If you’re looking for “small is beautiful”, then the Altopiano is the place to go. We succumbed to the much-vaunted Italian charm and discovered a slice of Italian heaven along the way.

Tearing up the slopes seems the ideal outlet for the rampant machismo of the testosterone-charged Italian male and the slopes of the Dolomiti the perfect stage for strutting signorinas, casually balancing their Rossignols on their shoulders and swigging grappa with abandon.

It’s strange then that Italy is generally perceived as an also-ran in the ‘glam piste’ stakes. If you’re one of the Fergies of this world, it’s Aspen or Gstaad. If you’re an occasional skier with an occasional budget to match, it’s off to Andorra or the Czech Republic. As a result, Italy is seldom featured on any list of choice ski spots for foreign travellers.

Courmayeur, probably Italy’s best-known and equipped resort, certainly rivals Chamonix for chic but as a result, it is also only really for the slightly better-heeled traveller.

An alternative is the sadly underrated Altopiano di Asiago and its seven communities, rather disparagingly referred to in one travel guide as the ‘cow towns’. A mountain getaway for the northern Italians, this little-known hideaway combines ‘day-glo’ ski glamour with small-town charm.

One gets the feeling from the congenial inhabitants that when the cash registers have stopped ringing and the blinds are drawn on the fevered throng of holidaymakers, they secretly revel in their return to ‘la dolce vita’ — strolls along the Corso and a quiet espresso to round off the afternoon.

The collection of resort villages offer something more real, traditional and homely than is usually served up in plastic package tours. While never underplaying the crucial importance of tourism to the area’s survival, it harbours a self-conscious pride in its traditions — where craftwork survives; ‘grappa’ (Italian ‘jet fuel’ par excellence) and liqueurs are distilled with mountain herbs and Asiago cheese and honey are sold in tourist traps like Venice.

Perfectly positioned within easy commuting distance of the great northern Italian cities of Venice and Verona, it can also claim the highest observatory in Europe and the unusual distinction of possessing one of the oldest known dialects in the world.

The Asiago plateau rises in the lee of the Po Valley in the Province of Vicenza, between the Astico and Brenta Rivers. At 1000m above sea level, it is positioned imposingly in a large undulating valley — a fact brought home rather rudely when you traverse its 11 bends up the mountain from the plains.

Surrounded by its sister communities of Roana, Rotzo, Luisiana, Conco, Gallio, Foza and Enego, Asiago is protected by a chain of mountains 2341 metres high that act as a barrier against the cold northern winds.

The centre of the historical northern Italian mountain communities, Asiago (population 6000, expanding more than fourfold during the ski season) was, rather incongruously, awarded ‘City’ status in recognition of its crucial strategical role in World War I.

With its proximity to the old Austrian border, the area was the site of one of the bloodiest fronts in the Great War. The gargantuan war memorial, which houses the remains of more than 50,000 war dead and seems strangely out of place in this picturesque ‘City’, eerily watches over the town’s inhabitants.

Steeped in tradition it may be, but Asiago has steered clear of that small-town mentality trap when it comes to its most lucrative attraction — oceans of gleaming white snow luring beginners, frequent skiers and even athletes of international standing.

In 1996, Asiago and Gallio hosted the Junior Nordic Ski World Championships for the second time and Asiago is a candidate to host the cross-country skiing discipline in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Asiago and its sister communities offer 22 downhill ski areas and a generous 500 kilometres of cross-country tracks, giving them the unofficial title of cross-country ski capital of northern Italy.

If the thought of punishing those thighs for a ski experience is not your idea of holiday heaven, then head for the gentle undulations of the nursery slopes or trade in one of your lives for death-defying stunts on the black runs.

While the individual ski areas may not offer the slickly-run operations of the more commercialised resorts, the essentials are adequately provided — the ubiquitous drag and T-bar lifts which can instill the fear of God into any beginner, an army of ski instructors and ski-lift operators on hand to advise or pick up the pieces, a choice of terrain suiting all levels from safe players to death-wishers and the requisite glut of “Oh-it's-great-to-be-alive” views of the Dolomites’ jagged, Gothic peaks.

The unpredictability of the winter weather is one of the few downsides to the area and the lower slopes closest to Asiago, generally considered the best for beginners, can shut down when the snowfall is insufficient.

You then have little choice but to trek further up into the mountains (Melette, Verena and Cima Larici are the popular drawcards), but this is made easier by the local City Councils who provide regular bus services to the major slopes during peak periods. And when Mother Nature really digs in her heels, the artificial snow machines are on hand to produce the goods.

With such a variety of slopes, you can ski for weeks without feeling limited. And for those who tire of the skiing routine, there’s always the local ice-rink where Asiago’s heroic ice hockey team — rated second in the north Italian league — can be seen in action during season, speedway track and indoor swimming pool to keep you amused.

And so to the night hours when the winter sun slips behind those achingly beautiful mountains. The usual on-location apres ski facilities are there in the form of cosy Alpine chalet-style bars and restaurants.

But to really get into the spirit of “la Dolce Vita”, it’s better to head back into town and sample lashings of pasta while showing your war wounds to anyone who’s interested.

If you’re looking for “small is beautiful”, then the Altopiano is the place for you. Succumb to the much-vaunted Italian charm and this well-kept secret could quite easily become your slice of heaven.