Top 10 Ski Resorts in Switzerland
Whether it's the
glamour of Gstaad and St. Moritz or the dazzling vision of the Matterhorn
towering above Zermatt's classic chalets, every skier has dreams of skiing the
Swiss Alps. Contrary to what you may have heard, not everyone here skis like
James Bond, and these majestic mountains are not just for experts. Most resorts
have easy cruising terrain and excellent learning programs. Many have dedicated
slopes and lifts just for learners and beginners. And while après-ski may be
lively in some larger ski centers, Swiss ski resorts are well tuned to the
needs of families, with family-friendly lift passes, lodgings, and packages.
Some skiers love first
tracks in fresh powder, others prefer groomed trails, but whether it's the
adrenaline rush of a narrow piste at dizzying heights or a broad cruiser with a
panoramic view, you're never far from a mountain that offers it. Everyone loves
great scenery, dependable snow conditions, and a good network of lifts; Switzerland promises all these and a
choice of resorts to appeal to every taste. Caution: Back-country terrain is
unpredictable and should not be attempted without a qualified and well-equipped
back-country guide.
1. Zermatt
2 St. Moritz
One of the world's oldest and most famous winter sports resorts, St. Moritz has twice hosted theWinter Olympics, in 1928 and 1948, and its Olympic ski-jump and slopes are frequently the site of world ski events. But St. Moritz is not just for experts and Olympians. Its more than 20 lifts carry skiers to terrain for all skill levels, and it's known for some of Switzerland's best intermediate terrain, with several very long intermediate runs.
Ride the Corviglia Funicular from the town to Corviglia, at 2,486 meters, for prime skiing and sweeping Alpine views. From St. Moritz Bad, on the shores of the lake, you can take the Signalbahn to the Signalkuppe ski area, at 2,150 meters. St. Moritz is known for its smart - and pricey - social life, but you'll find family-friendly accommodations here and a few minutes away inSilvaplana, where there's a gentle kid-friendly slope and lift and a cable car to the Corvatsch ski area. There's plenty more to do in St. Moritz in the winter, including ice skating rinks, tobogganing, Nordic skiing, bobsledding, and kite skiing.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in St. Moritz
3 Jungfrau
4 Saas-Fee
Close to the glaciers of
the Dom (the highest peak entirely in Switzerland) and the Allalinhorn,
car-free Saas-Fee is in the Valais region. The 150 kilometers of ski trails and
slopes at Saas-Fee provide 1,800 meters of vertical, all of which is terrain
where intermediate skiers will feel comfortable. In all, 26
trails covering 96 kilometers are classed for intermediates. This, plus 37
kilometers of beginner trails and the practice slope and lift at the
edge of the village, ideal for children and learners, make Saas-Fee popular
with families.
Despite its well-earned
reputation for gentle runs, there's plenty of terrain to challenge experts,
with 23 kilometers of black-diamond trails. Boarders can ride
year-round, at a winter snow park and in the summer on a halfpipe, boarder-x,
and jumps on the glacier.
Official site: http://www.saas-fee.ch/en/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in
Saas-Fee
5 Davos-Klosters
Parsenn is the major area,
with some of the most challenging terrain and some of the longest runs in the
Alps. The longest is 13 kilometers, from Weissfluhgipfel to Küblis, with a
vertical drop of 2,034 meters. Both Jakobshorn and the Pischa area are
favorites for boarders, especially the latter with its off-piste
freeride terrain. Davos is also popular with Nordic skiers for its 140
kilometers of cross-country ski trails, some lighted for night skiing; the Nordic
World Cup Race is held here.
Official site: http://www.davos.ch/en/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in
Davos-Klosters
6. Crans
Montana
Only two hours from Geneva and 1 1/2 hours from Lausanne, Crans-Montana can get crowded on weekends, but the crowds quickly fan out across its 140 kilometers of slopes and wide runs, reached by 27 different lifts. The mountain is best known for its preponderance of intermediate terrain - 70 kilometers of trails are classed for intermediates - and for its variety of beginner slopes and runs - 55 kilometers are rated as easy.
Snow maintenance and grooming are high priorities, and about a third of the slopes and trails have snow-making. This is especially helpful because Crans-Montana's south-facing slopes, get more sunlight than many other Swiss ski resorts. Some trails are lighted for night skiing, and there is a dedicated snow park for boarders. A number of international snowboard and ski races are held here.
Official site: http://www.crans-montana.ch/hiver/en/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Crans Montana
7. Verbier
Expert skiers take note: Verbier is for you, endowed with well laid out runs for long-distance skiing and an abundance of back-country terrain that make it one of the world's best resorts foroff-piste skiing. The Tortin is famed as one of Europe's steepest descents. Set on a natural terrace, with views of the Grand Combin and the Mont Blanc group, Verbier is part of the Four Valleys ski area, joining Thyon, Veysonnaz, and Nendaz for a total of more than 410 kilometers of ski runs and 93 lifts all included in a single lift pass.
Skiers not up to the rigors of the expert
terrain will find some high-intermediate runs; the cable car to 2,050-meter
Tortin brings you to several, and Bruson, across the valley at 1,080 meters, is
less crowded and has good intermediate terrain. Verbier's snow park hosts the
annual Verbier Ride freestyle
event and the Verbier Xtreme freeride
competitions, part of the Freeride World Tour.
Official site: http://en.verbier.ch/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in
Verbier
8. Gstaad
Perhaps underlining the
impression that this is not a destination designed for die-hard skiers, by far
the majority of the terrain - 128 kilometers of it - is classed for beginners
and 60 for intermediates. But the remaining 15% of its pistes will test the
mettle of any skier. The SuperPass of Gstaad Mountain Rides also includes the
Adelboden-Lenk ski area.
Official site: www.gstaad.ch/en.html
Accommodation: Where to Stay in
Gstaad
9. Flims Laax Falera
But the resort is not just for snowboarders. The trails are
among the most evenly divided for different skill levels of any Swiss resort,
with 64 kilometers graded easy, 70 kilometers intermediate, and 46 kilometers
for experts. About 44 kilometers are designated freeride routes. The Flims Laax
Falera ski resort is 90 minutes from Zürich,
in one of Europe´s best snow regions, and skiing is at altitudes of 1,100 to
3,018 meters.
Official site: http://www.laax.com/en/home/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in FLims
10. Engelberg-Titlis
Only 45 minutes from Lucerne and just over an hour from Zürich, Mount Titlis
is one of Switzerland's most popular attractions, with tourists ascending to
its summit in a state-of-the-artrevolving cable car year-round. But
in the winter, the mountain and the small monastery village of Engelberg at its
foot become Central Switzerland's largest family winter sports resort.
Between Brunni and Jochpass
the more than 80 kilometers of runs lean heavily to beginners and
intermediate skiers, with 27 kilometers of easy runs, 47 kilometers of
intermediate, and only eight kilometers of expert pistes. A number of the
easiest runs are in the lower slopes around Trübsee and Gerschnialp. The
steeper slopes are in the higher areas and on the glacier, where
there is skiing from October until May. With a 609-meter vertical drop, the
area's longest trail is just under 13 kilometers. The quality of the powder
here makes it especially popular with freeriders and off-piste skiers.
Official site: http://www.engelberg.ch/en/
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Engelberg
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