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Foppolo Ski Resort – The Perfect European Budget Ski Resort

ByZara Aitken

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Skiing holidays are notoriously expensive, from accommodation and eating out to hiring your skiing or snowboarding equipment and paying for your daily lift pass. What’s more, popular ski resorts are often ridiculously overpriced and absolutely packed!

Enter Foppolo Ski Resort in the province of Bergamo in Northern Italy. Foppolo is a small ski resort with a quaint little town and a few shops and restaurants. It’s certainly not a Livigno or an Avoriaz, but if you want to ski on a budget, Foppolo is a great choice.

We visited Foppolo at the end of February for a budget snowboarding trip with a group of our closest friends. After visiting myself, I can say that if you’re looking for a cheap ski resort in Europe, you should definitely check this out.

A snow-covered mountain landscape in Foppolo Ski Resort with rugged peaks in the distance. The slopes have scattered trees and ski tracks visible. A winding road cuts through the valley, leading to small buildings nestled in the snow.

Overview of Foppolo Ski Resort

Perfect for budget-conscious travellers, Foppolo has everything you need to enjoy a ski trip on the cheap. Cosy Italian restaurants with huge pizzas for 10€ and beers for 3-4€, budget accommodations and cheap ski hire make this a fantastic European budget ski destination. Add to that outstanding scenery and extremely friendly people, and you have yourself a winner.

However, giving both sides of the coin is only fair so I will tell you realistically that this is not an upmarket place. Many of the apartments we looked at are quite dated and I get the feeling that there hasn’t been a lot of money invested in the resort.

A cluster of multi-story buildings with wooden balconies and sloped roofs at the base of a snow-covered mountain in Foppolo Ski Resort in Italy. Evergreen trees partially surround the buildings. The rugged mountain peaks in the background have patches of snow and scattered trees.

In addition, the resort was very quiet during the week, which is perfect if you’re a beginner as we pretty much had the slopes entirely to ourselves! And, although it was busier at the weekend, it had more of a family-friendly vibe to it. In a nutshell, this is more of an under-the-radar locals weekend resort, as opposed to a popular party destination.

Having said that, if what you’re after is a cheap snowboarding holiday and you’re not so fussed about the apres-ski and nightlife, then Foppolo would be ideal for you.

Foppolo Ski Resort area with people in winter gear near the base of a snowy slope. A large, slanted-roof building with wooden balconies stands in the center. In the foreground, there is an outdoor seating area with red chairs and tables.

Getting to Foppolo Ski Resort

Located about two hours’ drive from Milan, Foppolo is easily accessible via car. We hired a car at Milan Malpensa Airport and hired a 7-seater minivan for a very low price.

Flying into Milan is the obvious option, with both Milan Bergamo and Milan Malpensa providing easy access to the resort. However, flying into Bergamo will cut your driving time down by about one hour as it’s much closer to the mountains.

A snow-covered mountain village in Foppolo at night with a large multi-story building illuminated by warm lights. Smaller houses and trees surround the area, with streetlights casting a glow on the snow. The dark sky is dotted with stars, and rugged mountains rise in the background.
A person wearing a red and black ski jacket, helmet, and goggles stands on a snowy slope holding skis. Snow-covered mountains with jagged peaks rise in the background. The slopes are dotted with small trees and rocky outcrops.

Accommodation in Foppolo, Italy

As stated before, the infrastructure in and around Foppolo seems dated but perfectly fine for a one-week trip. We arrived at our very cosy (and cheap) Airbnb apartment at around 6 pm and headed out for dinner at one of the traditional trattorias nearby. If you’d rather opt for a hotel over self-catering, there are a few options to choose from. I recommend the following hotels and apartments:

Appartamenti Fronte Piste – This apartment boasts ski-to-door access and a garden, with free WiFi, garden views, a terrace, mountain views, a seating area, satellite flat-screen TV, a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave and a fridge, and a private bathroom.

Appartamento Foppolo – This apartment features a garden and free private parking, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen, and a balcony with mountain views.

Casa Adriana Foppolo – Spacious apartment has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a flat-screen TV with streaming services, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with mountain views.

A snowy mountain village in Foppolo, Italy, at night with lights illuminating buildings and ski slopes. A large multi-story building with balconies stands in the foreground. Snow-covered peaks and evergreen trees rise in the background under a starry sky.

The Slopes in Foppolo

Foppolo is a small resort with only a couple of blue, a handful of red and two or three black slopes. However, there is definitely enough to keep you entertained for a week.

As a beginner snowboarder, I stuck to the nursery slopes for the first day, getting the hang of falling leaf and eventually starting to link turns.

With my confidence soaring, the next day I decided to attempt the blue slopes and much to my dismay, found myself being talked into descending the other side of the mountain into Carona, the next resort. All was going well until we realised the only way back to our apartment in Foppolo was via a black slope. If you do decide to head down into Carona, this is something to be aware of.

A ski lift in Foppolo Ski Resort with empty chairs ascends over a snow-covered mountain slope. The valley below has scattered trees, ski tracks, and a small village. Snowy peaks rise in the background under a clear sky.

Food and Drink in Foppolo

We ate out for lunch every day, enjoying the amazing views from the rustic restaurant at the top of the mountain. Stopping periodically throughout the day for food and drinks, we found the restaurants and bars located at the base of the slopes were reasonably priced – approximately 5€ for a huge baguette and 10€ for a pizza.

A black-and-white image of a snow-covered mountain slope with ski tracks and a few skiers. Tall poles with cables run along the slope, marking a ski lift. Shadows from the poles and ridges stretch across the snow.
A person wearing a yellow and black ski jacket sits on the snow, looking at the snow-covered mountains. Several pairs of skis and ski poles are scattered nearby. The rugged peaks in the background rise above a valley with scattered trees.

To save some money, we decided to cook at our apartment in the evenings, rather than eating out. One important thing to note, however, is that the resort only had a couple of small shops, with only one small store selling basic supplies. So, if you’re planning to cook your food, I recommend stopping off at a supermarket on your way to Foppolo to stock up for the week.

An outdoor dining area with wooden picnic tables and benches on a deck near a ski resort. People in winter clothing are seated, eating and talking. Snow-covered mountains rise in the background behind a wooden building with large windows.

How Much Does a Trip to Foppolo Cost?

I’ve provided an approximate guide as to what this trip cost us per person to give you an idea of budgeting and expenses.

Flights: £50 each for flights from London Gatwick Airport to Milan Malpensa Airport

Seven nights accommodation: Basic apartment for 4 people for £110-£150 per night in January

Car hire (incl. pre-bought excess waiver insurance): Car hire from as little as £66 for a week

Spending money: £150-200 each, mainly for food and drinks over the seven days

Equipment hire: £80 to hire a snowboard for seven days

Ski/mountain pass per day: €40 per day for Foppolo and Carona slopes.

  • A collage of four images featuring snowy mountain landscapes, a ski lift, a skier holding equipment, and buildings at a ski resort. A blue banner in the center reads "Budget Ski Resort, Foppolo, Italy." The website "passport-for-living.com" is displayed at the bottom.
  • A collage of three images featuring a skier on a snowy slope, a ski lift over a mountain valley, and buildings at a ski resort. A blue banner in the center reads "Budget Ski Resort, Foppolo, Italy." The website "passport-for-living.com" is displayed at the top.

Zara Aitken is a UK-based travel blogger and the founder of Passport for Living. While sharing her travel stories, hiking guides and travel inspiration online since 2015, she has travelled to over 25 countries and is still counting. She's on a mission to help others travel solo on a budget, promoting adventure travel and authentic cultural experiences along the way.

One Comment

  1. I never stayed in a ski resort, but would love to do. I had this misconception, that they’re costly, but I am glad I stumbled here to find a budget one 🙂 Gorgeous photos also!!

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