10 Best Ski Resorts in Switzerland to Visit This Winter in 2023

It’s no secret that Switzerland is one of the most picturesque countries in the world with its stunning snow-capped mountains, spectacular landscapes, sparkling blue lakes and many more. But for skiing lovers, Switzerland is the ultimate destination where one can find some of the world’s best ski resorts.

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best ski resorts in switzerland
top skiing destinations in switzerland

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No doubt, Switzerland is an expensive country to travel. So while sorting out the best ski resorts in the Swiss Alps, budget is obviously the most important thing to be considered but it is not all about budget. Here your level of ski experience, ski region, slopes and ski lift also needs to be considered while choosing the best one.

#1 ZERMATT:

Zermatt is the most popular ski destinations in Switzerland as well as in entire Europe. It is just 3.5 hours train journey from Zurich airport. This little Swiss town is located in the southern part of Switzerland with a stunning view of Matterhorn.

Though the place is crowded for its popularity but the view of great snow-capped Matterhorn with an extensive ski slope is really memorable. People who are looking for some of the best honeymoon places in Switzerland can have a look at Zermatt for its surreal beauty of Matterhorn and stunning landscapes.

There are four main skiing areas in Zermatt:

  • Gornergrat
  • Rothorn
  • Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
  • Schwarzsee

You can easily access any of these skiing areas by ski lift or cable car as all are interlinked with each other.

I will highly recommend staying in Zermatt village from where you will have several options to choose your skiing areas, hotels and restaurants. The big advantage of staying in Zermatt village is you can easily reach any of the major skiing areas within 10 minutes.

Zermatt Ski resort in Switzerland
Zermatt Ski Terrain

Where to Stay in Zermatt:

Being it a popular skiing destination in Switzerland, Zermatt has very little option for budget travelers.

Here you get five comparatively cheaper accommodations in Zermatt. Click on the link to check the current price and review.

Hostels:

Hotels:


#2 VERBIER:

The Verbier Ski Resort is a fantastic Swiss village with over 400 km of ski runs linked by more than 100 ski lifts. This resort is around 160 km away from Geneva Airport. The most convenient and easiest way to get to Verbier is to book an Airport Transfer service that takes around 2 hours to reach Verbier.

With a great panoramic view of surrounding mountains over Matterhorn, Verbier maintains its position to be one of the most popular ski resorts in Europe. If the budget is not an issue, Verbier won’t disappoint you. This 4 Valleys ski region attracts skiers from all around the world with its top class facility, thrilling cliff drops, and insanely steep pitches.

Verbier Ski Resort
Verbier Ski Resort

Where to Stay in Verbier:

This popular ski resort in Switzerland has plenty of hotels, chalets and apartment options to choose but to find a cheap hotel in Verbier is really hard. Here I have recommended comparatively less expensive accommodations in Verbier. Check for the price and review.

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#3 ST. MORITZ:

St. Moritz is one of the most crowd-pullers of Switzerland for winter activities. A charming 3 hours scenic drive from Zurich Airport will reach you to St. Moritz. This popular ski resort has an attractive setting with a lot of challenging terrain at an altitude of over 3000 meters.

There is a frozen lake also in St. Moritz that made this place more scenic, more enchanting. I can relate the surrounding views of this resort with Heavenly, one of the best California ski resorts. Not only skiing, but this beautiful ski resort in Switzerland is also a hot destination for various wonderful winter sports.

Being the host of the Winter Olympics twice, St. Moritz is also a very busy and crowded ski resort like Zermatt. Please make sure to book your winter trip to St. Moritz in advance to assure your holiday.

Snowboarding in St. Moritz
Snowboarding in St. Moritz

Where to Stay in St. Moritz:

Although St. Moritz is an expensive ski resort in Switzerland, some not-so-expensive options are also available if you are on a strict budget.

Hostels:

Hotels:


#4 ANDERMATT:

Andermatt is renowned for great snowfall with well-groomed pistes, deep powder, beautiful ski terrain with well-organized ski lifts. Zurich is the nearest airport to this beautiful ski resort in Switzerland. The world-famous Glacier Express has a stoppage at Andermatt train station, else a scenic drive from Zurich is the cheapest option to reach Andermatt in 2 hours.

If you love to visit the best of Switzerland with less crowd, Andermatt can be a great option. This spectacular ski resort offers its visitors a stunning mountain view, marvelous ski slopes with great terrain and an authentic traditional resort packed with historic bars and restaurants.

Andermatt ski resort has some beginner and intermediate level ski slopes especially for travelers who are not experts in skiing. The resort has over 120 km of pistes with a good number of lifts for all levels of skiers.

When you are done with your skiing skills, visit the nearby Christmas markets in and around Zurich.

Ski Lift in Andermatt
Ski Lift in Andermatt

Where to Stay in Andermatt:

You will find a couple of mid-range and luxurious hotels in Andermatt. Try to book in advance as most of the hotels get booked at weekends.


#5 Saas-Fee:

Saas-Fee is a charming and all-year-round ski resort in Switzerland. This snowy heaven is located in the Valais canton of Switzerland and part of the Saas valley. You can reach here by renting a car or by train from Geneva airport and the journey will take around 2.5-3 hours to reach Saas-Fee. I will recommend renting a car while traveling to Switzerland to save a lot of money on transport.

Please note: Saas-Fee is a car-free area in Switzerland. Garages are available outside the village.

The ski area of this ski resort is comparatively small, with 100 km of pistes. The incredible scenery with modern facilities and a wide range of backcountry ski touring options made it one of the best ski resorts in Switzerland

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The gentle slopes of this ski resort are perfect for newbies and intermediate skiers. This family-friendly ski resort should not be missed if you are searching for a cheaper, novice-friendly and less crowded ski resort in Switzerland.

Skiing Equipment
Skiing Equipment

Where to Stay in Saas-Fee:

Booking.com

#6 GRIMENTZ-Zinal

The picturesque resort of Grimentz is one of the best ski resorts in the Swiss Alps for families. It is located at an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level. Geneva is the nearest airport of Grimentz, from there Grimentz is around 190 km away.

The ski resort of Grimentz-Zinal offers a mesmerizing view that includes 220 kilometers of ski slopes with a facility of 44 operating lifts. Enjoy skiing, biking, snowboarding and other endless winter activities in a serene atmosphere with the beautiful scenery of surrounding Swiss Alps. The amazing fact about Grimentz is it is still unaffected by the mass tourism that made this place an ultimate destination for families and beginner ski enthusiasts.

Grimentz Ski Run in Switzerland
Grimentz Ski Run

Where to Stay in Grimentz?

Some of the best hotels of Grimentz are listed below. Check for the latest price and review:

If you travel to Grimentz by car, I will recommend staying outside of Grimentz town to get a better deal for accommodation.


#7 NENDAZ:

Looking for quiet and affordable ski resorts in Switzerland? Situating at an altitude of around 1400 meters above sea level this magnificent ski resort is the perfect ski destination for budget ski lovers and solitude seekers.

Nendaz an offbeat Swiss town located in the heart of four valleys, in between Verbier and Veysonnaz. It takes around 2 hours to reach Nendaz from the nearby Geneva airport.

Surrounded by the highest mountains of the Alps Nendaz is a paradise for snow lovers in its purest form. This is a neighboring ski resort of popular Verbier but far less crowded and comparatively cheaper ski resort in Switzerland.

There are different levels of slopes in Nendaz for all types of skiers. Children can also enjoy a beautiful ski holiday in this untouched ski resort. Nendaz offers its visitors a 220 km extensive terrain to explore with over 50 operational ski lifts.

Nendaz Ski Destinations in Switzerland
Nendaz Ski Resorts

Where to Stay in Nendaz:

Being a neighboring ski resort of Verbier, Nendaz has plenty of options for accommodation with different budgets.


#8 LEYSIN:

Leysin is a traditional Swiss ski resort with lots of wide-open blue and red runs mostly preferred by boarders and intermediate skiers. Geneva is the nearby airport to Leysin. The airport station is located immediately below the lobby and the train brings you to the little town of Aigle from where Leysin is accessible by a cogwheel train.

Leysin is really an amazing family-friendly ski resort in Switzerland where you won’t find the pistes crowded. A perfect ski destination for the novice who can enjoy small ski runs on the gentle slopes of Leysin.

Leysin has 60 km ski runs which are located between 1300 meters to 2205 meters. This small ski resort has a total of 17 ski lifts which make sure a trouble-free skiing experience. The peacefulness, less crowded, large sanatorium and isolated location in the Swiss Alps make this affordable ski resort unique from other renowned ski resorts in Switzerland.

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Ski Lifts at Leysin ski resort | Best ski resorts in Europe
Ski Lifts at Leysin

Where to Stay in Leysin:

Leysin is getting popular among the skiers day by day. You will find hotels of different budgets in this area. From budget hotels to mid-range and luxurious hotels, Leysin has plenty of accommodation options.


#9 ENGELBERG:

Engelberg is a traditional Swiss village with 200 acres of piste terrain that has become a modern popular Swiss ski resort over recent years. The best way to reach Engelberg is by train. Hourly trains are available from Lucerne to Engelberg. The train ticket is expensive but the journey is worthwhile. It will take around 45 minutes to reach Engelberg if you come by renting a car.

This snowy heaven of central Swiss alps is surrounded by stunning mountain peaks including snow-capped 3020 meter Titlis. This is a quiet place with a relaxing atmosphere, friendly locals and magnificent scenery.

Engelberg offers some piste terrain to the powder skiers and snowboarders. This modern ski resort of Switzerland has more than 25 ski lifts with all types of ski slopes for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers.

Engelberg Ski Resort best ski resort in switzerland
Engelberg Ski Resort

Where to Stay in Engelberg:


#10 WENGEN:

Wengen ski resort is one of the most visited ski resorts in Switzerland, accessible from Lauterbrunnen by a cogwheel train. Lauterbrunnen can be reached by train or car from Interlaken that takes around 20 minutes. This spectacular ski resort is surrounded by the mountains Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau and Lauberhorn.

The main ski area of Wengen has three sections to explore. Wengen ski resort offers slopes of all difficulty levels from beginners to very steep slopes. Situating between Murren and Grindelwald, Wengen offers a magnificent scenic view of the Jungfrau region that every skier would like to experience. Beginners can enjoy skiing in the nursery slopes or take the train up to Kleine Scheidegg and explore some of the basic runs around there. Don’t miss Rocks Bar if you like to enjoy après ski.

Wengen Ski Resort | Top Ski destinations in Switzerland and Europe
Wengen Ski Resort

Where to Stay in Wengen:

Wengen is a little town that makes most hotels within walking distance from the train station. Some best hotels with various price range are listed below:

Switzerland is worldwide famous for its beautiful scenic view and stunning ski resorts. If you are looking for top ski destinations in Switzerland, you can pick up from this list as per your needs.

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Best Ski Resorts in Switzerland

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Happy traveling… 🙂

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11 Comments

  1. Ran | Travel & Lifestyle says:

    Great post! The hotel recommendations are super helpful too. Thank you very much!

  2. Switzerland is one of my fav countries. I am not a ski lover but this post me excited to try it

  3. Your post is very interesting hours want to learn ski

  4. I want to go to Switzerland so bad!

  5. Wow amazing pictures and Switzerland is in my bucket list fir sure. Thanks for the post.

  6. Marjie Mare says:

    My older daughter loves those winter vacations and would appreciate learning about those ski resorts. I will share this post with her.

  7. Very well written post. Quite Informative.

  8. siennylovesdrawing says:

    thanks for sharing this, agreeing 100% enjoying my read here, planning a ski trip in my to travel list 2020. yeah!! cheers siennylovesdrawing

  9. I have never been skiing in my life before. If I ever get the courage to do it I would like to do it in Switzerland.

  10. Ch. Nikhila says:

    All of these look amazing. Switzerland has always been on my list of places to visit. It sure is a great place.

  11. Switzerland is in wishlist for a very long time. Will definitely look into these when I travel!

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