Everyone needs regular rest. Ideally, this should be not just being at home, but organizing a good trip in which you can relax and recover well. Many people prefer to climb the snowy mountains. The best ski resorts in the world are located all over the world.
In most European countries, one of the most popular tourist destinations is the option under consideration. Thus, in 2020 such resorts can be found even in rather warm countries. For example, experts and amateurs have been vacationing in the Alps in France for several years.
Unfortunately, in our country it is difficult to find a suitable place for a quality ski vacation. In this regard, those who wish have to go to Europe, where the best ski resorts in the world are located.
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Best ski resorts in the world in 2020
To determine the city and country where you plan to go for vacation, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the top 10 best ski resorts in the world. This list has been compiled based on the advantages, disadvantages, and people's opinions about each option. Here you can get the maximum level of pleasure, as well as spend your time with comfort.
Hemsedal, Norway
If you plan to climb as high as possible, then you should pay attention to Norway, namely the small settlement of Hemsedal. Here you can find the highest mountains found in all of Scandinavia. Hemsedal is located in the western part of Norway and is quite similar to the French Alps. Local residents, who number about 2 thousand people, constantly draw this parallel. This number reflects only local residents. In fact, there are many more people here who come for ski holidays.
In Hemsedal you can find classic ski slopes, various jumps and a snow park. For beginners, special areas are equipped where you can learn to ride or jump. Children's zones are also located here.
Pros:
- Excellent snow park and learning areas;
- Children's area with many activities for children;
- Attractive mountain landscapes that can be seen anywhere in the village;
- Mainly there are gentle slopes, great for beginners.
Minuses:
- It is not recommended to go to this resort if a person has breathing problems.
Ischgl, Austria
Next in line is a ski resort located in Austria. As a rule, it is more suitable for snowboarding, but skis are also welcome here. This is a fairly budget option that can bring a lot of fun for tourists. The main attraction of the Ischgl settlement, in addition to the mountains, is the large Borders Paradise snow park. Here everyone can find entertainment to their liking: various jumps, half-pipe, obstacles and so on.
With the help of an equipped snow park, any beginner can quickly learn the basics of skiing and snowboarding, and experienced craftsmen can hone their skills. Naturally, in addition to the snow park, you can also find classic tracks here.Resort managers pay maximum attention to this aspect and prepare the safest and most interesting roads for their clients. There are both standard slopes and extreme options.
Pros:
- Ideal for snowboarding enthusiasts;
- Excellent living conditions;
- High-quality preparation of the tracks by the owners of the resort;
- A giant snow park for training and practice.
Minuses:
- Few advantages for skiers rather than snowboards.
Chamonix, France
Next in line is one of the most popular ski resorts, which is located in the Chamonix settlement in France. It should be noted right away that this is a premium-class option, which requires quite serious financial investments. However, for this money, the client receives the highest quality and pleasant service, as well as safe tracks and other areas for entertainment.
In Chamonix, you can go down both innocuous slopes, where it is impossible to gain high speed and get damaged, and along extreme slopes that are available only for professionals. It is noteworthy that the longest track in Europe is equipped here. Its length is about 22 kilometers. It is called "White Valley".
Each ski slope in Chamonix starts in the mountains at an altitude of at least 2 kilometers above sea level. Naturally, in addition to this, excellent infrastructure and comfortable living conditions have been implemented here.
Pros:
- A large number of tracks of different types, lengths, heights, and so on;
- The longest ski slope in Europe;
- The presence of extreme slopes for professional skiers;
- Attractive living conditions in the houses;
- Quite often famous cultural figures rest here. If you're lucky, you can take a picture with them and get an autograph.
- This is a prestigious ski resort, for the construction of which a huge amount of money was invested.
Minuses:
- The extremely high cost of all services.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Switzerland is a fairly popular country that is heard by many people. Here quality watches, chocolate, cheese are produced and sent to the rest of the world. One of the best banking systems in the world is implemented here. And also in Switzerland there are many mountains that have long been used by businessmen as resorts for tourists.
In this section of the article, we will look at the ski resort of Zermatt, which is located in the southern part of Switzerland at the foot of the Matterhorn mountain. Here you can find the second largest vertical drop, which allows you to instantly gain high speed, both for a professional and an amateur. As for the living conditions, this aspect is beyond doubt, since we are talking about Switzerland. However, it should be noted that a hotel room is quite expensive here.
Many tourists from all over the world have long fallen in love with this place and regularly visit it for family vacations. As a rule, very beautiful lingering snowfalls periodically occur here, which exclude the possibility of snow disappearing from the surface of the tracks. Thus, one can easily conclude that this is an excellent option for a ski vacation, which has everything you need, but not everyone can afford to pay for the local service.
Pros:
- Regular prolonged snowfalls, which can last up to a week;
- Unique view of the huge Matterhorn mountain, as well as its surroundings;
- Excellent conditions for the whole family;
- Remoteness from civilization, which allows you to fully enjoy natural nature. Even a car is quite difficult to find here.
Minuses:
- It is quite difficult to get to the village;
- Extremely high cost of services.
Les Arcs, France
The mountain resort of Les Arcs in France is rightfully considered the center of snowboarding in Europe. The main focus of this place is snowboards. However, skiers can also find entertainment here for themselves, although their number decreases every year.The same cannot be said for snowboarders: the number of visitors to Les Arcs who use snowboard is growing every year.
It should be noted that four full-fledged zones have been implemented here: Ark-1600, Ark-1800, Ark-1950, Ark-2000. Snowboard enthusiasts can comfortably slide off a wide variety of mountain slopes. The management of the resort invites people of all ages and status to visit: newlyweds, their children, young people, as well as elderly people.
Clients of Les Arcs are offered a whole range of entertainment: downhill slopes of various extremes, off-piste free skiing, 2 excellent snow parks with jumps and obstacles. There are even entire schools for snowboarders, where you can take a course and become a specialist in board riding. Naturally, here you can have fun not only in this way. This is evidenced by the many restaurants, bars, cinemas and nightclubs.
Pros:
- Two attractive practice snowparks;
- Off-piste skiing;
- The resort consists of four different areas with their own characteristics;
- All slopes are divided by difficulty levels;
- All kinds of entertainment;
- As many as 13 schools for snowboarders.
Minuses:
- As in many other resorts, service prices are quite high here.
Sälen, Sweden
The next option is great for amateurs who are just learning skiing skills. We are talking about the village of Selen, located in Sweden. This is a massive ski complex that consists of several areas, like the previous option. Namely: Hogfjollet, Tandadalen, Lindvallen and Hundfjollet. The most challenging tracks can be found in Tandadalen, and the pro can handle them without any difficulty.
Routes that are located in other points are much easier and safer. Thus, they are ideal for beginners who have not yet mastered skiing or snowboarding. Thus, the descent becomes long, safe and as pleasant as possible.
It is worth noting the famous Scandinavian route called "The Wall". It is located in this resort, namely in the village of Tandadalen. This track is considered the most difficult Scandinavian route. In addition, you can entertain yourself in other ways in Selen. For this, dog sledding, ice-carting, underwater fishing and much more are available.
Pros:
- A huge tourist complex with an impressive area;
- The presence of the most difficult Scandinavian route "The Wall";
- Most of the trails are ideal for beginners and hobbyists.
Minuses:
- There are quite a few standard entertainments not related to downhill skiing or other skiing activities.
Soldeu, Andorra
In Andorra, namely in Soldeu, you can also find an excellent ski resort that is aimed at an audience of beginners and amateurs. On the territory of this complex you can find many gentle slopes with wide slopes on the plateau. The owners of the resort have tried to make the tracks more interesting and exciting. Therefore, an impressive number of bumps, turns, obstacles and the like are implemented here. A week of outdoor activities is not enough to fully explore the routes.
In Soldeu, about 22 extreme slopes are organized, aimed at professional skiers. Each of them has its own level of difficulty, but they are all recognized as extreme. As for the snowiness of the area, there is always snow here. Even if the weather plays a bad joke and the snow begins to melt, the management of the complex will activate special snow cannons, of which there are about 420.
Pros:
- Availability of snow cannons for constant snow on the routes;
- Attractive surrounding landscape of the Andorran mountains;
- 22 extreme tracks of varying degrees of difficulty;
- Beginner slopes suitable for downhill skiing or snowboarding.
Minuses:
- Too little extra entertainment.
Ylläs, Finland
Finally, it is worth noting the ski resort in the Ylläs settlement, which is located in Finland.For residents of Russia, this is the easiest and most convenient option, since it is much easier to come to Finland than to France or Switzerland. The prices here are also quite reasonable and not overpriced. Ylläs ski complex is suitable for more experienced snowboarders and skiers who have been vacationing in the mountains for many years. In this place, there is a record height difference, which can reach half a kilometer.
Thus, a beginner can develop too high a speed and not cope with control, which will lead to unpleasant consequences up to a tragic situation. However, it cannot be said that newcomers have absolutely nothing to do in Ylläs. There are several easy routes for beginners, as well as several schools for snowboarders.
The resort's owners often mention that it hosts regular international Super G Slalom and Super-G competitions. In this regard, it is necessary to clarify the dates of these events in advance and find out if the track will be open for ordinary customers at this time. Naturally, the most gentle and simpler tracks are not used in competitions. Therefore, beginners can always find something to do. By the way, there are cross-country ski trails in Ylläs.
Pros:
- Excellent conditions for the whole family;
- Attractive landscape of the surroundings;
- Record height difference up to 500 meters;
- Quite a budget option when compared with the previous ones;
- The presence of many instructors involved in training tourists;
- An extensive system of cross-country skiing trails.
Minuses:
- Quite little space for newbies. The main focus of the complex is amateurs and professionals;
- International competitions are held regularly, during which many routes become inaccessible.
Recommendations for choosing a ski resort
Ironically, there is no definite name for a one-stop ski resort that will suit every person. It all depends on the individual characteristics and needs of the person. Therefore, it is recommended to go over the list of options considered again and consider the conditions under which it is worth going there:
- The Les Arcs complex in France is quite often chosen by experienced snowboard amateurs and professionals from Europe. There are 4 different areas implemented here, in which you can find specialized schools with instructors, snow parks, discos, cinemas, restaurants, and so on.
- Ischgl in Austria is also more suitable for snowboarders. Moreover, for those who have come not only to ride, but also to hone their skills and conquer new routes.
- Hemsedal in Norway has several advantages at once that allow you to choose it. Firstly, it is located quite close to Russia and it is not difficult to get there. Secondly, this complex is designed specifically for families. Therefore, you need to come here with your family.
- Sälen in Sweden is suitable for both experienced riders and beginners in this business. Beginners will find plenty of fun on the easy trails, while experienced skiers can try the toughest Wall trail.
- If you are wealthy and can afford an expensive vacation in an elite place, then you should pay attention to the village of Zermatt in Switzerland, as well as to the Chamonix resort in France. In both places, the quality of service is at the highest level, and you can also meet many popular cultural figures: TV presenters, actors, athletes and so on.
