The best European ski destinations beyond the Alps

Travel

Skiing in the fringes of Europe opens up some exciting destinations. Head east or to the Pyrenees for affordable mountain resorts offering a rich cultural experience.

ByAbigail Butcher

Published December 5, 2023

• 6 min read

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK)

As options for the traditional chalet ski break have dwindled and prices risen, venturing to Europe’s far corners and beyond for a ski break can reap rewards. Costs are often lower, while luxury accommodation can be similarly priced to budget options in mainstream European ski resorts. As well as being potentially cheaper, skiing in territory off the beaten track can offer a rich cultural experience, plus better flight routes, less crowded slopes, sunnier days and a friendlier welcome.

Short-haul ski destinations instantly bring to mind France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, with budget options in Andorra and Bulgaria. But you’ll find decent-sized resorts in perhaps unexpected European corners. Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany’s Bavarian Alps is home to the country’s tallest mountain, Zugspitzplatt, at 2,720 metres, offering 40 miles of runs, while in the Allgäu region there are 186 miles of downhill, with the little town of Oberstdorf a great base. In Spain, along with the Sierra Nevada, other stellar ski spots include Baqueira-Beret (now offered by Crystal Ski), Formigal and La Molina/Masella, which last March hosted the FIS Para Snowboard World Championships. Elsewhere, on the northern edges of Europe, you can enjoy fabulous sea views while ski touring in places as diverse as Iceland’s Troll Peninsula and the fjords of Greenland.

(You can ski down a dormant volcano in this Turkish town.)

Beginners and families seeking a small, friendly ski area could save hundreds of pounds by choosing any one of a multitude of small ski resorts in countries such as Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Or how about Greece? It might come as a surprise to know that the biggest resort here, Parnassos, has a respectable 21 miles of pistes. 

Unless you’re well-versed in travelling independently and comfortable with the prospect of dealing with flight cancellations, missed transfers and no-show shuttles, consider booking a package ski trip. These are easier than ever to find to the less-conventional destinations. As well as Slovenia and Spain, Crystal Ski also introduced Bosnia and Herzigovina in 2022, or for the more adventurous, Mountain Tracks (part of the Ski Club of Great Britain) offers ski touring in easy-to-reach but alternative locations, from Mount Etna to the Black Sea. 

Many of these places are also benefitting from new infrastructure. Spain is upgrading several areas: Sierra Nevada has been the subject of heavy investment in recent years, while La Molina is installing a six-person chairlift and Cerler plans to install a gondola from base to summit that carries 15 skiers in each cabin. 

Over in eastern Europe, in Slovakia, a new 15-man gondola opened in the World and European Cup host resort of Jasná in December 2022, linking the ski school and base station to Chopok, which tops out at 2,024 metres. Meanwhile, in Jahorina (Bosnia and Herzigovina), a 10-seater gondola opened in December 2021, replacing two slow chairlifts. And this winter the resort will see a modernised gondola added to the Pale II line — the 10th lift to be upgraded in Jahorina since it partnered with Tyrolean engineering company Leitner in 2009. 

Three more European ski adventures

1. Slovakia

Best for: off-piste
Set in the mighty Tatras Mountains, less than an hour from Poprad-Tatry Airport, Jasná offers 31 miles of runs for all abilities plus nursery slopes, snow parks and World and European Cup pistes. And when the snow really falls, Chopok mountain offers a tempting variety of freeride terrain. Prices are cheap, with lunches around €5-8 (£4-7), and the modern lift system is continually being improved. Seven nights in Chalety Jasná Apartmány Bor cost from £663 per person, including flights, transfers and accommodation. 

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Best for: beginners and budget skiers
With reliable snow, the Dinaric Alps near Sarajevo offer a budget-bashing ski break. In 2022, Crystal Ski Holidays started offering trips to the Dinaric resorts of Bjelašnica and Jahorina. The former has a beginner-friendly eight miles of piste plus cross-country trails, while the latter hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984 and offers 47 miles of slopes — the majority of which are easy and intermediate. Seven nights at the four-star Hotel Monti Spa & Wellness in Bjelašnica costs from £586 per person, including flights and transfers.

3. Baqueira/Beret, Spain

Best for: half-term skiing 
The Spanish Pyrenees resort is rising fast on British skiers’ radars. Spanish schools don’t take a spring half-term break so it’s a perfect destination for families in February, when it’s generally warmer and sunnier than classic ski destinations in the Alps. There are 99 miles of pistes, ranging in altitude from 1,500 to 2,610 metres. Best suited to beginner and intermediate skiers, it offers a few black runs, too. A seven-night trip, half-board, staying at Hotel Tuc Blanc, including flights and transfers, costs from £961 per person.

Published in the Winter Sports guide, distributed with the December 2023 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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