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Saas Fee Ski Resort
Perhaps this pretty car-free village has gained a reputation as ‘Pearl of the Alps’ because it sits nestled in a powder bowl encircled by thirteen 4000m peaks. Massive mountains rise from every side of the valley like the peaks of a Toblerone bar, providing the village with a dramatic and awe-inspiring backdrop. Visitors rave about the high-altitude ski area, similar in height to neighbouring Zermatt, with its extensive glacier which allows for skiing almost all year round. Many ski teams choose to train here thanks to the snow reliability and the well-groomed pistes.
The award-winning resort is entirely pedestrianised aside from the electric buses, making it a safe and pleasant destination for families. It stretches out along the valley for about 2km, with most of the lifts and slopes concentrated at one end - just take the complimentary mini-buses or road train to get around. It’s also delightful to while away an afternoon wandering the streets and narrow alleyways, losing your bearings while you soak up the peaceful atmosphere and breathe in the fresh mountain air. You can’t miss the many ‘Stadel’ dotted about the village - traditional chalet buildings made out of sun blackened larch wood with stone covered roofs, lending the resort much of its charming alpine character.
If you aren’t already convinced of the resort’s eminence within the ski world, the village is twinned with other top resorts such as Banff, Queenstown and Steamboat Springs. It has also been granted the Swiss Tourism Association’s ‘Families Welcome’ award. This is indeed a particularly apt destination for a family ski holiday; there are more activities here for the kids than you can shake a ski pole at.
Buy the Saaspass, and you can ski not only Saas Fee but neighbouring Saas-Grund, Saas-Almagell and Saas-Balen. There’s also an option to upgrade the pass if you want to ski legendary Zermatt.
Stats & FAQ
Location: Switzerland, Alps.
Established: 1856
Open: November - May
Downhill: 150 km
View our detailed Saas Fee snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our Saas Fee snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Geneva (GVA) | 229 km, 2 hrs 45 |
| Zürich (ZRH) | 239 km, 3 hrs 30 |
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| Top Altitude: | 3600 m |
| Bottom Altitude: | 1275 m |
| Resort Altitude: | 1800 m |
| Longest run: | 15 km |
| Slope Orientation: | NSEW |
| Vertical Drop: | 2117 m |
| Skiable Vertical: | 2117 m |
| Night Skiing: | Yes |
| Glacier: | No |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 150 km |
| Beginner slopes: | 32% |
| Intermediate: | 52% |
| Advanced slopes: | 27% |
| Lift Pass Price: | CHF 370 (adult 6 day) |
| Nearby resorts: Zermatt, Verbier, Nendaz | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Saas Fee
The area has something to offer skiers and snowboarders of every level. It’s a good choice if you’re hitting the slopes for the first time as the nursery slopes are snow sure and there are some fantastic ski schools here. Take little learners to the local Kid’s Fun Park for an exciting and safe area with a magic carpet, slalom run, snow carousel and lots of fun toys. There are three ski schools to choose from and if you go further afield to Saas-Grund you’ll find the charming Hohsi Snowland which is a self-proclaimed ‘snow kingdom’ for children with totem poles, tipis, seesaws, obstacles and a race track.
Once you’ve mastered the snow-plough it’s time to move on to some of the many blue runs and maybe even the odd red; there are some easy-going runs between Felskinn and Morenia, for example, number 4 on the map which joins together with 4b and 4c to make one gloriously long blue run back down to the village.
While the area is fairly large, it’s true that if you like clocking up the miles and you’re used to the French mega-resorts then you might find things here a little limited in comparison. No sweat though, if things are getting a little monotonous by the end of the week then simply head over to neighbouring hamlets of Saas Almagell, Saas-Balen and Saas Grund which offer yet more skiing. The lifts here are included in the area pass and you can get there with the free shuttle bus which runs every half hour.
There’s a big snowboard scene here, although there’s not much room for off-piste as the huge glacier means that most of the ski area is riddled with crevasses (so it’s imperative that if you do go exploring, you hire a mountain guide).
Freestylers will love the big terrain park up on the glacier which usually stays open in late spring, with kickers, rails and boxes of all shapes and sizes and a super halfpipe.
Saas Fee Apres Ski
For lunch head to Boccolino (next to the nursery slopes) which dishes up pizza, pasta and local specialities. On the other end of the scale is the decadent Fletschhorn, one of the top restaurants in the region, with one Michelin star and 18 points in the Gault Milau gourmet guide. It’s set in the Relais & Chateaux hotel, a 10-minute taxi ride from town. The young folk tend to hang out at Popcorn, a bar and club beneath the hotel of the same name. If you’re still feeling the buzz after a day on the slopes then make your way to ‘Poison’, which is probably the busiest and wildest nightclub, open until the wee hours.
If a hard day on the slopes has left your muscles aching, get a massage or relax in the sauna and spa at the Aqua Allalin leisure centre – in past years, visitors have been able to get discounted entry with their guest card (available free through your accommodation). There’s also a large indoor pool with whirlpool and children's pool, table tennis, two indoor tennis courts and a games room. Families will appreciate ‘Hannig’ as well, a whole mountain area set aside for walking, tobogganing, paragliding and anything else non-ski related.
As well as the town’s attractions, the resort is also famous for several world records, the first one being the Threes!xty restaurant, which sits just below the summit of the Allalinhorn at the lofty height of 3500m. This is the highest revolving restaurant in the world, with panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the immense Chessjen Glacier below. With one full rotation per hour, you’ll barely notice that you’re moving, but by the time you’ve eaten your meal (the food is top-notch as well), you’ll have taken in the breath-taking views from every direction. To get up here you can take the ‘Metro Alpin’, the highest funicular in the world and the second record-breaker in Saas Fee’s three-piece set. Finally, visit the Allalin Ice Pavilion below, which is a great day out for the kids and incidentally the world’s largest ice grotto.
Best time to go
Best time to ski Saas Fee
Best time to visit & ski Saas Fee
Incredibly, about 70% of all ski slopes in Saas-Fee are guaranteed to have snow during the ski season (November- May) according to the resort’s manager. Few resorts in the Alps, or in fact the world, have this kind of snow reliability, making Saas truly special. There’s nothing more annoying than arriving at your chosen destination to find all the slopes are closed. What’s more, the Saas valley lies in the very south of Switzerland and in one of the sunniest areas: on average there are 300 days of sun every year.
The long ski season is possible thanks to the ski area’s huge and impressive glacier which provides year-round snow, and the high-altitude slopes which stretch all the way up to a grand height of 3600m. To top things up, even more, the resort has also invested heavily in snow cannons meaning that even the lower slopes back down to the village stay open in the later months. One of our favourite times to ski in terms of the weather is early springtime as it tends to be warmer and sunnier, and you can sit out on the terrace of one of the lovely mountain huts, such as the Längfluh, and work on your tan.
Peak Dates
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas this year, then you’ll want to spend your Christmas in Saas Fee – with glacial skiing and a high-altitude, this is one of our favourite resorts in Europe for snow-sure skiing. The charming traditional character of the village and abundant Swiss chocolate will make you feel like you’ve just stepped into an advent calendar. Saas Fee Christmas ski holidays ‣
Capture some of the lively atmosphere that descends during New Years in Saas Fee by staying in one of the resort’s gorgeous hotels or cosy chalets during the party season. Sip on some local vino in one of the classy bars, enjoy a hearty fondue, or marvel at the midnight fireworks lighting up the star-studded sky. Saas Fee New Year ski holidays ‣
You can’t go wrong with a ski holiday over the February Half Term in Saas Fee. Kids will be kept happy on the nursery slopes at the local Fun Park, teens will love the snow park, and grown-ups will remember this as one of the most beautiful and impressive ski resorts they’ve ever visited. Saas Fee Half Term ski holidays ‣
Avoid the disappointment that you can get at some resorts when it’s a bad snow year and spend your Easter in Saas Fee. With a ridiculously good ski area that boasts a fantastic track record for snow over the late-season period, the resort certainly lives up to its reputation as the ‘pearl of the Alps’. Saas Fee Easter ski holidays ‣
Families in Saas Fee
We love Saas Fee for families – the village is quiet and friendly, the skiing is high, varied and extensive and both have loads of things to do. This is one of an elite group of Swiss resorts with the tourist board’s ‘Families Welcome’ label and has been given various awards for its services to families on top of this.
A tremendous amount of blue, red and black runs – nearly all snow sure - makes Saas Fee a top choice for all kinds of families, whether you’re all used to the annual week on the snow or this is a first time for everyone. Confident teens can hang out at the Freestyle park, which has a nice chill-out area if the rest of the clan fancy watching the action. If you’re booking lessons, the Swiss Ski School have various tuition options: kids aged 3+ can be booked into group ski lessons and 7-year-olds can have a go at snowboarding. Their Kinderland is kitted out with a magic carpet, carousel and more fun things and options with a supervised lunch are also available.
Do some traditional sledding on the 5km long run at Hannig (sometimes it’s open at night). The Ice Pavilion makes a great family field trip – it’s the biggest ice grotto in the world and experiencing the glacier from the inside is magical. Look out for kid's festivals - on the last few years these have happened on Wednesdays with arts, crafts and sometimes BBQ’d sausages... Indoor activities include micro-bowling, bouldering, children’s cooking sessions in the Baking Museum and a pool – with a cinema – at the Pirmin Zurbriggen. There are some fabulously family-friendly restaurants, with nappy changing facilities, high chairs, play areas and playgrounds and activities for the meal table – we like the Hannig mountain restaurant which is good in all weather; sit inside by the fireplace or soak up the sun and scenery from the terrace. For something really special, have a meal at Threes!xty – for the highest revolving restaurant on the planet, the food isn’t too pricey and it’ll certainly be something to remember.
GroupsGroup Holidays Saas Fee
If your group is looking for a quaint Swiss village, relaxed and friendly après and mile upon mile of high altitude, seriously scenic skiing, you’ve come to the right place. The ski area has more intermediate pistes than others but the amount of beginner and advanced runs don’t fall far behind, so if you’re a group of mixed abilities, everyone will find plenty to ski – there’s even a Freestyle park, complete with a chill-out area for the those who don’t fancy hitting the rails and jibs.
Non-skiers can visit museums and galleries or see the glacier from the inside at the biggest ice grotto in the world. Saas Grund is known to have torchlit walks in the evenings (on past years it’s been every Thursday, but double check) which is a magical thing to do as a group. Old school curling, mountain hut tours with fondues and beer and wine sessions have also been on the menu in recent years. Aqua Allalin is a new wellness and sports centre, with saunas, steam rooms, swimming pools and a gym – see if they’re still giving out free teas!
Ski straight off the slopes to SnowPoint for après ski or head to the Dom for live music. Popcorn and Poison are where it’s at if you want a proper night out. Make sure you add lunch in threes!xty to the to-do list, this is the highest revolving restaurant on the planet, meaning awesome views of the surrounding peaks (and the food is actually quite affordable).
Which are the best ski holidays in Saas Fee?
| Accommodation | Number of nights | Price (per person) from |
|---|---|---|
| Walliserhof Grand Hotel & Spa | 3 | £ 1150 |
| Hotel Allalin | 7 | £ 981 |
| Revier Mountain Lodge | 7 | £ 1124 |
| Hotel Park | 3 | £ 682 |
| Allalin Apartments | 7 | £ 759 |
| Hotel Bristol | 7 | £ 1339 |
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