Looking to try something new this year? Tired of going to the same old ski resort year after year? Whether you're a beginner or an expert, travelling with the family or with friends, looking to relax and unwind or party your socks off at après-ski, there are loads of ski resorts to choose from! It's all just a matter of knowing how to narrow them down. In this guide we'll cover 10 considerations to get the juices flowing so you can choose the best ski resort for you!
Generally the most popular countries for British skiers and snowboarders are France and Austria, and with good reason. French ski resorts are the epitome of style and class, with a good dose of delicious food to boot. Austrian ski resorts offer great value, a lively après-ski scene and every facility for families with kids. Andorra is gaining in popularity, too, with the massive GrandValira ski area offering endless kilometres of slopes off the beaten track. Perhaps this year you'd like to head to Italy and ski the beautiful Dolomites while enjoying friendly Italian hospitality and mouthwatering Italian cuisine? Or how about Switzerland, home to some of the loftiest peaks in the Alps and somewhat pricey but worth it for the guaranteed snow and, of course, Swiss fondue?
Best ski resorts in France >
Best ski resorts in Austria >
Best ski resorts in Andorra >
Best ski resorts in Italy >
Best ski resorts in Switzerland >
Not every ski area is equal when it comes to the terrain on offer. Beginners will want some variety in the nursery slopes and a gently progression to some easy green slopes. Intermediate skiers will be looking for more challenging blue slopes and some red slopes that aren't too intimidating. And expert skiers will be chafing at the bit to tackle steep blacks, moguls and maybe even some off-piste terrain. Taking lessons this year? Check out our tips on finding a ski school with English-speaking ski instructors >
Best ski resorts for beginners >
Best ski resorts for intermediates >
Best ski resorts for experts >
Ski resorts with blue pistes >
Ski resorts with red pistes >
Ski resorts with black pistes >
Preparing for your first ski holiday >
Planning a family ski holiday can be daunting, with no end of things to consider: childcare, ski schools, family-friendly restaurants and accommodation, budgeting lift passes for the whole family... it's enough to make you want to bury your head in a hole! Likewise, trying to find a ski resort that can accommodate the varying levels and needs of everyone in a large group of friends can seem like an impossible task. Some of us will head up to the mountains solo or with a non-skiing partner this winter and that's not easy either! For all of these situations, we've got you covered.
Best ski resorts with a group of friends >
Planning a solo ski holiday >
Best family ski resorts >
Tips for planning a family ski holiday >
Family-friendly ski resorts >
How to teach your partner to ski >
What to do if your partner doesn't ski >
Looking for a ski resort full of umbrella bars where you can start dancing in the mid-afternoon and drink yourself into oblivion until the wee hours? Or do you prefer a tranquil, relaxing ski resort with no crowds or lift queues where you can ride freshly groomed slopes all day and have the ski area practically to yourself?
Best ski resorts off the beaten path >
Top 10 ski resorts for après-ski >
Best Austrian ski resorts for après-ski >
It's a growing trend and a good one! As skiers and snowboarders we know first-hand what the effects of climate change have been on our ski seasons: winters getting shorter, crazy avalanches burying us alive, dangerous conditions with roads closed due to snow blocking access to our ski resorts, quickly followed by months of drought that bring us depressing bare slopes and closed lifts! What can we do about it? We can choose eco-friendly ski holidays at ski resorts that make it a priority to minimise their effect on the environment so we can keep our winters white! Hurrah!
There's a lot to think about when planning your ski holidays, but you can't even get started until you know the dates when you'll be able to hit the slopes! Planning on ditching work as soon as possible and getting some early-season snow? Forced to go during half-term or Christmas holidays? Thinking about getting away for a sneaky weekend over Easter?
2019/20 ski season opening dates >
Best early-season ski areas >
Ski areas with guaranteed snow >
Best ski areas for spring skiing >
Glacier ski areas open in summer >
Ski resorts for every month of the year >
Getting to the Alps has never been easier, with a wealth of options via train, plane and car. Take the Eurostar and glide across Europe in total comfort, hop on a budget airline and whiz to your ski resort in record time, or pack all your gear into the car and make a road trip out of it!
Top 10 easy ski resorts to reach from the UK >
10 ski resorts that are easy to drive to from Calais >
Eurostar ski train destinations in the Alps >
Best airlines for flying to the Alps >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Grenoble Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Chambéry Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Lyon Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Innsbruck Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Salzburg Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Geneva Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Turin Airport >
Ski resorts easily accessible from Zurich Airport >
New Scandinavian airport brings skiers directly to mountains >
Now that you've narrowed down which ski resort you'd like to go to, check out some more tips for planning the perfect ski holidays >
Happy skiing!
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
