What makes Tarvisio the all-round perfect ski resort for schools?

Last updated: Feb 8th, 2019


Well, in a nutshell it’s great value, compact and safe, has friendly instructors and locals, and in my opinion, some of the best après ski activities of all our school ski resorts!
Tarvisio is one of the smaller resorts we offer, but I always tell teachers not to let that put them off because it has so much to offer. There’s just over 35km of piste, which to some might not seem a lot, but it’s quality over quantity I say! If you’ve got a high number of beginner to intermediate skiers, it doesn’t get much better than Tarvisio, with 75% of the pistes geared up for beginners and intermediates.

Don’t let that worry those intermediate to advanced skiers among you though. Many of the instructors have worked on this part of the mountain for 20-30 years, so they know how to challenge even the most experienced skiers – off piste skiing, glade skiing and techniques to cope with different skiing conditions, such as power days, which make every day exciting. If they’re still captivated and challenged after such a long time, then I’m sure there’s more than enough for our week-long trips.

Last February, we organised a ski trip for 52 staff and students from St Joseph’s Catholic Comprehensive School to Tarvisio. They had one group of advanced skiers and the rest of the group were beginners, some of whom had never been skiing before. In their post-tour questionnaire they rated the trip as 5 out of 5, calling it:

“An unforgettable experience that will stay with both students and staff for years to come.”

They went on to say:

“The real highlight of the trip was the skiing competition [set up by the amazing instructors] on the last day that allowed all students to demonstrate and be proud of the skills they had learned in such a short time.”

When you’re not on the slopes, you want some exciting and varied après ski activities to keep your students entertained, and Tarvisio has plenty. There are the usual favourites such as sledging, ice skating and disco, movie and quiz nights, but there are a number of other après options that set it apart from many of our other Italian resorts.

Just 20 minutes away, across the Austrian border, is the thermal spa. Enjoy some R&R in the indoor and outdoor thermal pools or burn off any remaining energy on the water slides – something for everyone. The last school group I took to the spa couldn’t believe their luck, “surely they don’t let a group of school children into this spa, it looks too nice?”. Well, we do like to go above and beyond at Rayburn Tours.

One of my favourite après activities has to be the trip up to the top of the mountain, where you’ll find a small village called Lissori with a beautiful church, a few boutique shops and a cafe. Take the gondola ride up to the top or let your more competent members ski there. Sit back with a glorious hot chocolate and admire some of the most spectacular views across the mountains and down into the resort. Then take the gondola back down to Tarvisio or ski the World Cup runs back – either way, you’ll be sad to leave this gorgeous little village.

We know that accommodation is another important factor for a school ski trip and every group has their specific requirements. Walkable to the ski school meeting point? In the centre of the resort? Sole occupancy? Piste-side accommodation? We’ve got it all covered in Tarvisio.

On our most recent trip just last month, we met with all the hoteliers to ensure that they were all set up for our groups coming in February Half Term and Easter. Having worked with many of these hotels for years, they’re well versed in the expectations we have for our groups and do everything they can to ensure you have a great stay. There’s one thing for sure, they’re all really friendly and helpful, so if you want some local knowledge then the hotel staff are a good place to start.

Small and safe resort – tick. Great ski school – tick. Varied and exciting après ski activities – tick. Great value for money – with prices coming in about £880 at half term, we’d say that’s a big tick. Is Tarvisio the perfect resort for a school ski trip? It depends on what you’re looking for, but I definitely believe it offers the all-round package and great value for money. It certainly gets my vote!

Gemma Howell, Senior Tour Consultant