On the map, the distance separating Milan's Linate airport from the Alpine resort of Livigno seems only a short snooze away, but in reality it turns out to be four hours in a coach. Nevertheless, I arrived at the Hotel Europa - an adequate three-star - and made straight for the shops. For as well as being blessed with some of the most reliable snow in the Alps, Livigno has been a tax-free haven since 1600. The region used to be nicknamed Piccolo Tibet - Little Tibet - due to its remote, lofty position, but that was before 1964, when the Munt La Schera tunnel opened the resort up to thousands of tourists from northern Europe.
Made up of four hamlets strung out over 12km (San Antonio, Santa Maria, San Rocco and Trepalle), Livigno has more than 200 stores dedicated to knocking out cheap consumer durables to bargain-hungry holidaymakers.
Price per drink, the British standard unit of holiday satisfaction, is also refreshingly low. To meet demand, the supermarkets give over half of their floorspace to booze, and it's in the shops around Via Fontana, such as Supermarket Calanda, that the best prices can be found. Quality vodka such as Smirnoff Black Label retails at £4.50 (around £28 in the UK) and the single malts, VSOP cognacs and liqueurs are approximately a third of British prices. And, unlike other parts of Europe where, despite the availability of relatively cheap "off sales", drinking at the bar is cripplingly expensive, the bars, clubs and restaurants of Livigno are awash with budget booze.
At Mario's (Via Rin, 84), the host welcomed me to his bustling restaurant with a complimentary glass of bubbly, and sent me on my way with a couple of generous measures of grappa some hours later. The local restaurants offer solid, local, meat-based fare, and although there are no gourmet eateries in the town, there are thankfully few rafia-wrapped- chianti-bottle-type establishments either. I took advantage of the Italian custom of fitting four courses into one meal and ate and drank well for around £13 a night. Typical Livigno dishes include: pizzoccheri (buckwheat noodles with magnuca cheese and potatoes) and sciatt (polenta filled with the local bitto cheese and soaked in grappa).
Beyond the shops, bars and restaurants, Livigno has more than 30 lifts and 110km of piste that can be enjoyed by the majority of recreational skiers. There are two main skiing areas on either side of the town. For beginners (and rusty intermediates), the side closer to the Swiss section of the Alps - nearest the Bernina range - provides shorter pistes with wide runs that feature just enough steep sections to keep things interesting. First-timers can build their confidence and skills here, before taking the chairlift to Costaccia, which, at 2,368m, provides more of a challenge. Alternatively, you can continue on up and make the short traverse to Vetta Blesaccia (2,796m)
The west-facing side of the valley, Mottolino, has a couple of very pleasant baby lifts at the foot of the mountain, and some fast but manageable runs leading from the very busy bar/restaurant situated behind gondola station at the summit. Heading off to the right of the gondolas, the two wide open intermediate pistes - Monte della Neve, back to Teola, and Monte Sponda - offer enough of a challenge to keep average boarders and skiers happy for a week.
Advanced skiers might find the resort frustrating. The two most difficult runs seem to have been awarded black status purely to encourage tourism and there is little scope for off-piste jaunts.
However, Livigno, as the Alpine telemark capital, does offer excellent opportunities for ski touring. Using Il Mottolino as a base, it's possible, given the weather, to ski all the way to Bormio, taking in some of the most rugged and beautiful mountain terrain that the Alps has to offer.
Judged solely on the skiing, Livigno would not be able to compete with the nearby resorts of Bormio-Santa Caterina. But with the tax free shopping and the cheap drinking thrown in, it becomes an attractive option for beginners and intermediates.
Getting there: BMI British Midland (0870 6070555, flybmi.com) flies Heathrow-Milan from £127.10 return.
Where to stay: Rocket Ski (01273 262626, rocketski.com) has a week's half-board at Hotel Europa (+324 996 278, europalivigno.it) from £439pp including Gatwick flights and transfers.
Further information: Livigno tourist information office, Via dala Gesa 65, I-23030 Livigno (+342 996379, aptlivigno.it), livigno.com/en. Country code: 0039. Flight time London-Milan: 1hrs. Time difference: +1hr. £1 = 1.39 euros.
