Across the continent, there are a number of ski resorts which are legendary when it comes to winter sports and ski holidays. These famous places are renowned not only for their powdery snowfall and fantastic runs, but also for their fabulous accommodations, restaurants, and entertainment. So whether you are planning on hitting the slopes all day, or cosying up by the fire with a hot drink, they are well worth checking out!
Located in the heart of the French Alps, this glamorous ski resort is as famous for its après-ski activities as it is for its slopes. It provides a range of ski areas from those suitable for beginners to some of the most challenging runs in Europe, many with fantastic views of the nearby Mont Blanc.
Probably Switzerland's most famous destination for ski holidays, Zermatt stands at an elevation of 1600m above sea level, in the shadow of the legendary Matterhorn peak. Visitors have been coming here for centuries to ski, skate, and hike, and the town has a lively main street packed with hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Kitzbühel is a famous ski resort in the Tyrol region of Austria, best known for its annual Hahnenkamm downhill ski race, as well as offering truly high-quality skiing. The town itself is also quite charming, with historic buildings and cobblestone streets.
Also in the French Alps, Méribel is perennially popular with British skiers; therefore, you can easily enjoy a ski holiday here without speaking French. The village is limited to small chalet-style buildings, giving it a cosy, intimate feel.
This French ski resort town is so extensive that it is sometimes referred to as a 'mega resort'. Val d'Isère is loved by experienced skiers because of its large number of quality black runs, but there are a range of slopes for various ski levels. The resort also offers a vibrant restaurant and party scene for those looking for action on and off the snow!
Where are the best ski resorts in Europe? From Courchevel to Courmayeur, HomeToGo has researched the price of skiing across the European continent, taking into account the latest prices for the January to April 2020 season. We’ve traversed mountains of data and ranked 44 of the ultimate ski destinations from 11 countries, so you can carve out your Spring 2020 travel plans without having a financial white out!
This year’s ranking examines the cost of a skiing day pass and overnight accommodation at Europe's top destinations in the January to mid-April season. The day-pass ticket pricing was sourced from the resort websites and we used our own meta-search data to find the average accommodation prices.
Courchevel is home to the 'Chalet Edelweiss' one of the most expensive chalets in the world. You can rent the luxury home for the tidy sum of £467,000 per week
The cheapest accommodation is in Harrochov where you can stay for as little as £14 a night - great if you need a crash pad before heading back to the slopes
The Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria are the best options for thrifty skiing. Holidaymakers can escape to Harrachov in the Czech Republic at particularly low prices. An overnight stay is only £29 per person and a day ski pass is just under £16, keeping the daily cost to just £45. Great prices can also be found at Zakopane, the largest resort in Poland (£49 for accommodation and a ski pass) which has incredible slopes the best annual snow conditions in the January to April season. Alternatively, you can head to one of Bulgaria’s many up-and-coming resorts, Pamporovo, Borovets or Bansko (and expect to pay around £50 per day).
|
Rank
|
Resort
|
Country
|
Lift Pass.
|
Accom.
|
Total.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrachov | Czech Republic | £15.77 | £29.33 | £45.10 |
| 2 | Zakopane | Poland | £24.90 | £24.23 | £49.13 |
| 3 | Pamporovo | Bulgaria | £24.07 | £26.78 | £50.85 |
| 4 | Borovets | Bulgaria | £23.24 | £27.63 | £50.87 |
| 5 | Bansko | Bulargia | £30.71 | £21.25 | £51.96 |
Europe’s more established skiing spots are admittedly, less wallet-friendly. At France’s famous Courchevel resort, skiers will need to budget an eye-watering estimated £149 per day. However, this renowned resort with it’s many north-facing slopes, is one of the best in Europe, so it may be worth the added cost. Switzerland is also great for high-end skiing and has many notable resorts, albeit at a higher price. These include Zermatt, Verbier, Sankt Moritz and Arosa, all which will cost you in the range of £124 to 145 per day.
|
Rank
|
Resort
|
Country
|
Lift Pass.
|
Accom.
|
Total.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Courchevel | France | £52.29 | £97.18 | £149.47 |
| 2 | Zermatt | Switzerland | £59.76 | £85.43 | £145.19 |
| 3 | Verbier | Switzerland | £63.91 | £67.85 | £131.76 |
| 4 | St. Moritz | Switzerland | £59.76 | £67.15 | £126.91 |
| 5 | Arosa | Switzerland | £63.91 | £60.35 | £124.26 |
|
Rank
|
Resort
|
Country
|
Lift Pass
|
Accom.
|
Total.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrachov | Czech Republic | £15.77 | £29.33 | £45.10 |
| 2 | Zakopane | Poland | £24.90 | £24.23 | £49.13 |
| 3 | Pamporovo | Bulgaria | £24.07 | £26.78 | £50.85 |
| 4 | Borovets | Bulgaria | £23.24 | £27.63 | £50.87 |
| 5 | Bansko | Bulargia | £30.71 | £21.25 | £51.96 |
| 6 | Winterberg | Germany | £30.71 | £32.73 | £63.44 |
| 7 | Les Arcs | France | £29.88 | £36.55 | £66.43 |
| 8 | Bormio | Italy | £36.52 | £33.73 | £70.25 |
| 9 | La Plange | France | £36.52 | £39.74 | £76.26 |
| 10 | Andermatt | Switzerland | £35.69 | £44.41 | £80.10 |
| 11 | Chamonix | France | £34.86 | £46.75 | £81.61 |
| 12 | Les Menuires | France | £44.82 | £37.61 | £82.43 |
| 13 | Zillertal | Austria | £46.48 | £36.13 | £82.61 |
| 14 | Courmayeur | Italy | £41.5 | £41.93 | £83.43 |
| 15 | Val Thorens | France | £41.5 | £42.08 | £83.58 |
| 16 | Fiss | Austria | £44.82 | £40.07 | £84.89 |
| 17 | Grandvalira | Andorra | £43.16 | £41.86 | £85.02 |
| 18 | Mayrhofen | Austria | £46.48 | £39.10 | £85.58 |
| 19 | Madonna di Campiglio | Italy | £46.48 | £39.72 | £86.20 |
| 20 | Avoriaz | France | £37.35 | £50.01 | £87.36 |
| 21 | L'Alpe d'Huez | France | £45.65 | £42.08 | £87.73 |
| 22 | Hintertux | Austria | £45.65 | £43.47 | £89.12 |
| 23 | Saint Anton | Austria | £47.31 | £43.72 | £91.03 |
| 24 | Val D'sere | France | £44.82 | £47.20 | £92.02 |
| 25 | Tignes | France | £50.63 | £41.65 | £92.28 |
| 26 | Cortina d'Ampezzo | Italy | £38.18 | £56.53 | £94.71 |
| 27 | Saalbach-Hinterglemm | Austria | £47.31 | £48.79 | £96.10 |
| 28 | Sierra Nevada | Spain | £40.67 | £56.29 | £96.96 |
| 29 | Sölden | Austria | £46.48 | £50.72 | £97.2 |
| 30 | Lech | Austria | £47.31 | £50.15 | £97.46 |
| 31 | Obergurgl | Austria | £44.82 | £52.67 | £97.49 |
| 32 | Ischgl | Austria | £46.48 | £52.70 | £99.18 |
| 33 | Crans Montana | Switzerland | £56.44 | £48.88 | £105.32 |
| 34 | Ladis | Austria | £44.82 | £60.78 | £105.60 |
| 35 | Kitzbühel | Austria | £48.14 | £58.93 | £107.07 |
| 36 | Portes du Soleil | France | £47.31 | £66.14 | £113.45 |
| 37 | Gstaad | Switzerland | £46.48 | £67.15 | £113.63 |
| 38 | Saas Fee | Switzerland | £62.25 | £51.6 | £113.85 |
| 39 | Davos | Switzerland | £58.10 | £61.63 | £119.73 |
| 40 | Arosa | Switzerland | £63.91 | £60.35 | £124.26 |
| 41 | St. Moritz | Switzerland | £59.76 | £67.15 | £126.91 |
| 42 | Verbier | Switzerland | £63.91 | £67.85 | £131.76 |
| 43 | Zermatt | Switzerland | £59.76 | £85.43 | £145.19 |
| 44 | Courchevel | France | £52.29 | £132.18 | £184.47 |
How We Produced This Guide
HomeToGo has analysed the average overnight prices (per night / per person) for accommodation in over 45 ski areas in Europe as well as the price for a ski pass for each area, creating a price ranking. The prices for a holiday home refer to available properties between January 10th 2020 and April 14th 2020. The prices of the ski passes refer to the cost for aa adult day pass on an average Saturday during the same period.
The total price is the cost of the average overnight price + ski pass. HomeToGo assumes no liability for the correctness of the stated ski pass prices. The ski pass and accommodation prices were recorded on 07.01.2020.
All prices in GBP. Please note that this is a forecast and that prices may change between now and the upcoming season. Prices exclude sales tax. For additional information, please contact [email protected].
Not all of the continent's best destinations for ski holidays are world-famous and packed with visitors each season. There are some great ski resorts with slopes and facilities to rival some of the most famous European ski spots, many of which have stayed well under the radar. Consider these ski resorts if you would like to enjoy your ski holiday alongside fewer fellow visitors and often at a lower cost than the more famous ski destinations.
You'll find Livigno in the Italian Alps, not far from the Swiss border. This ski resort offers high altitude, plenty of snow, and extensive runs, all at a fraction of the cost of other Alpine ski destinations. The skiing is best suited to beginner and intermediate skiers.
Further north in Norway is the ski resort of Trysil. The largest Norwegian ski resort, Trysil offers visitors a large number of ski-in, ski-out hotels and plenty of amenities. This ski resort is particularly great for families, with a number of easy slopes and kids' areas, as well as some great cross-country skiing.
Spain might not be a country which you would typically associate with skiing; however, you can indeed enjoy great skiing in the Pyrenees in the northeastern part of the country. Here you'll find the ski resort of El Formigal, with a village located at an altitude of 1500m. The village provides a number of hotels and restaurants along with access to ski slopes in four separate valleys.
Speaking of countries which you may not associate with a ski holiday, Bulgaria offers surprisingly good winter sports. The Bulgarian mountain resort of Borovets dates back to the 19th century, and offers a range of ski runs at different levels. The resort also features many hotels, restaurants, and great nightlife.
