The Posta, a landmark on a prize corner of the Corso, dates back two centuries. My snow diva had staged a stylish reminder of what Italians never forget: skiing is romantic opera, a drama of victory and seduction. Hey, skiing was all downhill β ever since the Norse Frost Giant invented winter, and the ski-goddess Skadi shacked up with the ski-god Ullr, who gave birth to snow and mountains β until the Italians invented amore and Jacuzzis. Think sensuality with a side of skiing, and though the Euro has hit a high versus the dollar, consider the epic highs it buys.
Cortina, a mere hundred miles north of Venice, nestles at 4, feet in the Dolomite range. These 11,foot peaks of multi-hued rock spires rose from the coral beds of a primordial sea. And while experts can attain the outermost reaches and extremes of this ski space, lesser ski jocks will find themselves cruising more manageable dream slopes than anywhere else in Europe.
This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being held in Cortina in Courmayeur photo: Courmayeur Tourism. Between the tease and the terrain, an Italian ski fling can indeed become a loving lifelong affair. Mine began a few years back in Courmayeur, a coveted hideaway ski village perched at over 9, ft. Churchs, monuments, and castles dating from the Roman era dot the valley, crowned by the awesome, famed peaks of Mont Blanc 15, ft.
For the discerning, great digs come in small packages, and none better in Courmayeur for furthering intrigues at a fair price than the family-run chalet Auberge de la Maison. The European cognoscenti lodge there for the 33 elegant Alpine bedrooms, each with balcony and panoramic views of Mont Blanc. The topper is the sublime Franco-Italian fare, convivial service, a small spa and cozy 17th Century alpine salon with bar and roaring hearth.
The Romans revered the Terme. The current spa building and connecting indoor-outdoor complex of pools, built in , were a favorite retreat of the Italian Royal Family during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century and are today a top draw in the Valley.
