 Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks to everyone for the replies to my Dolomites for Xmas thread, especially Roy Hockley! We got so enthusiastic about the trip that we extended to a 10night stay in March and are heading off to Selva and then moving onto Romania to see the inlaws for a week.
So now I just have to sort out Christmas and am trying to choose between Livigno and Cervinia and are trying to balance a tight budget with a decent sized snow-'sure' ski area. We reckon they are both on a par with snow and (long) transfers but are confused:
Cervinia:
Pros: V. big, chance to ski in Zermatt.
Cons: It's more expensive to stay in than Livigno. IS ski hire, eating out etc. expensive too? Would you get over to Zermatt at Xmas-time?
Livigno:
Pros: Cheap (but is it really as cheap as you hear). Can go to Bormio (but how- is there a ski bus?)
Cons: Not as big. No easy two-country thing.
BTW we ruled out Andorra (Soldeu) as we figured snow might be iffy at Christmas.
Has anyone any advice to offer us?
Thanks
Rebecca
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What sort of skiers are you again?
MissRibena, Is Ribena like Marmite (love or hate). I love Ribena. Reminds me of South Queensferry.
I don't know Livigno. We've been to Cervinia a couple of times. I think it's a nice enough Italian alpine town (not village) but I find the Cervinia lift served skiing a bit dull. It helps a lot if you have a helicopter. The Zermatt side looks a lot better, is clearly prettier but I haven't skiied it a great deal.
I think you'd find a lot more "soul" in Cervinia than Livigno however...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi Rebecca, when we went to Livigno (a good few years ago ) There was a bus to Bormio and San Caterina, as well as a weekly trip to St. Moritz.
Livigno is duty free so goods bought there tend to be cheaper, although bar and meal prices didnt seem to reflect this.
Cant comment on Cervinia as havent been as yet. no doubt others will be along later with more info 
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MissRibena, I think there are a big group of Snowheads going to Zermatt, not for the first time, who should be able to advise of potential conditions at Christmas. I went to Zermatt in mid January this year and there was loads of snow on both sides. Cervinia village is high with skiing up to nearly 4000m on the Zermatt side so you ought to be as safe there as anywhere I would have thought. Link to Zermatt is prone to closure through bad weather though, I think 3 days in the week I was there.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Murdoch, Re our skiing ability: I seem to have turned from scared-but-technically-ok to ski-any-red over the last season. MrRibena will ski anything (blacks, off-pistes, speed etc) but doesn't seem to be too bored sticking with me, so I suppose it is still my ability that dictates the resort unfortunately. Glad you like Ribena!
Thanks for the info everyone. My heart wants Cervinia but I think my head (pocket) might win out with Livigno. Day trip to St Moritz might cheer us up
Rebecca
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Have you considerd staying in Bormio? It's a delightful medieval town with some nice hotels and slopes. And with trips to two other delightful smaller resorts very close by, we are talking 15-20 minutes max.....S Caterina is areal treat but not enough hill for a stay. It is also cheaps as chips in and around the bars and restaurants but still has that Italian quality too!!!
We visited Livigno for the day while at Bormio and although it is difficult to rate a resort in one day, it did not "grab" me as a place i would return to.
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I've skied and enjoyed both. My preference would be for Cervinia, because of the Zermatt link, but I'd still be happy to go back to Livigno.
Cervinia is quite expensive by Italian standards, whereas Livigno is very good value for money, and the day trip to St Moritz is well worth it (I've done it on two of the three occasions I've been to Livigno.
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They both suck.
But if you must go, choose Cervinia. Then you can go to Zermatt every day.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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MissRibena, I really wish you would change your user name to Miss Ribena Light!! In fact, anytime I have to reply to one of your postings, I am only ever going to address you as Miss Ribena Light - is that ok? (I think its got a better ring to it!!) 
BTW - only ever skied Cervinia and I thought it was quite good.
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What didn't you like about each?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cervinia, it has the added advantage of being far enough away from St. Moritz A better area and town as well.
Cervinia has a shorter transfer, but would be a tad dearer than Livigno. I may not be the best person to give advice on Livigno as to both MrsRH and myself met in Cervinia and we both do not think that Livigno is a good place, that said I think it is the number one resort with Irish TO's, thank God they haven't found the good ones yet!!!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| jonm wrote: |
What didn't you like about each? |
Livigno is downmarket.
Cervinia has rusty lifts and flat pistes.
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Thanks everyone. Hmmm... Cervinia is back up in the poll. What's wrong with St. Moritz?
Whitegold or anyone else, How does Zermatt itself compare (for e.g. ski hire, eating out)? I found a half-middling quote for a stay in Zermatt but am scared of Swiss pricing in resort.
If I had to change to MissRibenaLight, I'd have to be MissRibenaToothKind - bit of a (toothy) mouthful!
Rebecca
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You know it makes sense.
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Can't really comment on Zermatt resort prices as I've never stayed there, but I would recommend booking ski hire on-line with Skiset, Intersport, etc. It will certainly save you a Franc or two.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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MissRibena, Zermatt is fairly expensive for eating out, although it ranges from McDonalds to very up market restaurants. Wine is more expensive than France but beer is probably about the same or perhaps a little cheaper. The Swiss Franc is strong against the £ as well as the Euro which doesn't help (but if you are from Southern Ireland it shouldn't effect you so much). The lift pass for Zermatt/Cervinia is expensive but then it is a big area. I didn't hire skis so don't know the price. Zermatt is a great place though, I'm back there next half term. Try http://www.zermatt.ch/index.e.html for information on prices, etc.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hmm ... nowhere is really shining out (I've just finished reading the mixed feelings on Zermatt thread) - maybe Cervinia is just about nudging ahead.
I really don't know where to go. We are want somewhere cheap but not grim and not at the expense of dodgy snow conditions. Is there anywhere we are missing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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MissRibena,
Not been to the others but Cervinia has its good points. High village (2000m ) but mostly sunny south-ish type runs which the sun doesn't help if snow is not in abundance.
Pistes are fast cruisey motorways and go pretty high, upto 3400m. If the snow is good just ski straight down under the lifts as the Italians will not be the 1st to venture there and it is a great playground for the week. If the snow is bad, then you will be confined to the fast hard-packed pistes but presumably most of teh region will have the same sort of issue.
If you want to play in helicopters there are a few good days out, the most popular being the Monterosa tour. It will not be too hard a day from Cervinia...and should take 4-5 hours.
If you take the trip over to Zermatt allow plenty of time and make sure you time the last lift up and out of the Swiss valley with time to spare. The drags are very long and the Klein M CC can be very busy, IME
Cervinia can be confidence inspiring and in good snow a great introduction to off piste.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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MissRibena, What is wrong with St. Moritz, nothing at all if you speak Russian and carry a side arm! Also can be skiing with those from many countries that are up their own @rses! It is beautiful when you are on the mountain looking down the valley but the town itself is not particularly beautiful especially against downtown Zermatt.
You can get good accomodation in Zermatt at a good price if you know where to look. Lift pass is expensive, food (as Colin B, said), Ski hire about the same price as the French resorts, but and it is a big but is that if you are staying in Zermatt itself its not that convenient for getting on the slopes. Stunning views, that you dont get in Cervinia, you have to go over the border to get that iconic view of the Matterhorn!
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Thanks again everyone. I've just booked Cervinia - another ski trip dillema solved by snowheads and an end to my resort questions for a while
Fingers crossed, we'll get a look into Zermatt and I'll feel I killed 2 birds with one stone.
Rebecca
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Whitegold,
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Cervinia has rusty lifts and flat pistes.
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That's not how I remember it. When were you last there?
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| MissRibena wrote: |
Thanks everyone. Hmmm... Cervinia is back up in the poll. What's wrong with St. Moritz?
Whitegold or anyone else, How does Zermatt itself compare (for e.g. ski hire, eating out)? I found a half-middling quote for a stay in Zermatt but am scared of Swiss pricing in resort.
If I had to change to MissRibenaLight, I'd have to be MissRibenaToothKind - bit of a (toothy) mouthful!
Rebecca |
MissRibena, Zermatt is one of the top 5 resorts in the world.
Cervinia barely makes the top 100.
I would cancel Cervinia and book Zermatt.
Try Zermatt.ch for accommodation.
St Moritz is the best allround resort in the world. No other station can match its unique atmosphere.
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| jonm wrote: |
Whitegold,
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Cervinia has rusty lifts and flat pistes.
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That's not how I remember it. When were you last there? |
About 27 months ago.
The slopes suck and the lifts are gash.
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Whitegold, pray to god you never visit La Rosiere 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks Whitegold - maybe our daytrips (fingers crossed) to Zermatt will persuade us of your POV but in the meantime, we'll stick to our guns on budget. It means we'll get another 10 or 13 days later in the season which is what just about keeps us sane(ish).
Rebecca
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MissRibena what hotel are you staying in, i,m booked to go next january. hopefully you can give me some usefull up to date info on the resort when you get back.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rizzotherock, we are staying in the Hotel Meynet (very cheap and hopefully a bit cheerful!). Will definitely let you know the score when we get back.
Rebecca[/b]
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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MissRibena, leave early in the morning and you can spend practically the whole day in Zermatt and ski all the way to the other side of the valley and back. Watch out for the return lifts - make sure what's included on your Cervinia-bought pass, you don't want to pay 2x44 SFR getting a cable car like we did.
You might find the skiing in Cervinia fine as there are a lot of motorway reds, but MrRibena is likely to need a few doses of Zermatt.
The 5-minute walk back to the Cervinia side through the tunnel at 4000 m (or was it higher?) is likely to make you dizzy, so rest for five minutes before you start descending the 2000 m of vertical, and ideally have something to eat with you.
There's another way back which involves a very long draglift - the good thing is that will work in pretty much all weather, so you're almost guaranteed to be able to return to your hotel.
And the transfer to Cervinia is VERY short if you fly (Ryanair) to Turin!
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I see you have booked so you can't change now but I have been to both places although was a beginner when I went to Livigno. If Zermatt wasn't there I think I would be swayed towards Livigno. The problem with getting to Zermatt is not the snow but the wind. I was there the first week in March a few years ago and the windchill was down to -40C, it was very very cold as it's very high with no shelter on the mountain. There were a few days that nearly all the lifts were shut because of the wind. I am not sure is this a regular or irregular occurence. I preferred the runs and atmosphere over in Zermatt much more and as it was sheltered from the wind it was like a different climate and much better snow as all the snow had been blown off the Cervinia side. Although in Zermatt as a daytripper we only had time to ski the Klein Matterhorn mountain I think there are more on mountain links now that may open up more mountains for day trips as you could only get the train previously.
Cervinia resort did not have much charm and there are alot of steps to walk up to get to the first gondola! Livigno has a very good snow park and that combined with the better nightlife would swing it for me. But neither of them are the Dolomites! However since you have booked my opinion is pointless! I think you'll have a great time in Cervinia, but try and get over to Zermatt as much as possible.
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You know it makes sense.
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there are alot of steps to walk up to get to the first gondola
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I believe there's a new chair now up to Plan Maison so you can avoid that.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'd personally go to Cervinia, because apparently the skiing in Livigno is rather boring.
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Poster: A snowHead
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MissRibena, will be especially interested in your thoughts on hotel meynet, thats where we,re staying. sounds cheap and cheerful but by doing this i should be able to afford a second trip as well. do enjoy!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Christopher, Cervinia has that complain too, a lot of motorway skiing. That said skiing wise it is twice as good as Livigno, very boring and a long, long, long road with buildings either side of it which is Livigno itself. Probably my least favoured resort!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| MissRibena wrote: |
rizzotherock, we are staying in the Hotel Meynet (very cheap and hopefully a bit cheerful!). Will definitely let you know the score when we get back.
Rebecca[/b] |
was it any good then?
been to cervina twice before last time in 2005
and staying for the 1st time in the meynet in feb 2009
cant wait, well only 5 weeks to go!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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horizon, you were spot on with you tip about the tunnel at the top of the glacier - thanks!
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MissRibena, nice little review there, cheers
Any idea what a pint of beer cost?
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MissRibena, nice report.... This is my favourite bit.
There were zero queues for our entire holiday (except when we visited Zermatt),
Queues suck!
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MissRibena,
Stayed in the Meynet 2 years ago - for a budget hotel it is actually very nice. Short walk to the chairlift, good breakfast and friendly staff (all from the same family). Rooms on the small side, but comfortable and warm.
FRee nibbles with drinks in the Cafe Whymper underneath, and the cheapest drinks we found in town (although not cheap!)
If you are looking for a HB option, the restaurant underneath is run by the hotel and offers a very good price for HB. One of the most popular 'proper' restaurants in Cervina, full most nights we were there.
Enjoy - I would go back there.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
There were zero queues for our entire holiday (except when we visited Zermatt),
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Don't tell the skiers who think French mega resorts are the best thing since slice bread.
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Hi, I've been to all 3 resorts so hope this helps.....
Cervinia - Def a village not a town, great apres ski lovely restaurants, plenty of snow, nightmare trek across town to get back up the mountain, v old lifts, weather unpredictable hence it's name...wind can be vicious when it comes!
Livigno - A must for Xmas(locals have a parade with farm animals & even santa on his sleigh), def a town not a village, great ski, apres ski, restaurants not too expensive, loads of snow, new gondola is great, plenty of pistes & off piste to explore, not too busy so no queue's!
Soldeu - V short on snow, v cheap, v quiet, def a no no Dec/Jan time!
Happy to answer any Q's re the above 
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FAQ
