Top Destinations: Skiing Holiday

Switzerland

Switzerland was the birthplace of skiing holidays, when the English arrived and began to make skiing a sport of the elite. Switzerland is still home to many traditional ski towns that have changed little over the decades. Arosa, for instance, is an original resort at the end of a winding mountain road and has some of the most luxurious, grand old hotels in the Alps.

Klosters in Switzerland shares the slopes with the bustling Davos, but it is a quiet, chalet-style area with old restaurants and hotels. In the Jungfrau region you can ski beneath the Jungfraujoch and its glacier, or in the shadow of the Eiger. Many ski resorts in Switzerland are car-free, including the hugely popular Zermatt, which nestles beneath the Matterhorn.

The skiing is dramatic, and visitors to Switzerland arrive by train and either walk or get to their hotel by horse-drawn sleigh. The scenery and weather in Switzerland are idyllic, with fresh powdery snow perfect for snowboarding and endless backdrops of snow-laden evergreen trees surrounding the runs. There are dozens of resorts across the Swiss Alps for the prospective snowboarder to choose from. Resorts for snowboarding are mostly in the South of Switzerland, and are about 2-3 hours away from Zurich by public transport.
 

Austria

Austria is one of the top skiing and snowboarding destinations in Europe. There is an old saying that Austrians were born with skis on, and it certainly seems that this country was purpose built for the sport. The beautiful Alps, which cover a vast proportion of the Austrian landscape, offer you miles and miles of fresh piste and ski runs for every ability – from absolute beginner to ...Austrian standard. If you’re travelling with children, some of the most popular ski resorts are Bad Kleinkirchheim, Gerlitzen, Koralpe and Mallnitz. These offer a good range of beginners’ programmes and have excellent ski school facilities. Skiers and snowboarders looking for great slopes with fabulous ‘après-ski’ nightlife may want to try Nassfeld, St Anton, Schladming, Sölden, Kitzbühel, and Mayrhofen.

The main resorts in Austria are superbly maintained and entertain a wide range of international guests. However, if you fancy getting a taste of the ‘real Austria’, it might be worth moving off the beaten track. Some of the smaller resorts offer equally fantastic facilities, but are a little more ‘Austrian’ in nature, and you are more likely to get a taste of traditional Austrian cuisine and hospitality here. There is a vast accommodation choice for your skiing and snowboarding holiday in Austria; whether you are after a 5 * luxury hotel, or a quaint self-catered chalet in the mountains, you will find a huge choice available to you.

Canada

As one the northernmost countries, Canada is perfectly positioned for a skiing or snowboarding holiday. Not only does it have the mountains and the snow, but the top Canadian ski resorts are renowned for having fabulous facilities and accommodations to complement your ski-trip to Canada. Ski resorts in Canada stretch right across the country, with the best being in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec.

There are too many to mention individually, but among the most popular is Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, which boasts East Canada's most magnificent peak. Then there is the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains in British Columbia, thought to be one of the best ski destinations in the world. They are joined at the base by a pedestrian village with all the amenities you'd expect from a town that draws 2 million visitors a year. For a breathtakingly vertical drop, visit the Kicking Horse Resort, based in the scenic setting of the Purcell Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Geneva

Geneva is surrounded by mountains making it the main place people fly into for a skiing or snowboarding holiday. Ski resorts in the French Alps are just one hour away by car and there are plenty of places to ski or snowboard including Chamonix, Flaine, Morzine, Avoriaz, Chatel, Champery, Les Crosets, Morillion, St Gervais, Megeve, Argentiere, Les Gets, Gstaad, Leysin and Château d'Oex. Transfers can be arranged from Geneva airport to resorts all across the Alps, so whether your ski resort is in Chamonix or Verbier, Geneva is the place to start your skiing or snowboarding holiday.

Italy

Italy, Cortina has been rated one of the top ten destination in the world for skiing this year. Perhaps this is where Alberto "La Bomba" Tomba got his start. Cortina's ski resorts match any others in the Alps and the city served as the host of the Olympic Games in 1956. Similar to Zermatt, Switzerland, life in Cortina revolves around a traffic-less street. One of the world's first ski resort cities, Cortina is also Italy's most stylish place to be for any skiing enthusiast or amateur.

Beirut

Whilst you won’t be able to do any skiing in Beirut itself, Lebanon is rapidly becoming one of the best international destinations for skiers and snowboarders alike.  There are a total of six ski resorts in Lebanon, the best of which is Faraya-Mzaar - less than an hour away from Beirut.  A skiing or snowboarding holiday here is world-class: there is an international standard ski school, founded by the French Ski Federation, and the whole ski resort in Lebanon has undergone multi-million pound development in recent years.  If you want to take a skiing holiday from Beirut here, you'll find good snow, plenty of off-piste opportunities, and a vast amount of mountainside for fearless snowboarders and skiers to enjoy.

Another great advantage of a skiing holiday in Lebanon is that during the middle of the week there are hardly any crowds, so it can feel as if you've got a whole mountain to yourself and, in Faraya Mzaar, the mixture of wind and humid sea air from the Mediterranean means that the snow rarely forms an icy wind crust that can be seen in the Alps.

Iceland

The arctic glaciers, wild terrain and the long winter season makes for a perfect skiing and snowboarding holiday in Iceland - hence we have rated Iceland one of the top destinations for skiing for 2009. Adventure winter sports are available in many parts of the country and the biggest and most popular winter landscape for skiing and snowboarding in Iceland is in Blajfoll which is the largest ski resort. The resort is well equipped with lifts and has cross country paths and groomed pistes which provide an ideal platform for beginners and experienced skiers/snowboarders to improve their technique. During the evening, the slope in Blajfoll is illuminated for night skiing. The mountain huts in the skiing areas provide rest and a food service for skiers. Blajfoll can be easily reached from Reyjkavik. Other popular ski and snowboarding resorts are Dalvík, Skidastadir and Siglufjörour and are located in Northern Iceland.

Poland

Each winter, thousands of Poles head for the snow capped mountains in the south and the country's main ski resort in Zakopane. The highest town in Poland, offer fantastic views of 2,500 metre high peaks, and despite only having a population of around 30,000, welcomes over 2 million visitors each year. There are an abundance of slopes in the area suited to every type of skier, whether you are a beginner or an advanced skier. As well as Zakopane there are numerous resorts and smaller villages dotted along throughout the mountain ranges bordering the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Optimal skiing conditions are between December and March.

Quebec

Refusing to be overshadowed by the Canadian Rockies and Whistler, Quebec offers a great alternative for skiers and snowboarders. Ski passes in Quebec are significantly cheaper than other major Canadian destinations. The best time to go is in January and February and March Easter Break. Often if you buy a pass during these times, you can ski for free or for discounted rates the next time. In Quebec you will find a vast amount of skiing and snowboarding options including St Sauveur in the Laurentians (the largest amount of night runs in the world) and in the north Mont Tremblant.

Other good areas include Bromont, Orford and Owlshead.There are over 90 hills throughout the province and over 800 trails for skiiers of every level. Spread over the two major mountain ranges, the Laurentians and the Appalachians, ski hills are found conveniently near Quebec City and Montreal. Cross country skiing in Quebec is also widely available with over 4000km of trails.