A Ladin speaking valley in the Dolomites where five quiet villages sit beneath some of the most theatrical rock scenery in Europe. Corvara is the hub, San Cassiano and La Villa are smaller and smarter, and Colfosco and Badia are quieter again.

The skiing is easier than the scenery suggests. Wide and immaculate blue and red runs cover most of the area, and the Sellaronda circuit around the Sella massif is achievable by any competent intermediate. The route past the Lagazuoi is the other classic, and it finishes with a horse drawn tow along a flat valley floor.

Lunch is a genuine reason to plan the day here. Several kitchens on the slopes are worth reserving in advance, and the local cooking sits somewhere between Italian and Austrian without being either.

Hotels are family run, comfortable and expensive without being showy, and most include half board with food that justifies it. Evenings are quiet. The area is part of Dolomiti Superski, so a week gives you far more ground than you can cover.