Tuscany, Italy

Capital City: Florence
Closest Airport: Pisa
Population: 3,600,000
Resort Area: Abetone - Cutigliano
Snow Season: December - end March
Main Language: Italian
Currency: Euro

A favourite summer destination for the Brits (including the delightful former PM Tony Blair), Tuscany's not an obvious choice for a holiday in the snow. When you think of Tuscany, you think of fantastic food and wine and rolling green hills dotted with tall thin trees.

Still, if you've lost your passport or just decided to stay (well ... why not?), there's the possibility of getting up into the snow. The principal resort in the area (though this is the subject of much debate - the region of Emilia-Romagna also claims it as their own) is Abetone, which tops out at a non unimpressive 1,900 metres and has around 50 kms of pistes serviced by 22 lifts.