17 of the best weekend ski breaks in Europe

Here, we’ve found options for all skiing tastes and abilities. Some you’ll need to book close to the departure date to be sure of the snow. In others, you may need to shop around to find a hotel. But if all the stars align, they offer some of the best European skiing weekends.

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1. Heiligenblut am Grossglockner, Austria

Best for a back-of-beyond experience | Fly to Klagenfurt

Perhaps it’s the vial of Christ’s blood in the local church that keeps Heiligenblut’s slopes so snowy? Or could it be the fact that its small ski area rises to 2,900m? Either way, it’s a resolutely snowsure place to ski, even in a mild winter. It’s a spectacular one, too — on account of its end-of-the-line location, beneath the towering 3,798m peak of the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak. Admittedly you’ll need to fly to Klagenfurt’s under-used airport to get there, which severely limits your UK departure points. You’ll also need to drive west for a couple of hours on arrival. But once you’ve checked into the chic, heather and chocolate-coloured rooms at the Hotel Kärntnerhof, and taken your first turns on the blissfully uncrowded pistes, you’ll probably think the extra effort worthwhile. Alpine skiing is rarely so serene.

2. La Thuile, Italy

CONSORZIO OPERATORI TURISTICI LA THUILE

Best for skiing variety (and value) | Fly to Turin or Geneva

Yes, La Thuile is a little trickier to reach than its Aosta Valley rival, Courmayeur. A good run from either Geneva or Turin takes around two hours. But if your priority is piste-skiing rather than la dolce vita — and you’re after feistier slopes too — then it’s worth driving the extra distance to this former mining town. Book into the refurbished Planibel hotel and you’ll be right at the bottom of the ski area, with venison polenta lunches beckoning at the friendly and affordable Petit Skieur restaurant nearby. The steep skiing comes courtesy of La Thuile’s thrilling Franco Berthod World Cup piste. But higher up, a sunny balcony of slopes offers mellower snow — and if you keep going southwest, you can ski all the way to La Rosière in France.

3. Hochfügen, Austria

Best for powder snow and sundecks | Fly to Innsbruck

Less than an hour from Innsbruck airport, Hochfügen is the first ski area you hit at the mouth of the long, deep Zillertal. And like the valley in which it’s set, Hochfügen knows variety is one of its strongest suits. The village itself is tiny. A little hamlet of hotels, it’s squirrelled away in a forested side-valley and is something of a schneeloch: a snowhole that snags more than its share of blizzards and has a local reputation for deep powder. Stay in the four-star Hotel Lamark and you’ll enjoy low-key nights and (potentially) epic days thanks to Hochfügen’s unrivalled off-piste infrastructure. This includes a beginner’s freeride area as well as free off-piste guiding at the weekends, transceiver training and an info point for avalanche updates. Meanwhile 57 miles of prepared pistes await if conditions aren’t right or you’re not ready to ski deep snow.

Head to Kaltenbach in the main valley and you’ll find a lower, more workaday base with access to the sunnier, less-forested side of the ski area. It’s also closer to the Kristalhütte — one of Austria’s coolest mountain bars and restaurants with sunloungers on its terrace, a convivial circular fireplace indoors and a piste-side sauna.

4. Laax, Switzerland

Best for snowboarders | Fly to Zurich

For years, Laax has been the go-to resort for weekending snowboarders and freestylers from Zurich, but it’s not the natural terrain that draws them. It’s the mighty NoName and P60 snow parks, which are home to one of Europe’s biggest and best kept superpipes as well as every conceivable kind of kicker, box and rail. Performance levels are sky high, helped by the coaches at the resort’s Freestyle Academy. So, if you’re a wannabe acrobat and want to measure yourself against the best, book at least one weekend on the Crap Sogn Gion — which is, by the way, the name of the mountain. Lower down, accommodation includes the Riders hotel, which has bunk rooms for four as well as doubles; the parties in the nightclub below are legendary.

5. Innsbruck, Austria

Best for instant access to the slopes | Fly to Innsbruck

Step off the plane at Innsbruck airport, and you can see where you’ll be skiing as you walk towards passport control. Notice that round-topped peak, six miles southeast of the runway? That’s the Patscherkofel, where Franz Klammer won Olympic downhill gold in 1976. He may have flirted with disaster from start to finish, but the slopes down which he hurtled are for the most part broad and steady, provided everyone puts in a few turns.

Confident intermediates will like it best: especially if they book into the Sporthotel Igls in the mountain suburb of Igls, and sign up for a run on the local Olympic bobsleigh. The bobsleigh is so fast, it’s like being strapped to a bullet and fired out of a gun. Meanwhile, off-pisters should fix their gaze firmly on the looming crags of the Nordkette, immediately north of the city, and pray for fresh snow. When there’s powder, the avalanche-protected chutes near the top offer some of the most exciting, eye-popping descents in the Austrian Alps. For those, Adlers Hotel in the city centre is the place to stay. It’s only ten minutes’ walk from the funicular railway to the Nordkette, and has a rooftop bar on the 13th floor.

• Best ski resorts in Austria

6. Megève, France

Best for sybarites and epicureans | Fly to Geneva

Megève is one of the great smoothies of the skiing world. It was developed by the Rothschild family in the 1920s, and its luxury hotels and broad, ego-boosting pistes have long been favoured by the French elite — especially those who like their gastronomic lunches as much as their snow. That said, there’s excellent, tree-lined intermediate skiing here, only 70 minutes’ drive from Geneva airport: and if you check into the central, rustic-luxe Hotel Mont Blanc Megève, and splash out on lunch at the Flocons de Sel (which has three Michelin stars), you may well fall in love with Megève too. Just be sure to head there mid-winter, ideally in January or February, as most of the slopes lie between 1,100m and 2,100m, which is low by modern standards.

• Best ski resorts in France

7. Chamonix, France

Best for expert skiers | Fly to Geneva

Chamonix always gets a mention when the conversation turns to ski weekends. And no wonder. Barely an hour from Geneva, this bright-eyed, up-for-anything town crouches beneath the mightiest of all the Alps — Mont Blanc — and serves up several of their most exacting and exhilarating off-piste descents. If you’ve got the legs to ski 2,000 vertical metres of steep powder, and the budget to afford a top-rated IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide, then book into Les Grands Montets Hôtel & Spa, next to the ski lifts in Argentière — just north of Chamonix town — and get set for a proper adventure (which will probably involve some ski touring until the Grands Montets cable car is replaced in 2026).

If conditions are right, this could be the pinnacle of your skiing career. Intermediates will, by contrast, wonder what all the fuss is about. Yes, there are several areas of lift-serviced pistes scattered along the Chamonix valley, but they’re all quite small, and getting between them by car or local bus is a bore. Stay in the outlying village of Les Houches and ski its steady, tree-lined slopes if you must. But it’s better to save a visit for your more skilful future, and enjoy the likes of Morzine, Megève and La Clusaz in the meantime.

8. Courmayeur, Italy

Best for la dolce vita | Fly to Turin

Courmayeur is about ten miles from Chamonix, via the Mont Blanc tunnel. But it’s a very different resort. Here, on the sunny side of the Alps, the emphasis is on good food, stylish piste-skiing and the evening passeggiata, up and down the traffic-free Via Roma. Yes, of course, there are epic off-piste descents to be tackled here too, most memorably on the Mont Blanc massif, linked to the valley by the Skyway cable car. But for most visitors the aim on a Courmayeur weekend is to make merry on the relatively steep pistes of its pocket-sized ski area and enjoy a good lunch in one of its fêted mountain restaurants. Meanwhile, down in town, the swanky, five-star Massif is a two minute-walk from the key lift up to the slopes. Those on a tighter budget should target the popular three-star Bouton d’Or.

• Best ski resorts in Italy

9. Pila, Italy

Best for bargain hunters (and historians) | Fly to Turin

A favourite school-trip destination, Pila is also a canny choice for weekenders on a tight budget. It’s only 70 minutes’ drive from Turin airport, and the journey is even shorter if you stay in the fascinating valley town of Aosta — linked to the pistes by gondola. Never mind the business-park atmosphere on the outskirts: in the centre, the town’s Roman walls are almost intact, as is its Augustan triumphal arch. It’s quite a change from your average ski resort. Up high, the lift system serves surprisingly varied terrain.

No-one would pretend it’s big, but it’s home to several short, sharp black-rated pistes as well as long easy blues and — its strongest suit — fast and enticing reds. The views across the Aosta Valley are magnificent too. If you can live with its four-night minimum stay requirement at weekends, the pretty little Hotel Della Nouva is a good spot in the ski village. Down in Aosta, Maison Boch is a chic B&B just off the main town square.

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10. Engelberg, Switzerland

Best for off-pisters | Fly to Zurich

The Laub is what makes Engelberg magnificent. An extraordinary off-piste run down the central section of the Titlis mountain, it drops at a steady pitch through 1,100 vertical metres — unbroken by any cliff bands or forests. When the snow’s good and deep, you’ll make turn after joyous turn until your legs explode. Coupled with short transfer times (75 minutes by car from Zurich airport) you’d think that such a miraculous slope would make Engelberg a popular target for short ski breaks. But its slopes are blissfully quiet, especially in midweek.

Try to time your arrival shortly after a snowstorm, book a room at the chic, refurbished Bellevue-Terminus hotel (along with an experienced mountain guide) and leave your piste-loving intermediate friends at home. There are a few groomed and way-marked runs here, but none is anywhere near as special as the Laub.

• Best ski resorts in Switzerland

11. Morzine, France

Best for intermediate explorers | Fly to Geneva

Access to the Portes du Soleil ski area is the big draw at Morzine. Stretching across the Swiss border, it is — in a cold, snowy winter — a vast, intermediate-friendly playground, with plenty of freeriding too (provided if you hire a guide to lead the way). Of course, you won’t do it justice in a single ski weekend or short break, but a group of athletic intermediates will have a blast trying, as they carve their way down its tree-lined blues and reds. They’ll enjoy the buzz in the bustling town centre too, and should book a central hotel, such as the friendly Bel’Alpe, to take full advantage of its bars and restaurants. But they must bear in mind Morzine’s modest altitude when planning when to go — this is not a pre-Christmas or late-March destination unless conditions are exceptional.

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12. La Clusaz, France

Best for variety | Fly to Geneva

Just over an hour from Geneva airport, La Clusaz packs a lot of variety into its mid-sized, mid-altitude ski area. That’s because it ranges across five massifs: from the steep, full-throttle slopes of La Balme to the tree-lined cruisers of Manigod. It’s home to a highly rated terrain park too — as well as off-piste terrain that nurtured the eye-popping talent of local hero Candide Thovex. Admittedly, it will take a while to get between the more far-flung sectors, so don’t try to see everything on day one. Find the slopes that suit you — the wide blues under the Crêt du Merle lift, perhaps, or the long, fast reds of La Balme — and stay put. For maximum Savoyard style and quick access to the main hub of lifts, the middle of the village is the place to stay, beneath the stone tower of church. Au Coeur du Village is the luxury option. Nearby, Les Airelles is a comfortable and convenient two-star.

13. Verbier, Switzerland

Best for hard-skiing socialites | Fly to Geneva

The strength of the Swiss franc has made Verbier a pricey resort for Brits in recent years. But there is a way to make it cheaper: by staying in the valley village of Le Châble. Here, the cute Hôtel A Lârze is an hour and 40 minutes from Geneva airport and close to two key lifts. One whisks you up to the middle of Verbier, and connects with a second lift up the mountain. The other Le Châble lift will take you directly to the quiet and underrated Bruson area. What’s more, the cable car up to Verbier runs until after 11pm, which means that socialites can enjoy the resort’s upmarket bars and restaurants without contemplating a bus or taxi ride back to base.

Meanwhile, up high, Verbier’s slopes remain as enticing as ever. Over a weekend, intermediates will find enough skiing to keep them smiling — provided they focus on the Savoleyres and Bruson sectors of the piste map. But the real appeal lies in skiing ungroomed snow. When conditions are right, there are slopes here to suit every level of off-pister: from the plucky first-timer to proper experts. So be sure to spend some of the money you’ve saved on accommodation on a qualified ski instructor or mountain guide.

14. Kühtai, Austria

Best for freestylers | Fly to Innsbruck

The little resort of Kühtai is a great spot for a terrain park — just 40 minutes’ drive from Innsbruck and high enough to withstand all but the steamiest spring thaw. What’s more, it’s shaped by the same company that built the Winter Olympic park at Pyeongchang in 2018. So you can expect reliable kickers, rails and boxes, as well as some stellar local talent to inspire your own tricks and jumps. But it’s not just freestylers who’ll enjoy it.

Kühtai’s ski area may not be big enough for a week-long trip, but it’s blast for a couple of days. Hotels such as the sleek, modern Vaya Kühtai (which has its own indoor pool) offer instant access to the snow, while long, steady intermediate pistes beckon on both sides of its mountain pass. More expert skiers will also be tempted by the resort’s thriving ski-touring scene. Book a guide to show you the way and suddenly the ski area becomes a launchpad for much wider-ranging adventures.

15. Ortisei, Italy

Best for magnificent food and scenery | Fly to Bolzano

Admittedly, Sky Alps’ Wednesday and Sunday flights from Stansted to Bolzano don’t suit a weekend trip, but for a three or four-night break, they make skiing the Dolomites a doddle. Transfer times up to Ortisei are under an hour and Santa Cristina is only eight minutes further on.

The former is a proper market town. Peppered with churches, cobbled squares and pretty, painted houses, it offers direct access up to gentle, early-intermediate skiing on the Alpe di Siusi plateau. The latter is more of a sprawling holiday village. It’s a better base for plucky, athletic intermediates, set on skiing the heart of the Dolomiti Superski area — bombing down the Saslong World Cup race course, and skiing over to Canazei on broad and flattering pistes.

Meanwhile, both will give you the chance to feast in piste-side restaurants such as Rifugio Emilio Comici (above Santa Cristina) and Mont Sëuc on Alpe di Siusi. You’ll be staring in slack-jawed wonder at the scenery too. The first sight of the Dolomites’ soaring, slab-sided crags will blow your ski boots off. Hotel Steger-Dellai provides ski-in ski-out access to the slopes and striking views of Mount Schlern.

16. Andermatt, Switzerland

Best for a trip of contrasts | Fly to Zurich

There’s nowhere quite like Andermatt. Set in a high, cold valley, 90 minutes’ drive from Zurich airport, it catches almost every snowstorm going in the northern Alps, and used to be a byword for “remote”. But ever since the Swiss army scaled back its presence here, the little village has been on the make. So now, as well as a chocolate-box street of teetering timber houses, it’s home to a growing hamlet of new-build apartments and the kind of dark, gleaming five-star hotel you’d expect to find in the Middle East.

The Chedi Andermatt hotel is unusually spacious and lots of fun. So too is the weird mix of skiing, which ranges from plunging pistes and powder runs on the mighty Gemsstock to the smooth, easy-going pistes towards neighbouring Sedrun. New lifts have significantly improved access to the latter. But you have to try the slower mountain railway at least once: it gives you a taste of skiing straight out of the 1930s.

17. Alagna, Italy

Best for heli-skiers | Fly to Milan

One of the joys of European ski holidays is the speed at which they whisk you to a different world: and none one will take you further, faster than a heli-skiing trip. Of course, you need good snow and helpful weather to get airborne: and you must steel yourself for the possibility that you won’t. You need to be able to ski fluently off-piste as well. But it’s worth the risk and the effort. On a calm, sunny day, with fresh snow on the ground, it’s like starring in your own personal James Bond film.

Alagna is the place to try it. In the high Alps, two hours northwest of Milan Malpensa airport, this long, low-key village is the launchpad for flights onto both the mighty Monte Rosa massif, and the (generally) easier terrain of the Valsesia next door. So book your place on a guided descent, reserve a room at the stylish MH Olen Boutique Hotel next to the lifts, and don’t be too downhearted if Mother Nature doesn’t oblige. Alagna’s lifts can whisk you to several thrilling off-piste descents without help from a helicopter (although you will need a mountain guide).

olen.mhhotels.it

• What is heli-skiing and where can I do it?

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