Livigno, part of the province of Sondrio in Lombardy, is located 1,816 metres above sea level. The river running along the entire basin where Livigno is situated is called Spöl (or Aqua Granda), and crosses the Swiss National Park, running into the Inn near Zernez in Switzerland. Trepalle, also a part of the town, is regarded as Europe's highest inhabited parish.
Once a traditional settlement, Livigno had its old village completely destroyed in the 1960s by the construction of a reservoir, the Lago di Livigno. The Livigno Valley is about 25 kilometres long and runs from Bernina to Stelvio, and from Passo della Forcola (2,315 m) to Valico del Gallo (1,690 m) to the north-west, in the core of the Rätische Alps. The town, though largely isolated, can be reached from Zurich (202 km), Milan (220 km), Bolzano (130 km), Innsbruck (185 km) or Sondrio (95 km). Currently, the site is mainly a ski and tourist destination, although it has been reviving its rustic past.
The ski season normally lasts from late November until early May here, and there are six areas, allowing you to bathe in sunshine even on the shortest days of the year. The resort’s 31 lifts have a capacity of 47,060 people per hour, and the site also boasts four gondolas, 14 chairlifts and 13 button lifts. Apart from Alpine skiing, the area offers ample opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowboarding and ski trekking. Off the snow, visitors might want to try the local snowshoeing options, as well as the resort’s ice climbing, ice driving, horseback riding, sleddog (husky dog drawn sleds), ice skating and winter Nordic walking.
Livigno’s scenic houses are framed by a breathtaking panorama of valleys and high-peaked mountains, allowing for diversified off-snow activities such as hiking, climbing, trekking and more. Visitors can also play badminton, billiards, try bowls, bowling and mini-soccer. Moreover, the resort is well-equipped with gyms and wellness centres, as well as with a kindergarten. The sports scene is normally centered on the volleyball and basketball courts, but Livigno also has some decent paragliding options, a swimming pool and a chess club. Apart from that, the town retains its heritage, with St. Mary's Parish Church, a late 19th-Century edifice erected on the site of an earlier structure. Other relevant buildings include the Caravaggio Church, with interesting ex voto paintings, and the early 16th-Century Saint Rocco Church, built to protect the village against plague.