Avoid the crowds and cost of traditional alpine resorts with these hidden gems. Photo / 123rf
Avoid the crowds and cost of traditional alpine resorts with these hidden gems. Photo / 123rf
A ski holiday in Europe can be eye-wateringly expensive if you don’t know about these off-the-beaten-track spots.
The European skiing holy trinity of France, Austria and Switzerland has some of the most picturesque slopes and challenging runs, but with that comes long queues, pricey lift passes and crowded restaurants andbars. Step away from the Zermatts and the Chamonixes, though, and several countries offer great skiing holidays on a more modest budget.
Italy
In the Unesco World Heritage-listed Dolomites, the Dolomiti Superski region provides access to 12 ski resorts across 1200km of slopes. Cortina d’Ampezzo is the most popular (the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only was filmed there); Kronplatz and Alta Badia are favoured by families, given easier slopes and play areas for kids.
The Sellaronda circuit is renowned for its panoramic views and its challenging slopes, while the Lagazuoi run passes by ice waterfalls and ends with a horse-drawn sleigh service back to Alta Badia. Italy is also economical, with five of the top 10 best value ski resorts as per Post Office UK’s 2025 Ski Report. Stay at a rifugio (mountain hut) like Scotoni or Lagazuoi – they offer inexpensive dorm-style accommodation, with easy access to the slopes and hearty food.
Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy was a filming location for James Bond’s For Your Eyes Only. Photo / 123rf
Spain
A country famous for its balmy weather isn’t top of skiers’ agendas, but the Spanish Pyrenees offer miles of powdery pistes. Baqueira-Beret, where the ski season runs from pre-Christmas to post-Easter, is a favourite with the Spanish royal family. The Luis Arias and Escornacrabes runs in Baqueira offer spectacular views while testing experienced skiers, while Beret and nearby Formigal suit beginners and intermediates. Their higher reaches are also good for off-piste, heli-skiing and ski touring. In southern Spain is Sierra Nevada, which hosted the 1996 World Alpine Ski Championships. Its nursery slopes are as high as 2700m, and the La Laguna and Fuente del Tesero runs rival Alpine runs. The apres scene is lively at bars such as Jaleo and El Lodge in the valley village of Pradollano.
Ski resort Sierra Nevada in southern Spain offers skiing as high as 2700m – higher than many Alpine resorts. Photo / 123rf
Andorra
A tiny country nestled between Spain and France, Andorra is a freerider’s paradise. Arinsal is the most famous resort, where marked freeride zones wind through gladed slopes. The nearby resort of Arcalis (hosting the Freeride World Tour championships) offers multiple challenges for experienced skiers. Soldeu offers access to the Grandvalira ski area and is popular with budget-friendly skiers. The Grandvalira lift pass provides access to all resorts, though guides are required for freeriding. After skiing, relax in the thermal spa complexes of Caldea, among Europe’s largest spas, dine at Ibaya, Andorra’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, or take advantage of the country’s reduced tax status with some retail therapy.
Norway
Norway is the undisputed Olympic champion of cross-country skiing, with 52 golds and 129 medals across 24 Winter Olympics. Geilo is the country’s oldest ski resort, with a mix of nursery slopes and black runs, and you can also try out snow-kiting in the Hardangervidda plateau. Lillehammer and Trysil are ideal for families and beginners, while Hemsedal is popular for off-piste. Norway’s ski resorts are also famously child-friendly, with activity parks like the Hunderfossen Winter Park in Lillehammer, which has a fairytale theme, ice sculptures and troll walks, or free skiing for kids under 6. Don’t miss trying out activities such as tobogganing, dog-sledding or quad biking on snow circuits.
Sweden
In Riksgränsen in northern Sweden, some routes pass through Norway; adventurous skiers can head all the way to the North Sea in Narvik (and return by train). Riksgränsen is also known for midsummer skiing under the midnight sun, as well as for heli-skiing and snowboarding. Further south, Åre’s slopes hosted the 2019 Alpine World Ski Championships, and its mogul-dotted Hummelbranten is a black run that challenges even the most experienced of skiers. Hungry skiers can feast on smoked reindeer and moose carpaccio at family-run establishments such as Fjällpuben and Liten Krog in Åre, enjoy the apres scene at Gronan bar in Riksgränsen, or check out the sauna facilities most hotels have.
More than a century ago, Bulgarian monarch Kniaz Ferdinand built his summer residence in Borovets, near Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. It expanded into the Balkans’ largest winter sports centre in the 1960s. The slopes of Rila and Pirin mountains in Borovets and neighbouring Bansko provide gentle terrain for skiers and snowboarders, and are easy on the wallet too. Accommodation ranges from modest villas to luxury hotels such as Kempinski Grand. Bansko is known for its apres-ski parties, with bars like The Happy End and Kolibata offering a lively, convivial atmosphere. For a quieter time, check out the Bulgarian taverns or mehanas, where you can try traditional dishes such as meshana skara (mixed meat grill) and lozovi sarmi (stuffed grape leaves).
The ski resort of Borovets at Rila Mountain in Bulgaria offers gentle terrain for skiers and snowboarders. Photo / 123rf
Slovenia
Home to the lesser-popular but no less beautiful Julian Alps, Slovenia is the dark horse of alpine skiing. Near the picturesque town of Bled is the Vogel ski resort, which offers gorgeous views of Lake Bohinj and beginner-friendly slopes. Kranjska Gora, near the border with Austria and Italy, has the Julian Alps ski pass, which offers access to 15 ski resorts across the three countries. Hardcore skiers can also take a four-day Juliana Ski Tour across Slovenia. Off the slopes, take a leisurely pletna boat to the island in the middle of Lake Bled, or hike up to Bled Castle. Gastronomes can dine at Milka in Kranjska Gora, which boasts two Michelin stars, or have a homestyle experience at log cabin restaurants like Krmise nestled in the mountains.
Slovakia
The up-and-coming destination of European skiing, the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia, are known for off-piste skiing. In the Lower Tatras is Jasna, the country’s largest ski resort, which has an impressive variety of red runs, offers night skiing and has dedicated freeride zones for off-piste. Near the Polish border is Tatranska, where the lower slopes take beginners through lovely forests, while the higher slopes challenge experts with steep vertical drops. Try out Slovak cuisine in Jasna’s kolibas (shepherd huts) such as Slovenska Koliba or Chata Koliesko, or go for snow-tubing and sleigh rides at Tatranska.
