Summer Holidays in the Mountains

Summer Holidays in the Mountains: What to Do

In the summer months the mountains offer a range of activities suitable for all tastes of adrenaline- from downhill to relaxing Nordic walking. Here's what you can do in the mountains during your summer holidays:

• - Downhill Biking

A cycling sport in which adrenaline is at the highest level. You reach the high altitudes using the ski lifts and then descend using the downhill slopes and routes that lead down to the valley, through woods and breathtaking landscapes. The mountain bikes used for this particular sport are equipped with special high-tech shock absorbers. Safety gear and bikes can be rented in places where this sport is practiced. La Pila and La Thuile in the Aosta Valley are the ideal destination for those who want to try this new sport, or to continue it.

• - Rafting

A very fun sport that the mountains offer in the summer- fighting the currents and steep water on an unsinkable and self-bailing inflatable raft. An expert guide at the head of the raft will guarantee safety and extreme fun!

• - Mountain Biking

For those who want to enjoy the mountains in summer and love dirt tracks- both uphill and downhill.

• - Nordic Walking

It is a walk using specially designed walking poles that make the activity more beneficial and productive than normal walking. Nordic walking is suitable for all ages.

• - Climbing

Climbing is the sport beyond comparison in the mountains- it should be tried at least once in a lifetime! Those who practice this sport will be in direct contact with nature and will involve all efforts in a single goal- to reach the summit. It requires great physical effort and good athletic preparation. The ascent to the Matterhorn is not an easy task, but certainly a rewarding and supreme one. It must be carefully prepared and performed exclusively with mountain guides.
 

• - Trekking

A sport suitable for everyone, as walking has always been practiced during the summer holidays in the mountains. It allows you to spend a day immersed in nature, to discover the flora and fauna, and search for places to taste some typical Fontina dishes ...or just for the adventure!

• - Summer Skiing

For those who cannot give up dreaming of the snow even in summer and want to enjoy the slopes during the summer holidays- all they have to do is prepare their skis and boots and enjoy the 26 km of slopes that the Plateau Rosa has to offer!

Summer Holidays in the Mountains: Where to Go

The amount of places to spend the summer holidays in the mountains is truly varied. More and more people are choosing to spend their summer holidays away from the chaos of the seaside resorts, and to take advantage of the tranquility and fresh air that only the mountains can provide.

Valle d'Aosta offers many destinations that differ according to the type of holiday you want to experience...

• - Courmayeur

With its typical houses, the long pedestrian boulevard full of shops, and its splendid position beneath Mont Blanc, it is the ideal destination for those who want to relax and enjoy the “earthly” life that this town offers. The Skyway cable car is a must for those who choose this destination. The cable car reaches about 3,500 meters above sea level and from the terrace you can enjoy a 360° panorama of the Alps. From here you can also eye the nearby French peaks.

• - Valtournenche / Breuil - Cervinia

 
This ski area is an internationally renowned holiday resort. The lifts connected to those of nearby Zermatt (Switzerland) create a single ski area where it is possible to practice summer skiing. The area offers a wide range of activities: from trekking to climbing, downhill to horse riding, and from roller skating to adventure parks.

The surrounding nature offers pastures and forests rich in vegetation, streams, alpine lakes and waterfalls. Valtournenche with its ancient charm and typical dwellings will bring pleasant surprises in its alleys or in the small and splendid piazzas.

• - La Thuile

A Well-known destination and starting point for numerous excursions and activities. The high altitude itineraries start here to reach the glaciers at over 4,000 meters. The excursion to Lake Verney is one of the most appealing- you can admire the crystal clear waters that will mirror the surrounding mountains in a triumph of colors that we are rarely used to seeing.

La Thuile offers about 220 km of mountain and downhill biking.

Summer Holidays in the Mountains with Children

Summer holidays in the mountains with children are a great way to bring children closer to nature. It lets them discover a flora and fauna that they have probably never seen before, and to have experiences that only the mountains in summer can offer!

• - Adventure Parks

They represent one of the most fun places for both the young and the old. They are a sort of amusement park that does not use technology, but only what the mountain can offer in the summer. Obstacles made of stones and logs, ropes to jump from tree to tree, suspended bridges several meters high to be crossed fearlessly. The adventure parks offer routes of varying difficulty suitable for all skill levels.

• - Visits to Farms and Mountain Cottages

Visits to these places will allow children to discover how cheese or butter is made, see bees at work for the production of honey, how sheep are shorn, and how wool is worked. These and many other activities will spark curiosity and the amazement of our little ones, leaving them with unforgettable memories.

• - Adventure Trails or Educational Trails

Along the paths there are thematic routes which thanks to interactive panels, guide families to discover the mountains. Often the thematic path focuses on the discovery of the animals that inhabit the place, on the origin of wood sculptures or on the life of the elves in the woods...all themes that stimulate the imagination and senses of children.

• - Cycling Routes for Families

These are very simple cycle paths that allow you to visit the area without major difficulties. Along the route, there are refreshment points with benches and tables to rest along the trail.

What to Wear in the Mountains in Summer

The mountains in summer are the ideal destination for relaxing or adventurous holidays, but you need to be equipped to deal with the extremely varying climate that comes with the territory.

The perfect suitcase does not include many clothes, but few and technical ones. You must always bring a rain jacket to avoid being caught unprepared in sudden summer rains, a light scarf, and a hat to help with the inevitable coolness that comes when the sun goes down. Holidays in the mountains in summer are often synonymous with long walks, so wearing hiking shoes and anti-blister socks are a must for enjoying your holiday to the fullest.

The sun in the mountains is very strong- high protection sunscreen, moisturizer, after-sun and lip balm will come in handy.

A T-shirt with a long-sleeved cotton jumper, shorts with cargo pants, a few wool sweaters for the evening, and a heavier jacket for sudden drops in temperature are highly recommended.

Plan your summer holiday in the mountains!