Deals in the Dolomites

The Dolomite Mountains are unmistakeable, craggy peaks in funhouse shapes in the northernmost part of Italy. In winter they are a favourite place of skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts, and this area is generally less expensive than other parts of Italy or nearby Switzerland.
The Dolomites lie in South Tyrol (www.sudtirol.info,) an Austrian province that became part of Italy following World War I. Today it is a bilingual province with a lot to recommend it. There are stunning resorts like Cortina d"Ampezzo (if you've seen the original Pink Panther movie, it was set there,) quiet Alpine villages, family-oriented resorts such as Val Gardena, lively towns such as Bozen/Bolzano and Brixen/Bressanone.
Ski deals can be interesting--one week long package offers transport to a different ski area each of seven days and accommodation, starting at only 211 euros. A weekend package at Val Martello with two nights lodging and a snowshoe excursion is priced from 102 euros. Since this part of Italy is somewhat Germanic, breakfasts included with your lodging should be more filling than the usual in Italy.
It's quite a while since I visited the South Tyrol, but I spent two very pleasasnt weeks there one summer studying Italian in Bressanone and staying with a family. I also skied at Val Gardena a long time ago, and enjoyed the warm sun and friendly hospitality.
For some beautiful pictures of this part of the world, check the blogsite www.goseewrite.com.