🏂 Top 10 ski resorts for professionals and beginners
A frosty wind in the face, a comfortable slope and breathtaking speed – many people love ski resorts. It is there that you can ski or snowboard with all the comforts, master snowmobiling, go on excursions to mountain peaks, explore the surrounding area by bike or even paraglide.
Perhaps the most famous ski resort is located in Switzerland – and this is St. Moritz. It was here that the Winter Olympic Games were held twice, the World Alpine Ski Championships were held four times, and World Cup stages in the same discipline are held annually. But this place is far from the only one where everyone can ride like a breeze through the snow.
We've rounded up six of the best European ski resorts – 3 for skiers and 3 for snowboarders.
Zermatt (Switzerland)
Let's start with one of the most picturesque places in Europe – the village of Zermatt. Around this resort there are 33 mountains with a height of more than 4,000 m – the famous points of the Pennine Alps. Here is the highest peak of Switzerland – Peak Dufour (4,634 m), and the symbol of the resort – the Matterhorn (4,478 m). It was on its northern slope at an elevation of 1,608 meters that a village was built.
Zermatt is annually included in the list of the world's best resorts for the quality of its pistes. A bewitching panorama of mountain peaks and a well-thought-out infrastructure attract thousands of tourists a month. Complementing the sports activities are hundreds of fine restaurants and authentic bars. There are even Michelin -starred establishments here.
The general ski area is located at an altitude of 1620 m to 3899 m. There are 62 lifts and 11 cable cars throughout the entire territory. The total length of marked trails is also impressive – almost 360 km. Most of it falls on areas of medium and complex difficulty. The longest route is 22 km. This place is most suitable for advanced skiers who already have skiing experience.
In the village you can stay in both century-old wooden chalets and modern hotels. Prices range from €150 for a single room to €800 per night for a private townhouse. A ski pass to the slopes costs 95 € per day for adults, and 48 € per day for children.
St. Anton (Austria)
St. Anton is one of the most famous resorts in Austria with a long history. He is a member of the Best of the Alps club. It was here that the first alpine ski club was founded in 1901, and now there is a museum dedicated to the discipline.
This is a modern and comfortable resort, the snowiest in the country, open at an altitude of 1304 m. 90 modern ski lifts and cable cars meet the highest safety standards. More than 350 km of marked trails, ski slopes of any difficulty level, training grounds – all this will impress even experienced skiers. The longest route (9 km) will take you through a picturesque area with a height difference of 1350 meters from the top of Valluga to the settlement itself.
The resort is known for its interesting and unusual ski area. It is located at an altitude of 1300 to 2811 m. St. Anton is famous for its impeccable slopes, and on some you can slide right down to the settlement. The length of the trails for beginners and intermediate difficulty is approximately the same – 146 and 147 km, respectively. But the distance for experienced skiers is 3 times shorter – 55 km.
The cost of a one-day ski pass for adults is 78 €, for children – 47 €. And for a night in one of dozens of hotels you will need to pay from 80 € to 300 €.
The entire ski elite gathers here, so St. Anton is never quiet. The main street of the settlement is full of restaurants, bars, clubs and other entertainment venues. The nightlife is vibrant and in full swing, so it is better to visit this resort with a large group of friends.
Kronplatz (Italy)
The best ski resort in South Tyrol is Kronplatz. It affects the territories of several valleys that surround the mountain range of the same name. There are also 13 villages at altitudes from 786 to 1650 m. This area is part of the world's largest ski area – Dolomiti Superski. It has 12 resorts with a total distance of 1200 km.
The ski area of the Kronplatz resort itself is 105 km of well-prepared slopes at an altitude of 935 m – 2275 m. Their peculiarity is their convenient location. The distances radiate from the top of Kronplatz in all directions of the valley.
This place is great for a family holiday. It will be comfortable for beginners in skiing and children learning the basics. The runs start from a large flat top and the runs themselves are wide and comfortable. Most of the distances are classified as easy – 51 km, another 27 km are medium, 25 km are difficult.
The two most difficult sections, Sylvester and Herrnegg, are favorites of experienced skiers. The length of each slope is about 5 km, the elevation difference is 1300 m. Both slopes end right at the foot of Kronplatz with restaurants, shops and the largest ski storage facility in Europe. If you don't have enough trails in this region, you can conquer other peaks.
A one-day ski pass to the Kronplatz resort will cost 67 €. And the cost of a night in a hotel in one of the region’s settlements varies from 30 € (apartment 1) to 260 € (hotel 4). The average price per room is 120 €.
We also have recommendations for snowboarders.
Livigno (Italy)
In a few seasons, this is where snowboarding and freestyle skiing competitions will take place as part of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Already, the territory is impressive – 115 km of ski slopes, the largest snow park in Europe and a large amount of loose snow for off-distance skiing. The resort is located in northern Italy, at an altitude of 1816 m near the border with Switzerland.
Snowboard fans have a wide choice of different sites. There are several snow parks open here. Anyone can try easy, medium and hard jumps, as well as exciting tricks on the snow. The most famous objects are the inflatable Big Air Landing with a length of more than 50 meters, an 800-meter area with more than 60 obstacles of varying difficulty levels and sizes, and 4 jumping lines. Areas with sharp turns, wavy surfaces or steps will add adrenaline. Both beginners and experienced snowboarders will find a distance to suit their taste.
The cost of accommodation in local hotels varies from 80 € to 230 €. A one-day ski pass will cost from 16.5 € (children) to 33.5 € (adults).
Avoriat (France)
The Avorias ski resort is included in the list of stations in the famous Portes du Soleil ski area, which unites France and Switzerland (650 km of slopes accessible with a single ski pass). It is located between Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva.
Avorya was built at an altitude of 1800 m. There are 5 villages on its territory. Together they create a quaint town where every road is also a ski slope. You are not allowed to drive a car within the resort. You won't find cars here, but horse-drawn carriages are easy to come by.
The resort's 150 km of trails are located at altitudes from 1100 to 2277 m. There are distances of different levels: 3 simple, 21 medium, 14 difficult and 4 very difficult. Snowboarders will be interested in 2 snow parks: The Bleu du Lac – for experienced athletes, The La Chapelle – for beginners.
There is also a superpipe that is perfect not only for snowboarding, but also for freestyle. Particular pleasure comes from riding and jumping along the tracks from rocks and between trees. This place is perfect for those who want to improve their skills in a relaxed environment without crowds.
The cost of a ski pass at the Avorya resort is 46 € per day. The cost of a night in one of the hotel rooms or chalet rooms ranges from 90 € to 300 €. You can find options for 45 €.
Les Arcs (France)
And again France. Les Arcs resort is located in the most picturesque place of the French Alps. It consists of four zones: Ark 1600, Ark 1800, Ark 1950 and Ark 2000 – the names correspond to the height at which they are built. The plots are connected to each other by a mountain road.
Skiing starts at 1200 m. There are 106 ski slopes and 54 lifts in the area, which cover 200 kilometers of descent.
Now the ski resort of Les Arcs is considered an example of organizing conditions for snowboarding. There are all kinds of modules designed for both beginners and advanced athletes. Between the Arc 1800 and Arc 1600 bases there is the Arc 1800 snow park. It is equipped with pyramids, fun boxes, boardercross tracks, separately for experienced athletes and for beginners. And in the Arc 2000 zone there is a 180 m long halfpipe, which is illuminated until 20.00.
A one-day ski pass to Les Arcs costs 65 €. The cost of housing depends on the chosen base: from 40 € for a hotel room in the town of Bourg Saint-Maurice at the foot of the resort to 300 € for renting a chalet with 2 bedrooms and a living room at the height of Arc 2000.
There are more than 100 different ski resorts in Europe. Choosing one specific one for relaxation is not an easy task. Our list will help you navigate.