From Premium Pistes To Budget Black Runs: The Cost of Europe’s Most Popular Ski Resorts Revealed

If you want to hit the slopes this winter without breaking the bank then choosing the right resort to ski in is crucial.

 

 

There is a huge disparity in prices between some of Europe’s most popular ski resorts and you can easily get it wrong, making it a costly mistake if you haven’t done your homework.

 

 

Remarkably, choosing the world-renowned ski resort of Chamonix in France (£5,924 for a family of four for a week) over Zermatt in Switzerland (£9,720) will save you more than what the average household spends on groceries in a year (£2,953).

 

 

 

Switzerland and Austria are the most expensive skiing destinations in Europe, while in some cases Italy and Bulgaria are half the price. A family can enjoy a week of skiing in Bansko in Bulgaria for £4,442, while this would cost nearly double in the Swiss resort of Saas Fee (£8,546).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Switzerland is famous for its beauty and Grindelwald is renowned for its stunning views, but it comes at an eye-watering price. At £10,100, a week’s skiing in Grindelwald costs the same as a brand-new Renault Twingo, and 80% more than a similar break at Les Deux Alpes – the French resort blessed with the largest skiable glacier in Europe. By comparison, an all-inclusive two-week family holiday to the Maldives will cost you £200 less (£9,912).

 

 

 

 

A family of four can ski for two weeks in Pamporovo in Bulgaria (£4,396) for the same price as a week in Zermatt in Switzerland. Zermatt may have some of the longest runs in Europe, but its ski passes are among the most expensive. A week’s pass there weighs in at £314 – which is £100 more than a pass in St Anton in Austria (£219).

 

 

 

 

Italy has a great range of resorts and is also known for its favourable weather. A week’s skiing for two in Cervinia costs £2,790 – half the price of a similar trip to any of the main Swiss resorts. If you are looking for a romantic trip at an accessible price, the Italian resorts of La Thuile (£2,914) and Selva Val Gardena (£2,988) are also worth considering.

 

 

While the cost of renting ski equipment is only a small part of the total cost of a ski break, it all adds up – and there is a huge disparity between resorts. Renting skis and boots in Borovets in Bulgaria (£55) is a quarter of the cost in Ischgl in Austria (£195) – a saving of £140 per person.

 

 

A league table of popular ski resorts, put together by travel money specialists No1 Currency, reveals the gulf in cost between the cheapest and most expensive places to take your family skiing this winter.