It’s not just Italy pulling back the curtain either. Austria is on track to drop the majority of its Covid measures this weekend – just in the nick of time for those eager to make the most of spring on the slopes. “March is a great time for spring skiing. It is already a bit warmer, the snow is still great, and everyone who wants to make use of the additional hours of sunshine can start with morning skiing from as early as 7am in some ski resorts,” explains a representative from the Austrian National Tourist Office.

Operators are also revelling in what’s left of the seasons too. “Restrictions are certainly easier now than they have been for most of the last two winter seasons. We have extended our programme for an additional week in April to offer guests the best chance to book a ski holiday to the Alps and to keep up with increased demand,” says Joe Ponte, CEO of Inghams.

Below we outline the current state of play in each of the top ski destinations, for full details and the latest updates as they happen follow our ski holiday tracker. What’s more If you’re in the minority who are leaving it until the last minute to book a ski holiday now the red tape has been scrapped there are still deals to be had and snow lying thick on the ground.

Italy

Hassle-free rating: 3/5

Italy has dropped the requirement for fully vaccinated British arrivals, or those who have recently recovered, to test before they visit. Unvaccinated travellers can also now enter without the need to quarantine as long as they have proof of a negative test. It’s a landmark move which brings Italy’s policies, which have long been some of the most stringent in Europe, inline with those in its Alpine neighbours.

What rules remain?

Despite eased restrictions at the border, family ski holidays, with children aged between 12 to 17, could still proved to be problematic in Italy where the ‘Super Green Pass’ continues to govern entry to the likes of restaurants, hotels and bars and access to the slopes. Everyone over the age of over 12 must have proof of full vaccination (second dose within the last six months, or a booster) or proof of recovery within 180 days to activate their pass – otherwise you will need to take a PCR test every 72 hours (or antigen every 48 hours) to access the mountain. However there is hope on the horizon, Italian prime minister Mario Draghi has told the press that after Italy’s state of emergency ends on March 31, the use of the Super Green Pass will be phased out gradually. Find out what other rules are still in place in Italy here.