The Best Ski Resorts in Switzerland

If some of us usually associate Switzerland  with the banks and watches then most of the travellers make associations with the red trains, overcoming the steep mountain slopes, with green valleys and with mountain chalets lost amid the forests. But in winter times, Switzerland – is primarily a ski resort. Every weekend, all the stations of the country become even over-crowded with people with sports equipment: all the Swiss go up to the mountains to indulge into favorite hobbies – skiing or snowboarding. What are the main resorts they choose from?

Despite the small size of the country, it has diverse resorts. Getting over there is easy and you will always find good hotels and adjusted infrastructure in spots. However, it is believed that most resorts are targeted at older people or those who do not like too noisy wild life après-ski.

Best Resort for a couple of days: Engelberg
This resort is just an hour ride from Lucerne. So, if you want to see the wonderful city of Switzerland, and to get to ski only for a couple of days, you will  be able to find a better option. The village, the name of which is translated as “Mountain Angel”, was founded by a Benedictine monk in 1120 at the foot of 3238-meter Mount Titlis. Of course, the monks were little interested in ski slopes, but today’s athletes rate them highly.  Do you prefer to ride on the empty slopes? Then it is better to go to this place on weekdays.

The most glamorous resort: St. Moritz
The name of this resort is known  all around the world: for more than 150 years, the rich and the famous come here not only for skiing, but also for taking part in various championships. In St. Moritz there is Switzerland’s largest concentration of five-star hotels and expensive restaurants, which makes this place into one of the most expensive places in the world. Skiers will spend solid amount of money on vacation, will also appreciate well-groomed slopes of several mountains, united by a common ski- pass.

The most “delicious” resort: Zermatt
Zermatt is a charming village situated at the foot of the Matterhorn. To travel around the resort by car is forbidden: lovers of antiques can get to their hotel on a sledge, which are brought by several horses, or in more modern way – by taxi-electric vehicles. It is interesting when you climb a mountain in Switzerland, you can inadvertently move out from the mountains to Italy. Zermatt attracts a special category of skiers – those who, after a day on the slopes, surely will go to a restaurant to eat something from the local specialties. Here are just a few institutions, which necessarily need to be visited: Zum See, Franz & Heidi and Chez Vrony.

The most unknown resort: Val d’Anniviers
This is one of the least known and, at the same time one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland, where you can ski. This resort is safely hidden from the foreigners as the locals preserve it for themselves. Twelve tiny villages are located in a valley surrounded by five mountains, which (including the Matterhorn) rise more than 4000 meters. Of the five villages there is a direct access to four different zones of skating (Vercorin, St Luc / Chandolin, Grimentz and Zinal). In these places you can see the old chalets, which are more than 600 years old. It is convenient to move between villages on a free ski-bass. This is one of the few Swiss resorts, where the athletes will not be bored all day: here, there is a night life. Those who want to spend the money will always find good shops of known brands.

Resort for “advanced” skiers: Verbier
With tens of kilometers of “black” and “red” routes and a huge area for off-piste this stylish resort has earned the reputation of the place for those who have an excellent command of the art of sliding on the slopes. Seasoned skiers will note that Four Valleys Verbier will make a worthy competition to famous Three Valleys of France, but the location of skiing areas in the Swiss resort is more complicated, it is harder to get used to it.