Switzerland Ski Holidays

Whether it’s watches, chocolates or skiing, this nation has a reputation for quality and Switzerland ski holidays are no different. With pristine slopes, breathtaking views of world-famous mountains like the Matterhorn and authentic yet alpine villages frequented by the world’s elite, all serving to cement the prestige of Swiss ski holidays.

Switzerland is a long time favourite among Brits, thanks to the reliability of the snow. High altitude resorts like Zermatt and Saas Fee enjoy exceptional skiing conditions well into Spring and vast ski areas like The 4 Valleys provide an exciting variety of terrain to explore. Add to this efficient lifts and impeccable hospitality and it’s no wonder Switzerland is such an alluring ski destination.

Beyond skiing, Switzerland will delight visitors with its picture-perfect town squares, jaw-dropping natural scenery, delicious fondue and laid-back yet classy attitude. Take our advice and explore our selection of Swiss ski holidays. If it’s to your taste, we can’t recommend anything better than experiencing this, the elite among alpine nations.

• Flight Time
• 1.5 hours
• From London

• Nearest Airports
• Geneva
• Zurich

• Time zone
• UTC + 1 hour

• Language
• German, French
• Italian, Romansh

• Currency
• Swiss Franc

• Ski Season
• Dec - April

Most of Switzerland’s resorts developed from ancient mountain villages meaning picturesque alpine chalets dot every corner whilst purpose-built blocks are a rarity. These beautiful towns buzz with characterful bars, gourmet restaurants, lavish spas, and glitzy boutiques blending traditional charm with modern luxuries in the most wonderful way.

Over the years we’ve spent exploring Switzerland’s ski areas, from its world-famous glaciers to best-kept secrets, we’ve compiled our team’s experiences to share a comprehensive guide to the Swiss ski resorts that deserve your precious vacation time. If you know what you’re looking for in a Swiss ski holiday, our ‘top ten’ lists will help you find the resort of your dreams.

Top Ten Best Ski Resorts in Switzerland

Excellent snow, modern lifts and fantastic accommodation are standard across Switzerland, so a resort must be truly exceptional to make our top 10 Swiss ski resorts list. Zermatt has all of the above, with 360km of pistes, gourmet restaurants and gobsmackingly glorious views of the mighty Matterhorn. Verbier is high on the list thanks to its awesome off-piste, excellent après and access to Switzerland’s biggest ski area, The 4 Valleys where you can take lessons from our friend Warren who is perhaps the most famous ski instructor from the UK. St. Moritz wows visitors with the natural beauty of its lakeside location, two snow-sure glaciers and annual average of 322 days of sunshine, which makes bluebird skiing a common occurrence.

Best Snowboarding in Switzerland

Switzerland is heaven for snowboarding holidays, thanks to its’ modern lift infrastructure, wicked snow parks and fresh powder. Whether you’re a serious shredder or taking your first turns Davos should be on your bucket list. This resort has groomers aplenty, fantastic forested backcountry routes and one of the largest half-pipes in Europe. Another of our top Swiss resorts for snowboarders is Crans Montana - the Adrenaline Zone will keep freestylers occupied all week with its half pipe, boardercross, modules and rails - fledgling riders get expert tuition at the local ski school. In Verbier and Zermatt boarders will find miles of pristine slopes for perfecting your carving but also deep powder for legendary off-piste days. Take your GoPro!

Snow Sure Resorts in Switzerland

With 48 peaks rising over 4,000m and more glaciers than you can shake a waxed stick at, Switzerland is home to some of the most snow-sure resorts in Europe. Not only is Zermatt part of the high altitude Matterhorn Ski Paradise area, where great conditions can be enjoyed well into April, but it also has access to the Theodul glacier which sits at 3,883m and offers year round skiing. Set in a snowy bowl surrounded by 13 4,000m+ peaks, Saas Fee has an impressively long season stretching from November to May. Les Diablerets’ Glacier 3000 and Verbier’s Mont Fort Glacier also earn these resorts a spot on our list of the very best of Switzerland’s snow sure destinations.

Family Friendly Swiss Ski Resorts

Switzerland combines safe slopes and a peaceful atmosphere with plenty of activities, making the country a great choice for family ski holidays. Klosters has been given the “families welcome” stamp of approval from the Swiss tourist board and, with snow bikes for littlies, a 7 km sledge run down to Saas for daredevils and 302km of piste for mum and dad, the whole family is catered for. Davos is a family friendly Swiss ski resort with a great variety of beginner and intermediate slopes, a huge natural ice rink and 9 toboggan runs that SNOman’s kids go wild for. The nursery slopes and Figeller Children’s Area in Wengen are perfect for new skiers to find their feet and there’s also some cruisy slopes and the 4.5km long downhill racing track at the Lauberhorn for more experienced family members.

Switzerland Group Ski Holiday Destinations

Switzerland has all the ingredients for a cracking group ski holiday, from huge ski areas that accommodate all abilities, to impressive accommodation and top-drawer restaurants and nightlife. Verbier tops the list for groups who party as hard as they ski - put your legs to the test by tackling the mogul ridden Col de Chassoure before dancing in ski boots in Le Rouge. In Davos, powder hounds can shred the Pischa whilst calmer friends enjoy the cruisey slopes of the Schatzalp before meeting in Bar 360’s for a classy fireside cocktail. Grindelwald also makes our top 10 best Swiss ski resorts for groups for its high-end restaurants and fantastic post-ski activities such as the natural ice rink at Bärplatz and the ‘First Flieger’ zip wire, all set beneath the imposing north face of the Eiger.

Best Après Ski in Switzerland

Swiss après ski has a more sophisticated tone, but that doesn’t mean it’s tame. Dance to big name DJs under Farinet’s huge sliding roof in Verbier, or take the ultimate Swiss apres ski right of passage by downing a metre-long ‘shot ski’ lined up in a row with your friends in the Hennu Stall in Zermatt. Switzerland knows how to party. Some of the best après in Switzerland can be found in the Crans part of Crans Montana. Ditch the salopettes, dress to the nines and head to Ratatouille for wine tastings or swanky club Pacha where the tunes play until the early hours of the morning. Just make sure you make it to the first lifts - sleeping’s cheating.

Switzerland’s Luxury Ski Destinations

Switzerland is synonymous with luxury ski holidays. Five star hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and glamorous bars are found across most resorts. For the ultimate combination of quality skiing and soothing relaxation, we love the spa resort of Arosa where pampering, cocktail bars and sleigh rides complement 225km of pistes. The grand hotels, refined bars and a stunning lakeside location of St Moritz attract a classy clientele - with famous guests of yesteryear like Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel and Princess Diana paving the way for the great and the good of today such as Mariah Carey and Paris Hilton (hmm) staying it posh party pads like Padrutt’s Palace. A list of Switzerland’s luxury ski resorts would be incomplete without mentioning Verbier, a glamorous resort filled with gourmet restaurants, extravagant bars and celebrities such as Leondardo Di Caprio and Prince Harry - this is where the younger glam crowd ski.

Pettiest Swiss Ski Resorts

From big beautiful resorts to tiny tucked-away treasures, Switzerland’s prettiest ski resorts have us reaching for the camera again and again. The scalloped trimmed chalets of Grindelwald ooze chocolate-box charm and the railway line that runs up the north face of the Eiger to Europe’s highest train station provides a uniquely picturesque way to marvel at the natural majesty of this region. Car-free Villars is a true winter wonderland with rustic chalets peeking out behind fir trees and a cog railway to Col de Bretaye which provides endless insta-worthy photo opportunities. Overlooking a lake and flanked by the majestic Upper Engadine valley, St. Moritz has natural beauty by the bucketload, as well as elegant architecture reminiscent of an Old Hollywood style.

Swiss Ski Resorts for Beginners

Switzerland cossets beginners with innovative nursery slopes, expert ski instructors and seriously sumptuous hot chocolate breaks. In Crans Montana the gentle debutante slopes and magic carpets of the Snow Island Area ease new skiers into the sport and the Discovery Area and rolling blue pistes are perfect for steady progression. With snow-sure nursery slopes, a kids fun park and British ski schools, Saas Fee is one of the best resorts in Switzerland for beginners. Nendaz and Arosa are also great for learning thanks to their dedicated beginner zones and high proportion of leisurely blues.

Swiss Resorts for Intermediate Skiers

Intermediate skiers are in for a treat in Switzerland, where miles of varied piste mean a new adventure on every day of your holiday. Across the valleys shared by Davos and Klosters we love the huge number of intermediate-friendly slopes including the enjoyably-long 12km red from Weissfluhjoch to Küblis and a majestic tree-lined blue into Davos which makes for a dreamy climax to a long day’s skiing. In St Moritz, 70% of the 305km of piste are reds (perhaps they expect posher guests to have skied most of their lives) with a selection of gorgeous blues for gentle cruising and a few thrilling blacks for a challenge. Zermatt is a top Swiss resort for intermediates thanks to its vast area, we mean literally enormous, with everything from leisurely blues and pacey reds to fluffy powder fields and thigh burning moguls all up in the great high altitude conditions of the Matterhorn glacier.

Swiss Resorts for Advanced Skiers

Switzerland’s towering peaks and equally-big snowfall creates epic skiing for experts. With notorious runs like the FIS race track from Attelas and the mogul-mad Mont Fort black, Verbier is a bucket list destination for many expert skiers. Add to this some awesome off-piste like ‘the wall’ to Tortin and the steeps of Mont Gele and it’s easy to see why Verbs attracts seasoned skiers. Zermatt is home to 36km of black runs and enough off-piste to satisfy even the most powder-hungry. Our other top destinations for advanced skiing in Switzerland include Murren which we love for the 15km long black Inferno run and Davos, home to powder-covered Pischa.

Best Off-Piste Skiing in Switzerland

Powderhounds choose Switzerland for its sprawling backcountry and frequent snow dumps. Verbier is a SNO favourite thanks to the Chassoure-Tortin “Wall” and the Stairway to Heaven run from the top of the Jumbo. You can also access these wild rides from the neighbouring resort of Nendaz. Davos offers some of the best off-piste skiing in Switzerland with a dedicated freeriding area making Pischa a playground for off piste aficionados.

Budget Swiss Ski Holidays

It’s renowned as a high-class skiing nation but, with our list of top 10 Swiss resorts on a budget, you can book a glamorous holiday that won’t break the bank. In Nendaz you can enjoy the huge 4 Valleys area but avoid the premium attached to trendier resorts such as the neighbouring Verbier. Interlaken is great for the budget-minded - it’s cheaper because you’re not directly on the slopes but great rail links whisk you into the Jungfrau ski area in no time. To really bag a bargain, browse our Switzerland ski deals.

Summer Ski Holidays in Switzerland

Switzerland hogs the title for Most Peaks over 4,000m in the Alps and has some of the biggest glaciers in Europe, making it the top destination for summer skiing. For beautifully wide slopes and stupidly scenic skiing, head to the Theodul Glacier in Zermatt which welcomes skiers year-round. Swiss summer skiing is big in Saas Fee where The Allalin Glacier is open 12 months of the year and offers 20km of red runs and a huge snow park. For more challenging summer skiing, Les Diablerets has some awesome off-piste terrain and the exhilarating 7km long black Olden run which can be skied as late as July.

There are over 7,000km of pistes spread across the vast glaciers, undulating slopes and towering peaks of Switzerland’s ski areas. Our favourite mega-domains for a Swiss ski holiday are:

• The 4 Valleys - Stretching between Verbier, Nendaz, Veysonnaz and La Tzoumaz, this ski area is the third largest in Europe and contains a whopping 412km of piste. As you’d expect, such a huge area has a massive variety of terrain but it’s the breathtaking views of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc as well as the dependable snow conditions which make The 4 Valleys extra special.
• Graubünden - Rising to 3,303m and with glacier skiing in Diavolezza and Corvatsch, this ski area enjoys snow sure conditions and a season that spans from November to May. The region is home to glitzy St Moritz as well as freestylers’ paradise Laax where the first ever half-pipe was built.
• Jungfrau - Whilst the 213km of piste provide an exceptional ski experience, Jungfrau’s historic towns and traditional cogwheel railways give this ski area a distinct Swiss charm that has our guests returning year after year.

For a top-notch week of skiing, explore these areas from one of Switzerland’s biggest ski resorts. Speak to one of our friendly experts and we’ll help the perfect base for an unforgettable Swiss ski adventure.

Switzerland’s ski accommodation matches the magnificence of its landscapes. From world-renowned luxury hotels to cosy chalets that look like they belong in a fairytale, the quality is exceptional. Browse our extensive collection to find your perfect ski accommodation or call our friendly experts and we’ll do the legwork for you:

• Switzerland Ski Chalets. The epitome of alpine charm, Switzerland’s ski chalets are a home away from home with an added touch of luxury. The finest are replete with grand fireplaces, hot tubs and catering team, while self-catered chalets are perfect for a laid-back holiday.
• Ski Hotels in Switzerland. Some of the finest ski hotels in the world can be found in Switzerland, from glamorous stays in Hotel Kulm where Alpine tourism first took root in 1864, to the award winning Chedi in Andermatt where the well-heeled young skiers of today hang out, and the aptly named Grand Hotel Zermatterhof where they still insist gents wear a jacket in one of the restuaurants. Even the more budget-friendly hotels come with excellent restaurants, pools and spas attached.
• Swiss Ski Apartments. Swiss ski apartments are rapidly rising in popularity among our customers for their combination of convenience and comfort. With a huge variety of price points, ski apartments can range from homely self-catered pads to luxury ski apartments where private masseurs come to you.

Switzerland is known for its efficiency, which comes in handy when you’re planning a quick trip, as you can depend on speedy transfers and minimal lift queues. The best resorts for a ski weekend in Switzerland include Klosters and Grindelwald which have train stations for a fast and incredibly scenic transfer from the airport. Verbier is another great option with more terrain than you could cover in a week, never mind a weekend, and ski-in/ski-out accommodation to maximise your time on the slopes.

With its sparkles and splendour, Switzerland might seem like an unaffordable ski destination but our selection of Swiss Ski Deals can help you bring the cost down. We have discounts on choc-box chalets and deluxe hotels as well as ski hire and lift pass offers.

If Switzerland’s majestic slopes and picturesque towns are calling to you right now, it’s never too late to book a last minute ski holiday to Switzerland. Talk to our experts and you’ll be shussing down the mountain in SNO time!

Switzerland can usually be depended on for great ski conditions between December and April thanks to 4,000m plus peaks, huge glaciers and hefty and regular dumps of the white stuff. The Theodul glacier offers skiing 365 days a year and resorts like Les Diablerets and Engelberg are the proud possessors of extra long seasons. Get a clearer idea of snow conditions in a specific resort by looking at the Switzerland snow report. If your holiday is in the next few weeks, check the Switzerland snow forecast to see what snow’s on the horizon.

Like everything else Switzerland serves up, the food here is impeccable. From hearty alpine meals starring lashings of cheese (the country is home to 450 varieties of cheese after all) to sophisticated Michelin-starred dishes for refined palates, Switzerland’s culinary scene is a treat for the tastebuds. We love Whymper Stube where you can tuck into a feast of potatoes and cured meats slathered with raclette and of course, a Swiss ski holiday would be incomplete without a gloriously thick mountainside hot chocolate.