Fantastic to see such a great feature on The Dolomites in the Winter Sports edition of National Geographic Traveller. The region has always been a favourite of mine and with so many exciting hotels, restaurants and ski routes, it continues to be a top destination for ski holidays – Merrion Charles

Incredible food, laid-back resorts, superb snow and reasonable rates — all against the backdrop of mountains so majestic that UNESCO gave the landscape World Heritage status. If one ski region has it all, it’s the Dolomites .

“The world’s largest linked ski area, Dolomiti Superski’s whopping 760 miles of pistes are wide, perfectly groomed and generally gentle: a place to feel good about your prowess. And they look good, too, especially in the golden hour before sunset, when the mountains flush a rosy pink — towers, needles, fangs and witches’ hats, the work of friable dolomite rock, which erodes into a living sculpture. Quality and value reign, here: a superb fusion of Italian and Austrian food, cooked at family-run inns and Michelin-starred restaurants, is the norm. The Dolomites’ ski scene sprang from old farming settlements that catered to early tourists — you won’t find purpose-built resorts with piste-side chalets — so in some places there’s a quick shuttle ride to the ski lifts. That said, hotels are constantly recreating themselves, and the standard is high. And with a slew of exciting new openings, there’s never been a better time to hit these pretty pistes. ”