DISCOVER SKIING
Choose your ski destination carefully and you’ll minimise airport transfer times – and maximise your hours on the slopes
WHEN considering a destination for your next skiing holiday, it makes sense to take accessibility into account, so you can fly into a convenient airport and be on the slopes (or at least, settled in your accommodation) as soon as possible.
So, to help you make an informed choice, we’ve selected some key ski resorts around the world, with airports in close proximity, making them ideal for those impatient to hit the pistes. Chamonix, France Airport: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND TUCKED away at the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix is rightly renowned as the premier Alpine resort, with a reputation as one of the best locations in the world for advanced skiing and snowboarding. Even the most skilled can test their ability here, and the opportunity to head off piste is legendary – but a guide is mandatory. Kitzbuhel or St Anton, Austria Airport: INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA WITH heated seats on the chairlifts and friendly après-ski hospitality in the form of modern, chic bars and great food, Kitzbuhel is a welcoming playground for those seeking a stylish ski trip. It is ideal for beginners through to intermediate skiers, but there are plenty of challenging runs to allow the more experienced to get up speed.
In contrast, St Anton is considered one of the world’s finest altitude destinations, with 305km of piste skiing, focused on demanding red runs and adrenaline-pulsing blacks, and 200km of off-piste skiing. The upmarket town offers gourmet dining opportunities, sophisticated bars and spa retreats when you’re done on the slopes.
Zell Am See, Austria
Airport: SALZBURG, AUSTRIA THIS traditional Tyrolean lakeside town has somehow adapted – without losing any of its picture-book charm – to become a state-of-the-art ski resort with high-speed lifts up to 3,000m and a plethora of high-end hotels, stylish bars and premium boutiques. There are plenty of gentle blue slopes for novices, plus more challenging red runs and steep black runs for experienced skiers.
Trysil, Norway
Airport: OSLO, NORWAY THE largest and most popular ski region in Norway, Trysil is one of the best-kept secrets in Europe, with family-friendly slopes and tuition as well as testing black runs – and the chance to try cross-country skiing or a night ski. Most accommodation is ski in, ski out, and, with Trysil’s proximity to the Arctic Circle, snow is guaranteed.
Whistler, British Colombia, Canada
Airport: VANCOUVER, CANADA CANADIAN ski resorts enjoy a long season, often stretching to early May, and many enjoy state-of-the-art snow-making facilities to top up the beautiful powder blanket. Whistler is consistently ranked one of the best ski destinations in the world, attracting more than two million visitors a year, but 8,100 acres of skiable terrain across two mountains means it can cater for all comers, from complete newcomers to the most advanced skiers, as well as those wanting to heli-ski and try other winter sports.
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Airport: CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA NESTLED in the majestic Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park, an extensive network of immaculate pistes in the resorts of Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise caters for all abilities, with shuttle buses and well run lifts transferring skiers and snowboarders to their chosen runs.