More laid back than their French, Swiss and Austrian counterparts, the Italian Alps offer a diversity of landscapes, terrain and apres-ski options as they stretch from the Dolomites, Trentino and Alto Adige in the northeast, across the very top of the boot past Lake Como, Milan and Bergamo, to Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta on the far Western border with France.

The Aosta Valley or Valle d’Aosta as it is known locally, is a year-round destination with iconic snow-capped peaks for ski enthusiasts, scenic hiking trails to explore in the summer months (my favourite time to hike is October-November when they glow gold with autumn foliage) and picturesque resort towns and medieval villages. Aosta’s powder-coated peaks include Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso, and the best bases are the major ski resorts of glitzy Courmayeur with its chic bars and boutiques and Cervinia, not as pretty but Italy’s most snow-sure ski resort. The cuisine in this part of the Italian alps is suitably hearty to follow a day tearing up the slopes or hiking trails – think carbonada, a rich beef and onion stew served with polenta, and local Fontina cheese, which is served in all forms from fondue (fonduta Valdostana) to cheesy polenta, in a soup made with cabbage and stale rye bread, and simply sandwiched in a panini with cured meat.

Piedmont is the western region of Italy bordering France and Switzerland, but you may know it better as the home of Nutella, Lavazza and Fiat. The region’s capital is Turin, Italy’s first capital and most underrated city. It’s a well-preserved bastion of art, architecture, design, dining and (most importantly) aperitivo culture. Piedmont also includes the big-hitting wine regions of Barolo and Asti, and the Baroque town of Alba, famous for its truffles – proffered in everything from pizza to pasta. Hazelnuts are another regional specialty, try them in unbelievably silky gelato, biscotti (biscuits) and local artisan choc-hazelnut spreads. The appeal for ski bunnies is also strong, Turin hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 2006, and is only a 2-hour drive from the popular ski resort of Courmayeur in Valle d’Aosta. For armchair skiers, the charming cobblestoned towns of Bra – where the global slow food movement began – and Saluzzo have views of the distinctive Monte Viso peak, which you may recognise as the Paramount Pictures logo.

The Dolomite mountain range in northeastern Italy jut into the sky amid a sea of green valleys and curving rivers, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The jaw-dropping peaks of this 280-million-year-old mountain range beckon skiers, hikers, BASE jumpers, cyclists, paragliders and all sorts of adrenaline junkies. The Dolomites lie between the towns of Belluno, South Tyrol and Trentino, where you’ll find plenty to keep you busy off the mountain. Belluno is a cheese mecca and must-try are Montasio, an aromatic cow’s milk mountain cheese, and Malga Bellunese, a partially raw cow’s milk cheese traditionally made by shepherd’s in their summer huts (malga) on the mountain pastures. Foradori winery at Trentino offers complex natural and organic wines that highlight the region’s forgotten grapes and unique terroir. Their Sgarzon Teroldego is a standout red that imparts the intense sunshine and limestone earth of the high-altitude vineyard. Prove that you can walk on water when you visit in winter and shoe-skate over the glassy surface of frozen Misurina Lake.

While Lombardy’s Lake Como, achingly stylish Milan and fairytale Bergamo with it’s citta alta (the gated historic ‘high city’) may be star attractions, the village of Madesimo, which lies on the Swiss-Italian border, is the spot for a weekend ski getaway. Just 2.5-hours’ drive from Milan and Bergamo, it’s popular with local families, but also boasts one of Europe’s top 10 ski runs, the ungroomed Canalone, which descends an eye-opening 1000m. Make sure you try the braised local boar stew (ragu cinghiale) served with pappardelle or gnocchi, and Franciacorta, a local alternative to prosecco made in the traditional methode champenoise in Brescia.