THE Alps' Dolomites mountains in Italy are the most beautiful mountains in the world.

I was  blown away by them but don't take my word for it:

Reinhold Messner, the world-famous high-altitude explorer, agrees. Having hiked the mountains of the world, his is an opinion to be trusted.

So if you like a bit of scenery with your skiing, this is the place to come. In fact, everything about the ski area seems perfectly suited to most British skiers. The 395km of slopes are largely intermediate, groomed to perfection, while charming "rifugios" - restaurants converted from former mountain cabins or shepherd's huts - sit at the foot of almost every slope.

We stayed in San Cassiano, a delightful 700-bed village less than four hours' drive from Verona, on the fringes of the Gruppo Sella, an enormous limestone massif that dominates the landscape. Craggy, chocolate flake-style limestone peaks stand proud over gentle wooded flanks, with the pistes stencilled between the trees.

The area is most famous for the 40km-long Sella Ronda circuit, a network of linked runs that circumnavigate the limestone massif, taking in around eight key resorts en route, including Val Gardena, Corvara and Arabba. Even early intermediates will ski the route comfortably in a day but it's slightly over-hyped as the whole region is spectacular.

We set out from Corvara, the nearest gateway into the circuit from San Cassiano, and headed clockwise. As we circuited the massif, our perspective changed continually so every new lift revitalised our view.

Confident skiers can negotiate the circuit in a few hours so it is a good idea to do a few extra runs en route. We flew down a couple of exhilarating blacks in Arabba but another option is to check out some of the characterful skiing above Selva, offering stunning views of limestone peaks overlooking gentle tree-lined slopes.

It was a fabulous morning's skiing but the best was yet to come. We stopped for lunch in Jimmy's Hut, a mountainside restaurant with a large outdoor terrace offering a view of the entire Gruppo Sella. While we eulogised over a giant pan of fresh seafood pasta, the waitress said: "That's just for starters. Now, I'm coming with something much better." She was not wrong, and we washed down the resulting T-bone steak with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Food is somewhat of a theme here. Already with two other Michelin-starred restaurants, San Cassiano can now boast that the Restaurant St Hubertus, at the Rosa Alpina Hotel & Spa, has a second star, which was awarded in 2007.

For foodies, St Hubertus is worth sampling at least once.

The six-course tasting menu (€115) included dishes such as lobster with black truffles and fava beans, and dumplings with ricotta and nettles. Less of a wallet-buster was the village's pizzeria and grill and a speciality fondue restaurant.

Stylish, sophisticated, and suitable for couples, the four-star hotel is one of the best in the entire Alps for romance, value and comfort. The bedrooms and communal areas are spacious and furnished with hand-painted beams and neutral fabrics with a glamorous diamanté edge.

Charming owner Hugo Pizzini was always in attendance. His family, who has run the hotel for three generations, set up the resort's first ski lift in 1957.

Hugo's father's wife, Daniela Steiner, launched her first spa at the hotel. It is an elegant affair with white columns, handpainted features and orchids.

The slopes surrounding the hotel were equally impressive, offering a wide set of gentle, groomed bowls. Everywhere I skied the views were imperious but none more so than on the trip over to Lagazuoi.

We took a short, scenic bus ride (€5) over the Valparola pass, before hopping on a cable car that rose 800m in five minutes to the distinctive peak of Lagazuoi. The face is pockmarked with old gun battlements from the First World War and an old cannon sits at the entrance to the lift.

We skied down a beautiful, winding red run to what must be one of Europe's most fabulous mountain restaurants. Sheltered by a limestone cliff, the Scotoni Hut is famous for its large, open grill in the centre of the restaurant; we ate rare steaks, butterflied sausages, smoked bacon and melt-in-the-mouth ribs, served with cheesy polenta, jacket spuds, marinated grilled vegetables and mountains of green salad - all for €18 per head.

Circumstance, tradition and imagination have created an unusual way back across the cross-country plateau into the main ski area. Hitch a ride, water-ski style, with up to 40 other skiers behind a horse and cart (€3). It's skiing, Jim, but not as you know it.

GETTING THERE:

Momentum Ski (020 7371 9111/www.momentumski.com) offers seven n ights B&B at the Rosa Alpina Hotel & Spa from £2,474pp (two sharing), i ncluding return flights with British A irways from Gatwick to Verona and car hire.

The operator also offers seven n ights half board at the Hotel Table i n Corvara from £1,102pp (two s haring), including return flights f rom Gatwick to Verona and car hire.

Italian State Tourist Board: 020 7408 1254/www.italiantouristboard.co.uk