UltimateGuide Ski Resorts
Our favourites
The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near Zermatt The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near Zermatt A sweeping winter panorama of Alta’s snow-covered bowls and forested basin under a blue sky, Little Cottonwood Canyon A red Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn train crossing deep snow below the ski slopes above Andermatt The mogul fields and pine-dark ridges of Aspen Mountain rising straight above the town under a clear blue sky

The mountain guide to Ski resorts of Europe and North America

Best of the Ski Resorts

From the Matterhorn above Zermatt to the pine forests of Kopaonik: Europe’s ski resorts, country by country, for first-timers and connoisseurs alike.

Where to eatChoose a resort
Kitzbühel’s Vorderstadt in winter sun, with snow on the roofs and the church spire above the old town streetKitzbühelChristmas in the mountainsSkiing over Christmas and New YearA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expedition

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to the ski resorts

The mountains of Europe and North America, resort by resort: when the lifts open, where to stay on every budget, the best mountain restaurants and après, the ski schools, and how to get there by air, rail and road. We check every listing against its own website or an official source, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

The Alps

France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Germany.

The Aiguille du Midi summit station on its rock spur at 3,842 m, with Chamonix and the valley far belowFranceChamonix-Mont-BlancThe birthplace of mountaineeringCourchevel 1850 from the air, its chalets and pistes in the forestFranceCourchevelThe grandest address in the 3 ValléesSkiers on the groomed Mandarines piste above Megève, with the village, forests and snow-capped peaks under a clear blue skyFranceMegèveThe Rothschilds’ chic Savoyard villageSnow-covered slopes and larch forest above Val d’Isère, seen from the Gorges de la Daille on a clear February dayFranceVal d'IsèreHigh, snow-sure and steeped in racingA red Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn train crossing deep snow below the ski slopes above AndermattSwitzerlandAndermattGotthard crossroads, freeride legendThe Glacier 3000 top station designed by Mario Botta on its snowy ridge, with the Bernese and Vaud Alps beyondSwitzerlandGstaadChalets, palaces and a glacierView from the Vorab Glacier above LAAX over a sea of cloud to rows of snow-covered Graubünden peaksSwitzerlandLAAXThe Alps’ freestyle capitalPiz Nair and the snow-covered Corviglia ski slopes above St. Moritz under a clear blue winter skySwitzerlandSt. MoritzWhere winter tourism beganThe Mont-Fort cable car cabin climbing past snowy rock walls above VerbierSwitzerlandVerbierFreeride capital of the 4 ValléesAn orange Gornergrat railway carriage crossing deep snow below the Matterhorn on a cloudless winter daySwitzerlandZermattCar-free, beneath the MatterhornKitzbühel’s Vorderstadt in winter sun, with snow on the roofs and the church spire above the old town streetAustriaKitzbühelThe town of the StreifA skier on the ski route from the Rüfikopf down towards Lech, between snow-covered slopes and spruce forest under a clear skyAustriaLech ZürsArlberg’s most exclusive villagesThe snow-covered Ahornspitze rising above the Ahorn plateau, Mayrhofen’s sunny ski mountainAustriaMayrhofenPenken, Ahorn and the HarakiriSt. Christoph am Arlberg among deep snow and wide pistes on the Arlberg Pass, under a blue winter skyAustriaSt. Anton am ArlbergThe cradle of Alpine skiingThe finish area of the Stelvio slope above Bormio and its snowy mountains, during the 2026 Winter OlympicsItalyBormioThe Stelvio, the spas, the OlympicsThe snow-covered Matterhorn under a starry sky, photographed by moonlight near Breuil-CerviniaItalyBreuil-CerviniaUnder the Matterhorn’s south faceThe small chapel at Passo Falzarego beneath the snow-streaked Sass de Stria, above Cortina d’Ampezzo, on a bright winter dayItalyCortina d’AmpezzoThe Queen of the DolomitesThe snow-covered Mont Blanc massif above the larch woods of the Val Ferret, Courmayeur, on a clear winter dayItalyCourmayeurItaly’s side of Mont BlancLivigno village and its nursery slopes under fresh snowItalyLivignoItaly’s Little Tibet, duty-freeTwo cabins of the Spinale gondola above Madonna di Campiglio, with the Adamello-Presanella peaks behind, on a clear late-summer dayItalyMadonna di CampiglioQueen of the Brenta DolomitesSestriere and the snow-covered peaks of the Via Lattea on a clear winter dayItalySestriere (Via Lattea)Hub of the 400 km Milky WaySkiers on a sunny piste below Piz Ciampac, Piz Ciampai and the Sassongher above Corvara in Alta BadiaItalyVal Gardena / Alta BadiaLadin valleys on the SellarondaOrange-hooded chairlifts over groomed pistes on the Zugspitze plateau beneath rocky summits and a deep-blue skyGermanyGarmisch-PartenkirchenZugspitze, Kandahar and Olympic historyA snow-covered ridge seen from the Nebelhorn above Oberstdorf, with the Allgäu foothills stretching northGermanyOberstdorfGermany’s southernmost ski village

The Balkans & Greece

Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece.

Snow-covered spruce forest and the pistes below Pančićev vrh, KopaonikSerbiaKopaonikSerbia’s biggest ski resortA chairlift seat below the jagged rocks of Babin Zub on Stara PlaninaSerbiaStara PlaninaSerbia’s wild eastern mountainThe high grassy plateau of Bjelašnica in summer, under a wide skyBosnia and HerzegovinaBjelašnicaWhere the men raced in 1984Snow-plastered spruces glowing at sunset on the high slopes of JahorinaBosnia and HerzegovinaJahorinaThe Olympic mountain above SarajevoGreen ridges and forests of Bjelasica above the Kolašin 1600 ski area in summerMontenegroKolašin 1600Montenegro’s new mountainThe Black Lake and the forests of Durmitor seen from Savin KukMontenegroŽabljak / DurmitorSkiing in a national parkSkiers on a snowy ridge above the rolling white summits of Mount Bistra, MavrovoNorth MacedoniaMavrovoSkiing above a mountain lakeSnow-covered forest and peaks of the Julian Alps mirrored in Lake Jasna, Kranjska GoraSloveniaKranjska GoraSlovenia’s World Cup villageGroomed pistes and lifts on Krvavec above the snowy Ljubljana basin, with the Julian Alps on the horizonSloveniaKrvavecLjubljana’s own mountainA snowy piste, chairlift and frosted forest on Mariborsko Pohorje above a sea of cloudSloveniaMariborsko PohorjeSki from the city by gondolaSkiers above the chairlift on the snowy slopes of Vogel, with the white peaks of the Julian Alps beyondSloveniaVogelSkiing above Lake BohinjSnow-laden beech forest on the road up to Platak above RijekaCroatiaPlatakSkiing with a view of the seaThe Sljeme cable car climbing Medvednica above ZagrebCroatiaSljemeZagreb’s ski slopeA snow-laden timber chalet beneath forested slopes in Poiana BrașovRomaniaPoiana BrașovTransylvania’s ski resortA chairlift climbing wide snowfields towards a rocky crest above Sinaia in the Bucegi MountainsRomaniaSinaiaThe Carpathians’ royal ski townThe Mosta chairlift station below the snowy limestone peaks of the Pirin, BanskoBulgariaBanskoPirin peaks above a stone townThe freshly groomed piste in front of Hotel Rila at the heart of BorovetsBulgariaBorovetsThe Balkans’ first mountain resortA groomed piste climbing through pine forest to the Snezhanka tower above Pamporovo in late-afternoon lightBulgariaPamporovoThe Rhodopes’ sunny ski resortSnow-covered Neraidorachi, the summit of Mount Helmos above the Kalavryta ski resort, with cloud lit by the setting sunGreeceKalavrytaThe Peloponnese’s ski mountainA timber chalet under fresh snow in the fir forest of Mount ParnassosGreeceParnassosSkiing above DelphiBosnian pines heavy with fresh snow beside a piste at Vasilitsa, with the Pindus valleys belowGreeceVasilitsaSkiing in the Pindus pines

Spain & Andorra

The Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada.

The wide snowfields of the Pla de Beret under a clear sky, with the peaks of the Val d’Aran beyondSpainBaqueira BeretSpain’s grandest ski areaFormigal village below the snowy Pyrenean peaks, seen from the pistesSpainFormigal-PanticosaThe Aragonese Pyrenees’ big domainSkiers on the upper slopes of Sierra Nevada above a sea of cloud, on a bright winter daySpainSierra NevadaSkiing above GranadaThe Grau Roig base and pistes beneath the granite peaks of Grandvalira on a clear winter dayAndorraGrandvaliraThe Pyrenees’ biggest ski areaPistes through the pine forest of the Pal sector, with the snow-covered Andorran Pyrenees beyondAndorraPal ArinsalAndorra’s family mountain

Scandinavia & the UK

Norway, Sweden, Finland and Scotland.

Skiers on the wide pistes and chairlift of Hemsedal’s ski area beneath snow-covered birch on a winter afternoonNorwayHemsedalThe Scandinavian AlpsSkiers at the top station of the Toppekspressen chairlift on Trysilfjellet under a clear blue skyNorwayTrysilNorway’s largest ski resortFreshly groomed corduroy on a slope at Åre, with a sea of cloud below and snowy mountains beyondSwedenÅreScandinavia’s alpine capitalLevi’s gondola cabins above snow-laden forest and the fell village in the blue light of a Lapland winter afternoonFinlandLeviFinland’s largest ski resortRuka’s floodlit slopes and snowy spruces on a winter evening, seen from the foot of the fellFinlandRukaFinland’s 200-day ski seasonGroomed snow in Coire Cas, the heart of the Cairngorm Mountain ski area, under a clear winter skyUnited KingdomCairngorm MountainScotland’s mountain railwayLate-winter snow on the Helvellyn ridge in the Lake DistrictUnited KingdomEngland’s ski clubsReal snow in EnglandFreshly groomed pistes and lifts at Glencoe Mountain beneath the snow-covered slopes of Meall a’ BhuiridhUnited KingdomGlencoe MountainWhere Scottish skiing beganTea@TheShee and the Cairnwell chairlift at the base of Glenshee Ski Centre on the A93United KingdomGlensheeScotland’s largest ski areaA skier descends Easy Gully into Coire an Lochain on Aonach Mòr, between snow-plastered crags above the Nevis Range ski areaUnited KingdomNevis RangeThe gondola beside Ben NevisSnow-covered pistes, drag lifts and the chairlift at the Lecht in the Eastern CairngormsUnited KingdomThe LechtScotland’s family ski centre

Central Europe, Georgia & Türkiye

Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, Georgia and Türkiye.

A skier on a groomed piste above Kosodrevina on the south side of Chopok, with Ďumbier behindSlovakiaJasná Nízke TatrySlovakia’s two-sided mountainA freshly groomed piste in the Gąsienicowa cirque on Kasprowy Wierch, with the Tatra foothills beyondPolandZakopanePoland’s high-Tatra classicSnow-covered spruce, a chairlift and the Krkonoše ridges above Svatý Petr in Špindlerův Mlýn on a clear winter dayCzechiaŠpindlerův MlýnCzechia’s favourite mountain townSnow-covered peaks and valleys of the Greater Caucasus seen from the top of the Gudauri ski areaGeorgiaGudauriThe high Caucasus plateauRed gondola cabins gliding over the snowfields of Erciyes below a cloud-capped ridgeTürkiyeErciyesThe volcano above CappadociaThe slopes of Palandöken above Erzurum dusted with the first snow, with the ski hotels at their footTürkiyePalandökenDry powder above ErzurumSkiers on a sunlit piste below blue chairlifts at UludağTürkiyeUludağAbove Bursa, by cable car

North America

The Rockies, California, the East Coast and Canada.

A sweeping winter panorama of Alta’s snow-covered bowls and forested basin under a blue sky, Little Cottonwood CanyonUnited StatesAltaDeep powder, skiers onlyThe mogul fields and pine-dark ridges of Aspen Mountain rising straight above the town under a clear blue skyUnited StatesAspen SnowmassFour mountains, one silver townA skier in a red jacket pausing by snow-dusted spruce at Beaver Creek, with the forested valley and snowy ridges beyondUnited StatesBeaver CreekHeated walkways and Birds of PreyThe snow-streaked pyramid of Lone Peak above the pine forests of Big Sky, Montana, under white cloudsUnited StatesBig SkyLone Peak and 5,850 acresFresh corduroy on a wide groomed run at Breckenridge, leading up to the snow-covered summits of Peaks 7 and 8 under a deep blue skyUnited StatesBreckenridgeFive peaks above a gold-rush townSkiers on a groomed run below the chairlifts at Deer Valley’s Snow Park base, under a clear blue skyUnited StatesDeer ValleySkiers only, above Park CityEvening alpenglow on the snow-laden forest of Heavenly, with the gondola line climbing to the top stationUnited StatesHeavenlyTwo states above Lake TahoeThe red Aerial Tram above the rock walls and steep snow of Corbet’s Couloir, Jackson Hole, under a blue skyUnited StatesJackson HoleThe Big One: tram and Corbet’sA skier on a groomed run high on Mammoth Mountain, with the snow-covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada beyondUnited StatesMammoth MountainCalifornia's high Sierra volcanoA wide winter panorama of the Palisades Tahoe ski area under a clear blue sky, with Lake Tahoe on the horizonUnited StatesPalisades TahoeThe 1960 Olympic valley above Lake TahoeSkiers waiting at the red Quicksilver Gondola station on a sunny winter day at Park City MountainUnited StatesPark City MountainSilver-mining town, giant mountainSnowbird’s red Aerial Tram cabin arriving at Hidden Peak above snow-covered Wasatch peaks on a clear winter dayUnited StatesSnowbirdThe Tram to Hidden PeakRed Stowe gondola cabins rising over snow-covered spruce forest on Mount MansfieldUnited StatesStoweVermont's classic, beneath Mount MansfieldA wide winter panorama from the top of Bald Mountain, Sun Valley, over groomed snow to the snowy Idaho ranges under a blue skyUnited StatesSun ValleyAmerica’s first ski resortSnow-covered San Juan peaks rising above forested ridges, seen from the top of the Telluride ski area under a wide, cloud-flecked skyUnited StatesTellurideA box canyon and a gondola townA skier carving through deep fresh powder between snow-laden spruce trees and a chairlift in Vail’s Blue Sky BasinUnited StatesVailColorado’s biggest, and the Back BowlsThe base of Sunshine Village with its lodges and lifts among dark pines, beneath snowy peaks under a blue skyCanadaBanff & Lake Louise (SkiBig3)Three resorts in a national parkThe colourful pedestrian village of Tremblant, with gabled hotels and paved paths beneath autumn hillsCanadaMont-TremblantQuébec’s Laurentian village resortA groomed run at Revelstoke Mountain Resort between snow-loaded spruce, with clouds filling the valley below the peaksCanadaRevelstoke Mountain ResortNorth America’s biggest verticalA red PEAK 2 PEAK gondola cabin crossing a clear morning sky above the snowy Coast Mountains at WhistlerCanadaWhistler BlackcombTwo mountains, one gondola

Plan your trip

Getting there, learning first and the practical things to know.

The Glacier Express crossing the snowfields below the Oberalp PassGetting thereAirports, trains & transfersEvery resort’s gatewaysSkiers on the main real-snow slope at Ski Dubai, Mall of the EmiratesLearn firstIndoor snow & dry slopesYour first turns, near homeA children’s ski-school class following their instructor across a gentle slopeBefore you goSki essentialsSeasons, passes and safety

In depth

Learning to ski, skiing for less, hidden gems and the history of the sport.

The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near ZermattIn depthFirst time on skisLearning to ski doesn’t have to start in the Alps or cost a…The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near ZermattIn depthSkiing on a budgetGreat skiing doesn’t have to mean Alpine prices: the…The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near ZermattIn depthLesser-known resorts worth the tripBeyond the famous names: forested mountains in Serbia and…The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near ZermattIn depthAlpine skiing at the OlympicsFrom a single combined event at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in…The Matterhorn above snow-covered larches and old wooden barns near ZermattIn depthSnowboardingHow two skis bolted together in 1960s Michigan became an…

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.Visit the guide The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.Visit the guide The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Visit the guide Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide The Golden Horn and the mosques of the old city, IstanbulTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide The Triple Bridge over the LjubljanicaSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, world-class museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Stone Bridge over the VardarNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The gilded domes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, SofiaBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey MosqueAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide The tiled roof of St Mark’s Church in Zagreb’s Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide The beach at Rosemary Beach on the Gulf of MexicoUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Griffith Observatory with downtown Los Angeles beyondCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide Goat Cay and the turquoise shallows of the ExumasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about the mountains, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Every list in the guide

    Who each resort suits

    Alta, United States

    Budget: The UTA ski bus, an all-inclusive room at the Peruvian or the Goldminer’s Daughter, and the $99 Sunnyside At 3 pass for beginners. Mid: Alta Lodge with dinner included, Albion Basin for mixed groups, and après at the Sitzmark Club. Luxury: Snowpine Lodge or the Rustler, a private guide from the Alf Engen Ski School, and a chalet with a private chef.

    Andermatt, Switzerland

    Budget: Guesthouses like the Skiklub and the St. Gotthard in Hospental, the CHF 92 online day pass, the canteen lunch by the lifts and the local bus. Mid: Village hotels such as the Sonne and the Bergidyll, the Radisson Blu with its 25-metre pool, and a day skiing over to Sedrun. Luxury: The Chedi and its spa, two-star dinners at The Japanese and IGNIV, and lunch at 2,344 metres on the Gütsch.

    Aspen Snowmass, United States

    Budget: Value lodges such as the St. Moritz Lodge and Aspen Mountain Lodge with breakfast included, RFTA buses to all four mountains, children 6 and under skiing at no charge, and Buttermilk for first days. Mid: Limelight hotels in Aspen and Snowmass, family-run lodges near the gondola, and long lunches at Sam’s and Bonnie’s. Luxury: The Little Nell and Hotel Jerome, Bosq’s MICHELIN star, champagne at Cloud Nine and snowcat dinners on the mountain.

    Banff & Lake Louise (SkiBig3), Canada

    Budget: The HI hostels in Banff and Lake Louise, complimentary ski shuttles on a SkiBig3 ticket, Wild Flour’s bread and night skiing at Mt Norquay. Mid: Suites at the Moose Hotel with its rooftop hot pools, lessons at Sunshine and après at Mad Trapper’s. Luxury: Fairmont Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise, the One-Key Post Hotel, and ski-in, ski-out nights at Sunshine Mountain Lodge.

    Bansko, Bulgaria

    Budget: Family hotels in the old town such as Mura and Bansko, with mehana dinners and lessons and hire at Balkan prices. Mid: Regnum and Lucky Bansko, with spas, pools and complimentary shuttles to the gondola. Luxury: Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena, right beside the gondola station, with its spa, Italian dining and piano bar.

    Baqueira Beret, Spain

    Budget: Beginner day passes cost €26 for adults and €15.50 for children, seniors born in 1956 or before ski for €8 a day, and family pensions in Arties and Vielha keep the nights affordable (baqueira.es, 2026/27). Mid: Four-star hotels at the lifts, Hotel Montarto or Chalet Bassibé, or the Parador in Arties, seven kilometres down the valley, until it closes for works on 1 March 2027. Luxury: Hotel Val de Neu, the only five-star Grand Luxury hotel in the heart of the resort, 50 metres from the gondola, with Moët Winter Lounge and the Cinco Jotas Grill on the mountain.

    Beaver Creek, United States

    Budget: Suites and hostels in Avon and Minturn, Core Transit buses, Epic Day Passes bought early, and pizza and Arrowhead comfort food. Mid: Condos with kitchens at The Charter and Beaver Creek Lodge, McCoy Park for families, and lunch at Talons and Spruce Saddle. Luxury: Ski-in, ski-out at the Park Hyatt and The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, sleigh dinners at Allie’s and Beano’s cabins, and Splendido at the Chateau.

    Big Sky, United States

    Budget: A room at the Huntley Lodge or Shoshone, tickets bought early from $84, Vista Hall for meals and Skyline’s zero-fare buses. Mid: A Village Center condo, lessons on nearly 600 acres of beginner terrain, and après at the Umbrella Bar. Luxury: Montage Big Sky or a Lone Mountain Ranch cabin, the tasting menu at M by The Alinea Group and dinner at Everett’s 8800.

    Bjelašnica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Budget: Pansion Staza and the family restaurants of Babin Do, a 37 KM taxi ride from Sarajevo Airport, and season passes that undercut a week in the Alps. Mid: Hotel Han and Hotel Bjelašnica, in the middle of Babin Do with pools, pubs and the lifts on the doorstep. Luxury: Hotel Nomad, ski-in, ski-out at 1,460 metres, and Hotel Monti on Igman with its 1,200 m² Six Sense Spa.

    Bormio, Italy

    Budget: Three-star hotels on the slopes at Bormio 2000, hut pizzerias, family ski areas at Cima Piazzi–San Colombano and the ski bus included with the pass. Mid: Four-star hotels at the foot of the Stelvio slope, old-town restaurants and evenings in the thermal pools. Luxury: Design suites at the Eden and Alù, the QC Terme Bagni Vecchi and Bagni Nuovi, and a high lodge at 2,700 m in Santa Caterina.

    Borovets, Bulgaria

    Budget: Epic packages from €52 a day with pass, hire and lessons, and the five-room Finish Line guest house at the foot of the Popangelov run. Mid: Hotel Rila, ski-in, ski-out at the foot of the runs, with an Olympic-style pool and a crèche. Luxury: Yastrebets Wellness & SPA and Borovets Hills, five-star comfort among the pines above the resort.

    Breckenridge, United States

    Budget: The Fireside Inn and The Bivvi hostels, buses and the BreckConnect Gondola without a fare, Ski Hill Grill lunches and brewery taprooms. Mid: Beaver Run, Hotel Alpenrock and Gravity Haus by Peak 9, lunch at TenMile Station and après at the Gold Pan. Luxury: Ski-in, ski-out at the Grand Colorado on Peak 8, the Infinity and Soothe spas, and dinners at Rootstalk, Radicato and Ember.

    Breuil-Cervinia, Italy

    Budget: Family-run three-star hotels and B&B hotels near the lifts, self-service huts and the 30% multi-day promo with a 4-night stay. Mid: Boutique hotels on the slopes at Giomein and in the pedestrian centre. Luxury: The Hermitage, Saint Hubertus and the five-star Valtur Cervinia Cristallo, ski-in, ski-out.

    Cairngorm Mountain, United Kingdom

    Budget: Youth hostels at Glenmore and in Aviemore, an adult day pass of £39 in 2025/26, and the bus from Aviemore to the lifts. Mid: The Cairngorm Hotel opposite Aviemore station or the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, with lessons from the local schools. Luxury: A Rothiemurchus estate cottage by Loch an Eilein, lunch at the Ptarmigan and a ride on the funicular.

    Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

    Budget: Two- and three-star hotels in town and in Argentière, the beginner areas of Le Savoy and Les Planards, and the Mont Blanc Express train included with the guest card. Mid: Four-star hotels in the pedestrian centre and at the foot of the Grands Montets, with Chamonix Le Pass for the valley’s big ski areas. Luxury: Le Hameau Albert 1er, with its one-star Albert 1er, and the Hôtel Mont-Blanc, built in 1849, with a Clarins spa.

    Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

    Budget: B&Bs and three-star hotels near the bus routes, self-service rifugi and Stock House for kit. Mid: Boutique hotels near Corso Italia and the Faloria lift, with spa days at the smaller hotels. Luxury: The Cristallo, Rosapetra and de LEN, with starred dining at SanBrite and Tivoli.

    Courchevel, France

    Budget: La Tania and Le Praz, with their own lifts into the same 3 Vallées network, and the 3-star hotels lower down. Mid: Courchevel Village and Moriond: ski-in hotels and easy access to the whole valley. Luxury: Courchevel 1850 and the Jardin Alpin: palace hotels, three-star dining and the altiport.

    Courmayeur, Italy

    Budget: Family-run hotels and B&B hotels with ski shuttles, children under 8 skiing at no charge with an adult pass, and a beginners’ ticket with a €19.50 hire deal. Mid: Historic four-star hotels a short walk from the cable car, Via Roma restaurants and evenings at Plan Checrouit. Luxury: Le Massif, the Grand Hotel Royal e Golf and the five-star Auberge de la Maison, with the Skyway and heli-skiing on Mont Blanc.

    Deer Valley, United States

    Budget: Families who book condominiums with breakfast and a skier shuttle, such as the Lodges at Deer Valley or Silver Baron Lodge, and start on the $68 Learning Area ticket. Mid: Couples and families in ski-in/ski-out condos at Snow Park or Silver Lake, with lunch on the Royal Street Café deck and Max 4 lessons. Luxury: Stein Eriksen Lodge, Montage and Goldener Hirsch, raclette at Fireside Dining, and a mountain that never feels crowded.

    England’s ski clubs, United Kingdom

    Budget: Season membership from £40 to £55, and day tickets of around £20 to £25 on open days. Mid: A weekend in Alston, Weardale or Glenridding, ready to go when the snow reports say the tows are running. Luxury: For more terrain, the Scottish centres are a train ride north; these clubs are about the joy of skiing at home.

    Erciyes, Türkiye

    Budget: Stay in Kayseri and ride the weekend buses or Develi minibuses up, with lessons at Snow Academia. Mid: Erciyes Hill, Ace Kite or the Mirada hotels, close to the pistes. Luxury: A butler-served chalet at DAS 3917, or all-inclusive Megasaray Mount Erciyes with its pools and hammam.

    Formigal-Panticosa, Spain

    Budget: Full adult ski hire booked online costs €21 a day and a child’s €15.50 (aramon.com, 2026/27); the free ski bus links the villages, and apartments in Formigal and the Tena Valley are bookable with passes through the operator’s own travel desk. Mid: Snö Formigal or Snö Aragón Hills at the foot of the slopes, or Snö Villa de Sallent in the old village of Sallent de Gállego. Luxury: The Gran Hotel at the Balneario de Panticosa, a thermal spa at 1,636 metres, then Las Mugas: a snowcat ride, snowshoes and a night at 1,800 metres.

    Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    Budget: Hourly trains from Munich, online day passes, self-service lunches at Sonnalpin and the Garmischer Haus, and a family inn in Partenkirchen. Mid: The Werdenfelserei or the Garmischer Hof, lunch on the Sonnenalm terrace and an evening of music at the Fraundorfer. Luxury: Schloss Elmau and its six spas, dinner at the two-star IKIGAI, and a night in an igloo on the Zugspitze.

    Glencoe Mountain, United Kingdom

    Budget: A microlodge at the foot of the lifts, a £35 midweek day pass and a beginner Megadeal with lesson and hire. Mid: The Clachaig Inn or Kingshouse, with the White Corries Cafe for lunch and malts by the fire in the evening. Luxury: A suite at Glencoe House, the former home of Lord Strathcona, at the western end of the glen.

    Glenshee, United Kingdom

    Budget: A beginner pass at £35, Braemar Youth Hostel or a motorhome hook-up at the lifts, and lunch at Tea@TheShee. Mid: Braemar Lodge’s log cabins or Dalmunzie Castle, with lessons from the Glenshee Ski & Board School. Luxury: The Fife Arms in Braemar, with Two MICHELIN Keys, the Clunie Dining Room and Bertie’s Whisky Bar.

    Grandvalira, Andorra

    Budget: Families do well here: children up to 5 ski at no charge, the beginner pass covers the nursery slopes, full hire booked online starts at €26 and the nursery from €70 a day (grandvalira.com, 2026/27); family hotels in Canillo sit at the foot of the gondola. Mid: Four-star hotels at the lifts, Hotel Roc Meler and Hotel Bonavida in Canillo or Sport Hotel Village in Soldeu, with a gondola straight from the building. Luxury: Sport Hotel Hermitage & Spa, Andorra’s only five-star at the foot of the Grandvalira slopes, with Ibaya, the country’s MICHELIN-starred restaurant, and a 5,000 m² spa.

    Gstaad, Switzerland

    Budget: The Saanen youth hostel, family hotels like the Kernen in Schönried, the Saani beginner pass, and trains and buses included with the Gstaad Card. Mid: Four-star chalet hotels in Gstaad, Saanen and Schönried, lunch on the Wispile or La Videmanette terraces, and a Bib Gourmand dinner in Saanen. Luxury: The Gstaad Palace, The Alpina and Le Grand Bellevue, spa afternoons, MEGU and Gildo’s, and a day on Glacier 3000.

    Gudauri, Georgia

    Budget: Self-catering apartments in New Gudauri, buses from Tbilisi’s Didube station and some of Europe’s most affordable lift passes. Mid: Hotel Carpe Diem, Quadrum or Hotel Alpina, with breakfast, pools and saunas, a short walk from the lifts. Luxury: Ski-in, ski-out at the Marco Polo, Gudauri Lodge or five-star Gudauri Loft, and a night at Rooms Kazbegi beneath Mount Kazbek.

    Heavenly, United States

    Budget: Basecamp's shared rooms and hot tubs, the Epic 1-Day ticket bought early, the Lake Link micro-transit and a deli lunch from The Cork & More. Mid: Station House Inn or the Coachman near the gondola, an Epic Pass, and tacos and tequila at Azul in the Village. Luxury: Edgewood Tahoe, a MICHELIN Key lodge on the lake, The Landing's lakeside suites and spa, and dinner at the Sage Room, here since 1947.

    Hemsedal, Norway

    Budget: Self-catering apartments in the village with the Kiwi and Coop Extra supermarkets close by, the ski bus at no charge, waffles at Fjellkafeen, and the small Solheisen ski area for quieter, sunny days. Mid: SkiStar Lodge Hemsedal at the foot of Lodge Express, Hemsedal Café Skiers Lodge in the village, or a slope-side apartment at Skigaarden with four places to eat under one roof. Luxury: Skarsnuten Hotel, a stone-and-glass boutique hotel at 1,002 metres with its own spa and Japanese restaurant, or Fýri Resort with ski-in, ski-out rooms and a 1,000 m² pool club.

    Jackson Hole, United States

    Budget: The Hostel’s private rooms in Teton Village, multi-day tickets from $60 a day, and waffles at Corbet’s Cabin. Mid: A kitchen suite at Hotel Terra or Teton Mountain Lodge, lessons with the Mountain Sports School, and the Mangy Moose at four. Luxury: Amangani or Caldera House, dinner at Piste by gondola, a private coach for Corbet’s and a private car from JAC.

    Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Budget: Ski Europe’s Olympic slopes for a fraction of Alpine prices: 98 KM (about €50) for an adult day pass, and up to 30% off in the low-season weeks. Mid: The classic Olympic-era hotels along Olimpijska, such as Vučko and Bistrica, with pools and spas steps from the lifts. Luxury: Hotel Termag, in the very centre of the resort, with its spa, chalet restaurant and private transfers from Sarajevo.

    Jasná Nízke Tatry, Slovakia

    Budget: Gopass prices fall the earlier you book online: in 2025/26 Jasná day passes started from €33, and the 2026/27 Gopass SKI Season Pass, valid at nine resorts including Špindlerův Mlýn, cost €589 in the spring pre-sale against €729 in winter (TMR). Stay in Liptovský Mikuláš or a pension in Demänovská Dolina. Mid: Hotel SKI at Záhradky, by two lifts and at the foot of five pistes, or Hotel Srdiečko on the quiet south side, both with lift and water-park tickets included in the stay. Luxury: Boutique Hotel Pošta or Grand Jasná, ski-in, ski-out in the centre of the resort, the Chalets Jasná Collection with private wellness, or three rooms at the Rotunda, 2,004 metres up on the summit ridge.

    Kalavryta, Greece

    Budget: The Klaoudatos ski bus from Athens for €25, a low-season day pass at €22 (2025/26), the €70 family pass and rental sets from €20 for under-18s. Mid: Anerada Hotel, with fireplace rooms on the road up to the ski centre, or the 4 Seasons lodging beside the slopes. Luxury: Kalavrita Canyon Hotel & Spa or Kalavrita Botanica Hotel & Spa with its maisonette suites, in the town below.

    Kitzbühel, Austria

    Budget: Family pensions near the Hahnenkamm, Super Saver weeks, valley practice lifts at no charge and the Aquarena pool. Mid: Four-star hotels by the town park and the old town, walking distance from the gondola. Luxury: Tennerhof, the Kempinski and the Schlosshotel, with spas of up to 3,600 m² and starred dining in town.

    Kolašin 1600, Montenegro

    Budget: One of the cheapest ski days in Europe, about €25 for an adult, with family hotels and apartments in Kolašin town and kačamak lunches in the mountain taverns. Mid: Hotel Wulfenia and Dream House in Kolašin, minutes from the lifts by road, with spa and restaurant on site. Luxury: Swissôtel Resort Kolašin, ski-in, ski-out at 1,600 metres, or Bianca Resort & Spa in 25 hectares of pine forest.

    Kopaonik, Serbia

    Budget: Apartments and family hotels around the resort centre, with some of Europe’s best-value passes and lessons. Mid: The classic resort hotels with spas and pools, steps from the lifts. Luxury: The Viceroy Kopaonik, with suites, a penthouse and a full spa.

    Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

    Budget: A €50 adult day pass, a €140 family day pass and family-run guesthouses, with Ljubljana two hours away by bus. Mid: The Hit Alpinea hotels at the foot of the slopes, the Kompas and Ramada Resort, with pools and wellness. Luxury: Chalet Sofija, holder of two MICHELIN Keys, and the boutique hotels of Lake Jasna and Gozd Martuljek.

    Krvavec, Slovenia

    Budget: A pre-sale adult day pass at €43 for 2026/27, children’s at €27, and the Muštrinka apartments on the mountain for families and groups of friends. Mid: Hotel Krvavec, Slovenia’s highest hotel, right on the slopes at Tiha dolina, with breakfast, dinner and saunas that open onto the snow. Luxury: Boutique Dvor Jezeršek in Cerklje, between the airport and the cable car, or Vander Urbani in Ljubljana, with dinner at a MICHELIN Guide table (2026).

    LAAX, Switzerland

    Budget: The Wellness Hostel 3000 and the mountainhostel, early online tickets in the LAAX app, Caffè NoName hot dogs and the Aua Grava pool. Mid: Apartments at the rocksresort, family hotels in Flims, fondue at Casa Veglia and lunch in the Stalla at Alp Nagens. Luxury: Spa hotels in Flims such as the Adula and the Schweizerhof, MICHELIN-listed dinners at Mulania and Cavigilli, and a drive to Schloss Schauenstein.

    Lech Zürs, Austria

    Budget: The Klein & Fein guesthouses and B&Bs, with the ski bus included in your pass and Spar for self-catering. Mid: Family-run hotels in Lech and Zug, with the lifts and Der Weisse Ring on the doorstep. Luxury: The five-star family hotels of Lech and car-free Oberlech, with two-star dining and heli-skiing.

    Levi, Finland

    Budget: Online lift passes from €57 a day booked 14 days ahead, the Ski Bus included, the Leevilandia family area at €15.50, lunch buffets at Ämmilä or the Gondola restaurant, and an evening at Water World Levi from €25. Mid: Hotel Hullu Poro or Hotel K5 Levi in the village, a cabin with its own sauna, and the Reindeer Feast at Kammi. Luxury: Design Hotel Levi with northern-lights rooms, a glass igloo at Levi Igloos Golden Crown with dinner at Utsu, or Hotel Levi Panorama at the summit with the Sky Bar on its seventh floor.

    Livigno, Italy

    Budget: Promotional-period day passes from €51.50, the ski pass included with a 5-night hotel stay in early and late season, B&Bs and family three-stars, and buses at no charge with MyLivignoPass. Mid: Family-run four-stars with pools near the lifts, slope-side huts and après at Stalet and Alm Centrale. Luxury: Lac Salin’s 1,200 m² spa, the Mo.he boutique hotel, private-spa chalets and five MICHELIN-listed tables.

    Madonna di Campiglio, Italy

    Budget: Family-run three-stars and B&B hotels near the lifts, children up to 8 skiing at no charge with a paying adult, and hut lunches on cheese and polenta. Mid: Four-star family hotels with spas a short walk from the Spinale and Pradalago lifts, and snowcat dinners at the malghe. Luxury: Alpen Suite and Chalet del Sogno (five-star), DV Chalet and the Hermitage, and four MICHELIN-starred restaurants in and around the village.

    Mammoth Mountain, United States

    Budget: Condos in the Village with kitchens, the beginner-chair ticket, the town's shuttle buses and a Vons supermarket for self-catering. Mid: The Village Lodge or Juniper Springs, a Quad Pack+ of four flexible days, and dinners at Vulcania or the Mogul. Luxury: The Westin Monache or the new Limelight Mammoth by the Village Gondola, dinner at the Lakefront in historic Tamarack Lodge, and private lessons from Main Lodge.

    Mariborsko Pohorje, Slovenia

    Budget: Ride the city bus G6 to the gondola, ski weekdays on a €42 adult pass (2025/26) or Thursday to Saturday nights for €36, and stay in town. Mid: Habakuk, at the foot of the gondola, with its 740 m² wellness, or the Zarja and Forest Hotel Videc up on the plateau. Luxury: Grand Hotel Bellevue at the top of the gondola, the Bolfenk wellness hotel, and dinner at Hiša Denk, Maribor’s MICHELIN-starred table (2026).

    Mavrovo, North Macedonia

    Budget: One of the best-value ski weeks in Europe, with season passes that cost less than a few days in the Alps and family hotels around the lake. Mid: Radika Resort, with its own ski lift, indoor and outdoor pools and lake views. Luxury: Grand Chamois Hotel & Spa: suites, a wellness centre and a quiet, forest-scented retreat in the heart of Mavrovo.

    Mayrhofen, Austria

    Budget: Self-catering apartments, the self-service Penkenjochhaus, the ski buses and afternoon tickets from €41. Mid: Family-run four-stars like the Rose and the Kramerwirt, lunch at the Stieralm or the Ahornhütte, and a Superskipass day at Hintertux. Luxury: ElisabethHotel’s Sissi Suites, the Neue Post, a night at the Schneekarhütte at 2,223 m and spa evenings at the Strass.

    Megève, France

    Budget: Small family hotels in the village and on Mont d’Arbois, the Breizh Café Bib Gourmand, early and late-season pass discounts and the Meg’Bus included with your lift pass. Mid: Four-star hotels near the centre and the Mont d’Arbois lifts, mountain lunches at L’Alpette or Super Megève, and the Balnéoforme pools after skiing. Luxury: The Four Seasons, a Palace since June 2026 and the only ski-in hotel in Megève, Les Fermes de Marie, Lodge Park, and Emmanuel Renaut’s three-star Flocons de Sel.

    Mont-Tremblant, Canada

    Budget: Advance multi-day tickets from CAD 109 a day, the Holiday Inn Express with breakfast, crêpes, and the no-fare municipal bus. Mid: Homewood Suites on Place Saint-Bernard, Snow School weeks, fondue at La Savoie and après at La Diable. Luxury: Fairmont Tremblant, lakeside suites at Hotel Quintessence, the Scandinave baths and dinner at sEb L’Artisan Culinaire.

    Nevis Range, United Kingdom

    Budget: The campervan park or a hostel in Fort William, with the bus from town and lunch at the Snowgoose Café. Mid: The Basecamp Hotel at the foot of the gondola or the Lime Tree in Fort William. Luxury: Inverlochy Castle, three miles away, with dinner at ‘Seasgair’ by Michel Roux Jr.

    Oberstdorf, Germany

    Budget: The Söllereck day pass at €58.50, Kässpatzen at the Berggasthof Seeweg, the self-service Market Restaurant and buses included for guests. Mid: Small four-stars such as Das Freiberg and the Mohren, Bib Gourmand dinners at Das Jagdhaus and Das Fetzwerk, and an afternoon at the Therme. Luxury: Löwen & Strauss and its one-star ESS ATELIER, the spa at the Hotel Exquisit, and the Nebelhorn summit on a clear morning.

    Pal Arinsal, Andorra

    Budget: Andorra’s family resort: children under 5 ski at no charge, seniors 65–69 pay €29.50 a day, the nursery costs from €61 a day and two hotel nights with a two-day pass start at €101 a person a night in early December (palarinsal.com, 2026/27). Mid: Four-star mountain hotels in La Massana, Hotel Rutllan & Spa or the abba Xalet Suites at Sispony, with the gondola to Pal a short ride away. Luxury: Andorra Park Hotel, the country’s first five-star, six kilometres down the road in Andorra la Vella, with MICHELIN-listed dining and Caldea close by.

    Palandöken, Türkiye

    Budget: Room-and-breakfast at the Palan Hotel, its baby lift for beginners, and cağ kebabı in town. Mid: Half or full board at Sway, Palan or the two Dedeman hotels, all at the foot of the slopes. Luxury: Polat Palandöken, with its own chairlift, MOMO après-ski, Peak at 2,500 m and a Turkish bath.

    Palisades Tahoe, United States

    Budget: Condo-style rooms at the Olympic Village Inn or Granlibakken outside Tahoe City, TART buses, and pizza and beer at Le Chamois. Mid: Slopeside suites in the Village, an Ikon Base Pass, and Mexican food at Tremigo or wine at Uncorked. Luxury: Everline Resort & Spa, ski-in and ski-out, dinner at PlumpJack Cafe, and a mountain guide for the day.

    Pamporovo, Bulgaria

    Budget: Hotel Snezhanka’s family rooms and warm pool, ski-and-lesson packages, and kids’ rental sets; a Select day pass is €31 for children 7–11 (2026/27). Mid: The Grand Hotel Murgavets in the centre, by the shopping street and the ski shops, with suites with saunas. Luxury: The operator’s five-star Perelik, with a 2,500 m² spa and semi-Olympic pool, the fireside Orlovetz, or the boutique Villa Arfa.

    Park City Mountain, United States

    Budget: Suites with kitchens at Kimball Junction, town buses with no fares, Cloud Dine donuts and a first-timer lesson with the Green Run Guarantee. Mid: Condominiums at Canyons Village, lunch at Mid Mountain Lodge, and evenings on Main Street at High West and No Name Saloon. Luxury: Pendry Park City or the Washington School House, the tasting menu at The Nelson Cottage, and private guides across 7,300 acres.

    Parnassos, Greece

    Budget: Midweek skiing for €20 a day (2025/26), the guesthouses of Arachova and the roadside inn of Chani Zemenou. Mid: Anemolia Mountain Resort and Likoria in Arachova, with the village’s tavernas on foot. Luxury: Tagli Resort & Villas at Livadi, with suites, villas, pools and spa, and the chalets of Elatos in the fir forest.

    Platak, Croatia

    Budget: An adult day pass at €18 on weekdays and €14 at night (2025/26), a weekly pass at €100, and beds in the Platak mountain lodge by the lifts. Mid: Hotel Continental in Opatija, in a garden between two Austro-Hungarian villas, a short drive below the slopes. Luxury: Ski in the morning, then the Habsburg grandeur of Amadria Park Hotel Milenij on the Opatija seafront and dinner at Plavi Podrum in Volosko harbour.

    Poiana Brașov, Romania

    Budget: Stay in Brașov and ride bus 20 up to the slopes, with a day pass at 240 lei (2025/26) and the beginners’ slopes of Bradul and Stadion. Mid: The Ana hotels and Alpin Resort, with pools, spas and the ski school and rental on site. Luxury: Teleferic Grand Hotel and Alpin Resort’s Casa Alpin, with spas, fine dining and evenings in the resort.

    Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Canada

    Budget: Downtown motels like the Swiss Chalet, the CAD 2 resort shuttle, rentals booked 48 hours ahead and burgers at the Outpost. Mid: The 1902 Regent Hotel or Gravity Haus, Snow School lessons, and après at Mackenzie Common Tavern and Mt. Begbie Brewing. Luxury: Ski-in, ski-out suites at The Sutton Place, private lessons and First Tracks, and a heli-skiing day with Selkirk Tangiers.

    Ruka, Finland

    Budget: Hostel Aurora in Kuusamo, 20 minutes away, the -20% online lift tickets before 30 November, the Family Park day ticket at €14, and lunch at Ski Bistro on the slopes. Mid: A Ski-Inn apartment by the slopes in Ruka village or Ruka Valley, with 30% off lift tickets for stays of four nights or more, and dinner at Rukan Kuksa. Luxury: Ruka Peak’s fell-top chalet for a private group, the lakeside manor of House of Northern Senses with its smoke sauna, or Studio Restaurant Tundra’s chef’s table.

    Sestriere (Via Lattea), Italy

    Budget: Day passes from €52 online, family-run three-stars and apartments with a mini market, pizzerias since 1960 and the train to Oulx. Mid: Four-star hotels a few steps from the lifts, Piedmontese restaurants and a lively après scene on Piazza Fraiteve. Luxury: Nest and the Principi di Piemonte on the slopes, spa hotels, heli-skiing and a chalet hotel at 2,600 metres.

    Sierra Nevada, Spain

    Budget: A return bus from Granada costs €10, every car park in the resort is currently free, and the adult day pass at the ticket office runs from €56 in mid-April to €72 at peak times (sierranevada.es, 2026/27); the Cetursa-run Aparthotel Trevenque has kitchenettes 50 metres from the gondola. Mid: Hotel Kenia Nevada, 100 metres from the Borreguiles gondola, with a spa circuit for €35, or Meliá Sol y Nieve on the Plaza de Pradollano. Luxury: El Lodge, the resort’s alpine boutique hotel, ski-in, ski-out, with the only heated open-air pool in Sierra Nevada; then down to Granada for Faralá, starred in the MICHELIN Guide Spain 2026.

    Sinaia, Romania

    Budget: A town hotel and the train from Bucharest, a points card from 100 lei or a day pass at 210 lei on weekdays (2025/26), and rental from 60 lei a day. Mid: Historic Hotel Palace or Caraiman by the park, or Hotel International and Alexandrion Experience with pools and spas, and the cable car from town. Luxury: Radisson Blu Cota 1400, ski-in, ski-out at 1,400 metres in a 1939 building, with the Forêt Kitsune spa and a rooftop après bar.

    Sljeme, Croatia

    Budget: Take ZET bus 140 or the cable car up from the city, ski a short day, and lunch on štrukli and turkey with mlinci back in town. Mid: Hotel Tomislavov dom at the summit, with an indoor pool and sauna, or the Snježna kraljica apartments on the northern side. Luxury: Stay at the Esplanade in Zagreb, ski Sljeme for a morning, and dine at Noel, the city’s MICHELIN-starred table.

    Snowbird, United States

    Budget: A studio at The Inn, groceries and sandwiches from General Gritts, the UTA ski bus, and the $42 Chickadee ticket for first-timers. Mid: A condo at The Lodge at Snowbird, laps under the Tram, lunch at The Nest, and pool and pizza at the Tram Club. Luxury: The Cliff Club or a Cliff Lodge suite, dinner at The Aerie, the rooftop pool at The Cliff Spa and a day of heli-skiing.

    St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria

    Budget: Family pensions in St. Jakob, Nasserein and Stuben, booked through the tourist office, with the ski bus and the WellCom pools. Mid: Four-star family hotels in the village centre, a few minutes’ walk from the Galzigbahn. Luxury: Hotel Tannenhof’s suites and two-star dining, the Ullrhaus and St. Christoph on the pass.

    St. Moritz, Switzerland

    Budget: The youth hostel by the forest, three-star hotels such as the Waldhaus am See, Sleep & Ski passes with a partner hotel, and Hanselmann for coffee and nut cake. Mid: Family-run four-stars in the centre such as the Steffani (since 1869) and the Laudinella, lunch at the Alpina Hütte, and the Engadin’s lakes for cross-country skiing. Luxury: Badrutt’s Palace, the Kulm, the Carlton and the ski-in Suvretta House, with Da Vittorio and Ecco at two MICHELIN stars.

    Stara Planina, Serbia

    Budget: Mountain Lodge Midžor below Babin Zub, a day pass from 3,450 RSD (2025/26) and ski hire from 1,600 RSD a day. Mid: Hotel Babin Zub, a 21-room mountain hotel with a fireplace café, steps from the Konjarnik chairlift. Luxury: Hotel Stara Planina, 20 metres from the slopes beside the gondola, with suites, indoor pool, hammam and a children’s club.

    Stowe, United States

    Budget: The Stowe Motel & Snowdrift on the Mountain Road, an Epic 1-Day ticket bought early, and pints at Idletyme. Mid: The Green Mountain Inn in the village, the Epic Pass, and lager and Austrian food at the von Trapp Bierhall. Luxury: The Lodge at Spruce Peak, a treatment in its 21,000-square-foot spa, and dinner at the Cliff House at the top of the gondola.

    Sun Valley, United States

    Budget: A resort condo or Hotel Ketchum, Mountain Rides buses with no fare, and first turns on Dollar Mountain. Mid: The Sun Valley Inn or Limelight Ketchum with breakfast included, lunch at The Roundhouse and the Pioneer Saloon at night. Luxury: A suite at the Sun Valley Lodge or a lakeside cottage, the sleigh to Trail Creek Cabin and dinner at The Ram.

    Telluride, United States

    Budget: The Mountainside Inn by Lift 7, the Victorian Inn and The Bivvi hostel, the gondola without a fare, and Brown Dog Pizza and the Last Dollar Saloon. Mid: The Hotel Telluride and Camel’s Garden by the gondola, lunch at Gorrono Ranch, and dinners at Siam, Rustico and The National. Luxury: The Madeline, Lumière and The Peaks, snow-coach dinners at Alpino Vino, Allred’s above the valley, and private lessons into the hike-to terrain.

    The Lecht, United Kingdom

    Budget: A morning or afternoon pass, hire in the day lodge and lunch in the self-service restaurant. Mid: A snowsports-school package with tuition, hire and slope access in one price. Luxury: Kildrummy Inn on the Don, with its restored rooms and MICHELIN-listed kitchen.

    Trysil, Norway

    Budget: Riverside cabins at Trysil Hyttegrend, 2 km from the centre with the ski bus, groceries from Coop Mega, lunch at Kafé Kasserolle, and a SkiPass booked early online, when it is cheapest. Mid: An apartment at Trysilfjell Apartment Hotel by the slopes at Turistsenteret, or Trysil Hotel in the town centre with its own brewery bistro. Luxury: SkiStar Lodge Trysil at 802 metres in Fageråsen, with Kulpen Spa, or Radisson Blu Resort Trysil, one of Norway’s largest resort hotels, with Alpine Spa, an indoor surf wave and dinner at TASTE.

    Uludağ, Türkiye

    Budget: Gondola day trips from Bursa, points cards to share between the family, and pide at the Kurbağakaya station. Mid: Full board at Beceren, Le Chalet or Genç Yazıcı, or all-inclusive at Kaya and Bof, with ski schools on the doorstep. Luxury: Ceylan Splend’or’s chalets and 1,550 m² spa, or Swissôtel’s restored sanatorium in the Kirazlıyayla forest.

    Vail, United States

    Budget: The Evergreen Lodge and West Vail hotels, Epic Day Passes bought early, the town’s buses without a fare, and pizza, deli and café lunches. Mid: Family-run lodges such as Pepi’s and the Tivoli, condos with kitchens at Manor Vail and The Wren, and Bavarian dinners at Almresi and Alpenrose. Luxury: The Sonnenalp, Four Seasons and The Arrabelle, lunch at The 10th, and Sweet Basil and Osaki’s from the MICHELIN Guide.

    Val Gardena / Alta Badia, Italy

    Budget: Family garni B&Bs in Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva, dormitory beds at a hut above Selva, Despar supermarkets and the South Tyrol Guest Pass for buses. Mid: Family hotels with spas, huts serving Ladin dishes on the slopes and après at the Luislkeller and Saltos. Luxury: Adler Dolomiti, Alpenroyal, La Perla and Badia Hill, with five MICHELIN-starred restaurants between the two valleys.

    Val d'Isère, France

    Budget: La Daille’s apartments and the family-run 2- and 3-star hotels in the village, with early- and late-season pass rates and no-charge passes for under-8s. Mid: The village centre: 3- and 4-star hotels a short walk from the Solaise and Bellevarde lifts, with the whole Tignes–Val d’Isère area on one pass. Luxury: Five-star hotels on the snow front, from Les Barmes de l’Ours and its one-star La Table de l’Ours to Airelles and Le K2 Chogori.

    Vasilitsa, Greece

    Budget: Adult day passes of €15 on weekdays (2025/26), children 6–12 at €5, and family guesthouses in Smixi and Samarina. Mid: Valia Nostra Escape Hotel in Smixi, with an indoor pool, maisonettes and suites close to the slopes. Luxury: A suite at Valia Nostra or a family apartment at La Noi in Samarina, the highest village in the Pindus.

    Verbier, Switzerland

    Budget: Three-star family hotels and a B&B in the village, Bruson’s cheaper passes, and the free-of-charge magic carpets at Les Esserts and Les Moulins. Mid: Boutique hotels on the Place Centrale, lunch in the hamlet of Clambin or at La Marmotte, and the Verbier–Tzoumaz pass. Luxury: W Verbier at the foot of the slopes, Le Chalet d’Adrien and its one-star La Table d’Adrien, Cordée des Alpes and the Experimental Chalet.

    Vogel, Slovenia

    Budget: An adult day pass at €45 (2025/26), children under six ski free with their parents, a €2 Bohinj ski bus and family inns such as Štrud’l in Bohinjska Bistrica. Mid: Hotel Jezero on the lakeshore at Ribčev Laz, with its indoor pool and saunas, or Bohinj ECO Hotel and its aquapark in Bohinjska Bistrica. Luxury: Hotel Bohinj and the Vila Muhr tasting menu in Ribčev Laz, or the boutique Majer’ca in Stara Fužina, whose restaurant holds a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2026).

    Whistler Blackcomb, Canada

    Budget: Private pods at Pangea and the HI Whistler hostel, restricted day passes bought early, and bakery breakfasts at Purebread. Mid: Suite hotels such as the Pan Pacific steps from the gondolas, Snow School lessons for the whole family, and après at the GLC. Luxury: Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Four Seasons, lakeside suites at Nita Lake Lodge, lunch at Christine’s and dinner at Araxi.

    Zakopane, Poland

    Budget: Strong value in złoty: a day on Nosal costs 145–180 zł in 2026/27, depending on the period, with 4-hour cards from 115 zł (nosal.pl), and the PKL season pass for Kasprowy Wierch, Gubałówka and three more PKL resorts cost 2,099 zł bought online by 30 September 2026, against 2,799 zł from 1 December (pkl.pl). Stay in a pension or Hotel Sabała on Krupówki and eat at the milk bars. Mid: Grand Hotel Stamary, in a building whose story goes back to 1905, or Hotel Belvedere at the entrance to the Biały valley, both with pool and spa, and dinner at Stary Niedźwiedź, a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand. Luxury: Nosalowy Park or Aries, Zakopane’s five-star hotels, with NABE SPA and Aries SPA, dinner at Marilor or at Giewont in Kościelisko, holder of one MICHELIN star in 2026, and a reserved place on the Kasprowy cable car.

    Zermatt, Switzerland

    Budget: Simple, family-run hotels in the village, picnic-friendly supermarkets and bakeries, and the Wolli Card for children’s lift travel. Mid: Traditional four-star hotels such as the Julen, mountain inns like Riffelhaus 1853, and lunches in the hamlets of Findeln and Zum See. Luxury: The Mont Cervin Palace and its Capri, the cliff-top Omnia, ski-in Riffelalp at 2,222 m, and four one-star tables in the village.

    Åre, Sweden

    Budget: Åre Bed & Breakfast or Pensionat Mullfjället in Duved, the new, cheaper Duved and Tegefjäll area pass, waffles at Lillåstugan and the lunch buffet at Coop Åre. Mid: Hotel Granen or Hotel Fjällgården on the slopes above the village, or a SkiStar apartment by the VM8 gondola, with dinner at Werséns on the square. Luxury: Copperhill Mountain Lodge, Peter Bohlin’s wooden design hotel at 730 metres with its own lift and Level Spa, or Hotel Åregården, the village’s oldest hotel, with tasting menus at Imilla.

    Špindlerův Mlýn, Czechia

    Budget: Gopass prices fall when you book early online: TMR announced 2025/26 passes here from CZK 820. The CITY SKI bus from Prague, with a day pass included, costs CZK 1,350 in the low season and CZK 1,600 in the high season (skiareal.cz), the town ski buses cost nothing, and family hotels such as Lenka sit 300 m from the Svatý Petr chairlift. Mid: Harmony Hotel on the sunny slopes of Medvědín, Wellness Hotel Astra above the Elbe dam, or Hotel Bedřiška with its 25-metre pool, all partner hotels whose guests ride the chairlifts at no charge in summer. Luxury: Hotel Savoy, a symbol of the town since 1881, with the MICHELIN-listed SAVOYA restaurant, the Hennessy Bar and the Mountain Serenity Spa, or the six suites of Aparthotel Residence Grand.

    Žabljak / Durmitor, Montenegro

    Budget: Family hotels and apartments in Žabljak, the gentle Javorovača slopes by the town for sledging and first turns, and grills and mountain cooking at Podgora. Mid: Hotel Javor, Gorske Oči or Lovac in town, a short drive from the Savin Kuk lifts. Luxury: Hotel SOA, a four-star of 16 rooms and suites with a small spa, on the road to the Black Lake.

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