Best Ski Holidays

Have you ever thought about ski holidays during the winter to enjoy the snow? A ski destination can offer you fun and a break from the routine. Don’t worry if you are not a ski expert, there are many alternative activities such as Ice Skating, Tubing, Dog Sledding, and relaxing spas. If you are unsure where to go, check out these destinations.

Charlevoix, Quebec Canada

Written by Sharon Mendelaoui from Daily Dream 360. Follow Sharon on Instagram here.

The province of Quebec, Canada, is well-known for its ski culture. Many have heard of the famous Mont-Tremblant ski resort and village in the Laurentians region. However, for skiers looking for a luxury ski vacation, they may want to include Charlevoix, Quebec, on their list.


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Charlevoix is a beautiful region in Quebec known for rolling hills and mountains that sit next to the majestic St. Lawrence River. The area dotted with picturesque towns filled with local shops and restaurants.

For skiing, you’ll find the Le Massif hill offers a variety of slopes with many challenging and expert hills. You will also find some excellent cross-country ski trails and an intense toboggan run. Its hills appear to flow right into the river it sits beside, offering some pretty breathtaking views. You can stay at the luxury hotel Le Germaine Charlevoix and explore the little town of Baie-Saint-Paul known as an artisan community.

If you’d like a smaller ski hill well known amongst the locals in Charlevoix, then make your way to the city of La Malbaie. There you can stay in the luxurious Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu and enjoy a ski hill with less traffic. Mont Grand-Fonds was the perfect ski resort, which, even on the weekend, had no lineups for chairlifts. Le Massif also features a series of well-groomed cross-country ski trails.

Austria, Ski Resorts

Written by Anna Andrias from BigWorldShortStories. Follow Anna on Instagram here.

Austria is a small mountainous country in the center of Europe. The western part of the country, also called Tyrol, is home to some of the most beautiful and top-rated ski resorts in the world. The main ski season in Austria starts in early December and lasts till mid of April. Some ski resorts located on the glaciers like Sölden, Stubai, or Hintertux, offer year-round skiing. According to the world’s largest ski testing portal, the Austrian ski resort in Kitzbühel is considered the best ski resort in the world. All the ski resorts in Austria are equipped with modern infrastructure and offer world-class luxury hotels and mountain restaurants with typical Austrian and Italian cuisine.

For those who like to combine skiing with partying, Austrias Ischgl ski resort offers the best après-ski parties in Europe. Ischgl is also considered the winter party capital. Some ski resorts in Austria have even illuminated slopes where you can ski at night and special groomed slopes for sledding. Most of the ski resorts in Austria are family-friendly and offer great skiing conditions for beginner skiers as well as for experienced ones. You can reach most of the ski resorts in Austria from the international airports in Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Munich.

Livigno, Italy

Written by Bistra Yakimova from The Magic of Traveling. Follow Bistra on Instagram here.

You’ve probably seen Livigno in many “top affordable places to ski in Europe” lists. The name of this town in Northern Italy is well-known for ski and snowboard enthusiasts. The Italian Alps are there to feed every adventurer’s fantasy with ideas.

There are so many things to do in Livigno and winter is an amazing time to go skiing and snowboarding. There is even more – the Italian Alps gem is home to more than 30 kilometers of cross-country ski tracks. That means you can enjoy this much more physical but a lot safer winter sport while passing views of snow-capped houses and the frozen valley. Even if all kinds of skiing and snowboarding are not your thing – then you can still enjoy winter and snow riding fat bikes, tubing, tobogganing, and ice-skating.

Since we’re in Italy, food is a big part of the fun. Imagine all the best of Italian cuisine served to you right after a tiring day on the slopes, smell the aroma of fresh pasta with one of the famous Livigno cheeses – can it get any better? Actually, it can! For all those who love shopping or just need to buy new gear – most of the stores in Livigno are duty-free so you can expect quite a good price!

Hakuba, Japan

Written by James Treloar from Team AJ Travels. Follow James & Anh on Instagram here.

Hakuba is a small ski village just outside Nagano. The city famous for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1998 and is about four hours by road from Tokyo. There are remnants of this event that remain in place. The most noticeable being the massive ski jumping ramps that tower over the town and are visible from almost everywhere!

For someone traveling from a country with limited snow (Australia), the conditions can be brutally cold! I have been on snowboarding trips in New Zealand, Argentina, and Australia. But nothing that I have seen compares to the sheer amount of snow in Japan! No matter where you are in the mountains you are waist-deep in powder.

I found the snow in Hakuba to be very damp and heavy. Other ski fields in Japan had similar amounts of snow, but it was lighter and dry. As a result, it was a bit more challenging to get up if you fell over in deep powder, and at the end of the day, your gear would be a bit wet also.

This might sound like a pretty miserable way to finish each day on the slopes. But, being in Japan you can head straight to the Onsen to warm up your body and relax. As long as you are comfortable with a little nudity… It’s a thing in Japan.

If you need a break from the snow for a day, take a trip out to see the snow monkeys. These playful little characters are some of the most interesting creatures you will ever see. You can get right amongst their little village while they hang out in the hot springs and chase each other around.

Sarajevo, Bosnia

Written by Ellis Veen from Backpack Adventures. Follow Ellis on Instagram here.

When you think about the best skiing holiday destinations in Europe, Bosnia probably won’t come to your mind. However, the mountains around Sarajevo are a perfect place for all kinds of winter sports. The ski resorts in Jahorina and Bjeljasnica are already very popular with locals, but few foreign travelers find their way here yet.

Sarajevo as a skiing holiday is still a bit of a well-kept secret nowadays, but this wasn’t always the case. In 1984 the Winter Olympics were organized in Yugoslavia and Sarajevo was chosen as the best place to host them. With lots of snow in winter and perfect skiing slopes, it was an easy choice.

After the Bosnian war in the nineties, the ski resorts around Sarajevo were forgotten, but not for long. Bosnia is once more a safe country that has lots to offer. Guesthouses, restaurants, and winter sports agencies are up and running again, waiting to be found by foreign travelers as well.

Compared to other European skiing destinations, Bosnia is very budget-friendly. The mountains are a winter wonderland with incredibly beautiful sceneries. Besides skiing, you can also go snowboarding or snowshoeing and you could spend days exploring different trails.

And once you have enough of the mountains, the capital of Sarajevo is just around the corner. The scenic old town is a great place to visit with lots of Ottoman history and great restaurants. Furthermore, Sarajevo has some interesting museums to learn more about the city’s past.

Whether you decide to stay in Sarajevo or up in the mountain resorts, your skiing holiday in Bosnia will be one you will enjoy.

Andorra, Ski Holidays

Written by Karen Edwards from Travel Mad Mum. Follow Travel Mad Mum on Instagram here.

Andorra was the best ski holiday destination we’ve been to for so many reasons. We had a great time soaking up the culture, enjoying the amazing food, soaking in spas, and of course skiing! All of this also comes at a fantastic price because Andorra is not part of the EU and therefore tax-free.

A tiny nation nestled between France and Spain, Andorra is one of the most snow-sure places in Europe due to its height. It homes the largest ski resort in the Pyrenees, Grand Valira with 210km of ski slopes it has something for all abilities. The landscape is absolutely beautiful and well worth visiting even if you didn’t enjoy skiing. The slopes at Grand Valira have skiing and snowboarding lessons for every level including a kids group lesson for small children.

When you need a break from skiing, snowboarding, and enjoying the snow, heading over to the Caldera spa is a must. The spa is absolutely incredible, from the building itself to the steaming outdoor pool overlooking stunning views of the Pyrenees. It’s the perfect way to take in the sunset after a long day of outdoor fun. Inside there are many different tiers, featuring private relaxation spots guarded by bamboo trees and large open spaces to move around.

Banff National Park, Canada

Written by Alyssa Watson from Like Where You’re Going. Follow Alyssa on Facebook

Banff National Park is often referred to as the Jewel of Canada, for many amazing reasons. From the incredible Rocky Mountains and turquoise glacier lakes such as the famous Lake Louise, it’s stunning any time of year. But the winter is when Banff’s beauty really shines. Here, you will find 3 world-class ski resorts all within 40 minutes of each other, making it the perfect destination to spend a week or more trying the different mountains.

Since Alberta, Canada is located so far north, the air is very dry which produces perfect champagne powder for shredding the mountain. Visit Mt. Norquay, where some of the 1988 Winter Olympics were held, or head to Sunshine Village which is the famous ski resort 5 minutes from the adorable mountain village named Banff. Many celebrities visit here every winter!

If you’re a little more advanced, make the trip to the Lake Louise ski resort which boasts some of the wildest terrains in the Canadian Rockies. And if you visit here on a sunny day, halfway up the gondola you will be able to catch views of beautiful Lake Louise itself, delicately nestled between the mountain faces.

Utah, USA

Written by Lisa from Planning Away. Follow Planningaway on Facebook.

Have you ever heard that Utah, USA has the greatest snow on earth?  There was an actual study performed at the University of Utah that confirmed this theory.  I’m sure it wasn’t biased at all!

Utah really does have incredible ski resorts and facilities.  Since the Olympics was held in Salt Lake City everything is state of the art. The best part about skiing in Utah is that Salt Lake City is less than an hour away from most of the resorts.

Transportation from Salt Lake City Airport to the ski resorts is very convenient. There are buses that will transport you to/from the ski resorts.

Park City may be one of the best ski locations in the USA. It is a premier ski destination and many famous Hollywood stars can be spotted while they enjoy their ski vacation. Park City and Deer Valley offer more runs than any other ski resort in Utah. They also have the best accommodations available, making it very easy to ski right out from your hotel.

Ski season starts in November and depending on the snowfall can last until May. This gives you plenty of time to plan a Salt Lake City skiing tripwhich is the perfect way to spend your winter or spring vacation.


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6 Comments

    1. Sally Pederson says:

      Banff National Park has several ski resorts. I’m sure you would live it there.

  1. So many beautiful destinations for skiing. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Sally Pederson says:

      I hope you get to enjoy them someday.

  2. Great Post! I love all the choices around the world! I hope I get to experience them one day!

    1. Sally Pederson says:

      Thank you. I also hope you get to enjoy all of them one day.

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