The home of big mountains, traditional ski resorts – and the cheesiest fondus!
There’s so much more to Switzerland than clocks, chocolate box chalets and picturesque peaks.
Switzerland is home to some hidden gems, from quieter resorts to family and beginner friendly towns.
Switzerland is renowned for its grand ski resorts, chocolate box views and the huge variety in its regions and slopes. Resorts like Verbier, St Moritz, Wengen and Zermatt are world-renowned, boasting boutique hotels, Michelin starred restaurants and some of the most glam shopping you can find in a ski resort. But Switzerland is also home to some hidden gems, from quieter resorts that won’t cost the world, to family and beginner friendly ski towns. Being home to some of the biggest mountains of the Alps, it naturally offers some legendary off-piste and freeride terrain. Above all, Switzerland offers something the lower regions of the Alps can’t – and that’s snow security.
KEY INFORMATION
Good to Know
Currency
Swiss Franc
Language
German, French & Italian
Travel Time (APPROX)
1 hour 45
Gatwick
Timezone
GMT+1
The best bits of skiing in Switzerland
Best family resorts in Switzerland
For historic charm, beautiful mountains and miles of intermediate slopes, both neighbouring Saas Fee and Zermatt are good options. They also have something else going for them – they’re entirely car free. Only golf-cart style electric vehicles are permitted making the streets quiet and child friendly. If non-skiers need to be catered for Davos and St Moritz offer a multitude of alternate distractions from city shopping to winter walks. Arosa is another family-favourite with three toboggan runs and Leysin offers family-friendly fun at great value.
Best beginner resorts in Switzerland
Nearly all Swiss ski resorts have easy runs, beginners’ classes as well as dedicated children’s areas. Saas Fee boasts a large nursery area right by the village. Both Villars and Les Diablerets are great bets with over 50% of pistes rated easy. Crans Montana is also beginner friendly with 55km of blue runs. For easy skiing with epic views, try the Jungfrau Ski Region, which lies in the shadow of the famous Eiger north face.
Best high altitude/snow-sure resorts in Switzerland
When it comes to altitude, Switzerland’s got it dialled, with a dozen resorts boasting pistes up to and over 3,000m. They include Zermatt with its views of the famous Matterhorn, Saas Fee, St Moritz, Laax and Engelberg, in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. For all its glamour cachet, it’s also easy to forget that one of the main appeals of Verbier is its snow security. With slopes up to 3,330m, it’s a good bet when other resorts are struggling for cover.
Best resorts for food and drink in Switzerland
If your mouth waters at the thought of melted cheese in all its forms, Switzerland offers a special kind of heaven. But there’s more to its traditional alpine cuisine than cheese fondues, raclette and tartiflette. Don’t forget the potato rostis – and of course the chocolate. Many of the resorts are home to world class restaurants – such as Verbier’s slopeside La Vache – and while you can’t always eat out on a budget, your taste buds will at least be grateful. The choice of local alpine wines is equally spectacular.
Best resorts for apres ski in Switzerland
For the best party scene it’s got to be Verbier. It needs little introduction being the place where celebrities, royals and the super rich have partied the night away for decades. It kicks off on the terraces before continuing all the way through the night via a medley of bars and clubs. Drinks prices are not for the faint-hearted. If you like a flutter, Crans boasts a casino. Go to St Moritz for retro glamour. Zermatt is also renowned for its lively après.
Best resorts for off piste skiing in Switzerland
Switzerland offers limitless potential for serious skiers seeking fresh powder. Partying aside, Verbier is one of the best resorts for lift-accessed and untracked snow. There’s also a wealth of terrain to explore off the backside – but you’ll need to hire a guide. Zermatt and Saas Fee also offer a lot of off-piste potential while Davos is home to the Pischa mountain, a dedicated and marked freeride area running right next to the pistes. Engelberg boasts legendary off-piste terrain with the added bonus of being one of the snowiest resorts in the Alps, increasing the chances of the much coveted fresh powder.
Best resorts for ski weekends or short break in Switzerland
Not everywhere is equally accessible in Switzerland, with some resorts hidden deep in the mountains. The best weekend destinations are those closest to the main airport hubs of Geneva and Zurich. Villars, Champéry and Verbier are all within easy reach of the former (and accessible by train). Andermatt and Engelberg are both less than two hours from Zurich. Davos is another option, you can fly there directly and it offers both city and slopeside fun.
Best time to ski in Switzerland
If you’re going to one of Switzerland’s high altitude resorts you can ski from early December through to May. Switzerland is therefore a safe option if you’re looking for some of that Christmas New-Year festive magic. The popular resorts can get very busy (and pricy) peak season over New Year and February while March and April offer longer and warmer days for sitting on those sun terraces.
Our favourite ski resorts in Switzerland
Here are just some of our top ski resorts. To find the perfect one for you, speak to one of our specialists.
Zermatt
Renowned as an intermediate’s paradise, endless linked runs cascade down the mountain from the mighty Matterhorn Glacier to a pretty alpine village.
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Wengen
The charming car-free ski resort of Wengen is only accessible by train so enjoy breathtaking views of mighty snowy peaks as you meander up to the Jungfrau ski region.
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Grindelwald
Surrounded by jumbo snowy peaks, Switzerland’s Grindelwald ski resort is a scenic portal to the super fun Jungfrau Region.
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All Resorts in switzerland
AdelbodenAndermattAnzereArosaAsconaBelalpBettmeralpCelerinaChamperyChampoussinChandolinChurwaldenCrans-MontanaDavosDisentisEngelberg
FaleraFiesch FlimsFlumserbergFtanGrimentzGrindelwaldGryonGstaadKanderstegKlostersLaaxLa TzoumazLauterbrunnenLenkLenzerheide
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