommend booking 6 to 9 months ahead. Get in touch early and we'll hold provisional places while you confirm numbers.