Enjoy a winter break on the snow with our guide to the cheapest places to ski in Europe!
While some destinations are enduringly popular amongst Brits – France, Italy, Austria, we’re looking at you – others are lesser-known but can tick just as many boxes.
In this article, we’re spilling the beans on ski resorts that give you the most bang for your buck and dishing out all the deets on those important prices.
The Best and Cheapest Places to Ski in Europe
In no particular order, here are the ski resorts to check out if you’re desperate for a winter sports holiday but don’t fancy shelling out a fortune to do so.
1. Borovets, Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s oldest ski resort is nestled in the breathtaking Rila mountain range and is a hidden gem for budget-friendly skiing. Just a 1 hour 20 minute minibus ride from the capital, Sofia, it’s got all that powdery goodness as it sits snug in Bulgaria’s highest mountain range.
Here, you’ll find cosy hotels, affordable gear and affordable ski lessons making Borovets one of the cheapest places to ski in Europe. The pistes are a little shorter than a lot of Europe’s ski resorts making it a good option for beginners and intermediates. It’s also a great option for families.
The skiing season at Borovets stretches from mid December to mid April.
After hitting the slopes, put your feet up in the nearby thermal springs or explore Tsarska Bistritsa, a traditional Bulgarian village.
Skiing costs: Daily adult passes start at £20.10 but you’ll save money if you’re skiing for longer. If you’re between the ages of 14 and 22 it’s even less, at just £15.35. Ski or snowboard, poles and boots rental for adults starts at £15.35 for the day; going up to £75.50 for six days’ rental (£12.58 a day). Helmet rental is £4.40 for the day and £21 for six days.
Food and drinks costs: A local beer will cost you around £2, whilst a meal at an inexpensive restaurant is around £8.75.
Accommodation costs: You’ll find a range of accommodation options in Borovets, including both hotel rooms and apartments. During the ski season basic hotel room prices start as low as £35 per night, while apartments begin at £60 a night.
How to get there: Hop on a flight to Sofia! The great news is that you can fly direct from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh airports. The cheapest flights we found were from London Stansted for just £12 one way!
Once in Sofia, you can get a minibus from the airport which takes 1 hour 30 minutes to get to Borovets.
On a recent trip, our founder Chelsea discovered that hiring a car in Sofia was actually cheaper than getting a transfer. It only cost £6.32 a day and had a lot more flexibility when it came to timings.
2. Grandvalira, Andorra
Thinking of a different winter escape in Europe? Forget the Alps and swing over to the laid-back Pyrenees.
Grandvalira is the biggest ski resort in the Pyrenees with a season running from early December to mid April, but it promises more than just skiing and snowboarding. Take a break from the slopes and go ziplining, or take a ride on the alpine rollercoaster.
When you’ve had your fill of snow, it’s a breeze to hop over to nearby gems like Toulouse in France or Barcelona in Spain; each just a 3-hour drive away.
Skiing costs: One day adult passes start at £53.90 and seven day passes start at £341.25. This pass gives you access to the Ordino Arcalís and Pal Arinsal ski resorts as well as Grandvalira.
Basic ski equipment rental (skis or snowboard, boots and poles) starts at £19.65 for the day and £113.70 for seven days. You can rent a helmet for £5.15 a day and £29.90 for seven days.
Food and drinks costs: In the local area, you can expect to pay around £3 for a beer, £1.37 for a cappuccino and £10.24 for a meal at an inexpensive restaurant. However, prices at resorts do tend to bump up a little and so you can expect to pay a little bit more. We’ve heard beers on the slopes are likely to set you back between £3.50 – £5.50.
Accommodation costs: You can find rooms on hotel booking sites from around £45 a night. However, the majority of the available accommodations online are apartments, which are quite reasonably priced at around £110 per night during the ski season. This works out well if you’re sharing the space with friends or family.
How to get there: The closest international airports to Grandvalira are Toulouse in France and Girona in Spain. During March 2024, Ryanair have one-way flights from London Stansted to Toulouse for as low as £15, and to Girona from £13.
From Girona it’s a 3 hour drive to the resort; the drive from Toulouse to Grandvalira will take you around 2 hours 20 minutes.
Don’t forget to check our the coach and train links from Spain and France as well!
3. Jasná Nízke Tatry, Slovakia
Tucked away in the Low Tatras mountains is Jasná, one of the cheapest places to ski in Europe and Slovakia’s biggest ski resort. We’re talking cheaper accommodations, delicious Slovakian eats and 50km of slopes catering to all levels. Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, Jasná’s got your back with top-notch skiing facilities minus the crowds.
At Jasná Nízke Tatry, the ski season runs from early December to mid May.
If you fancy a day off the slopes, hit up the Tatralandia Aquapark – it’s one of Europe’s largest. In the evenings, there’s plenty in the way of après-ski – pass by Funibar for its stunning view of Mt Chopok (the second highest mountain in the Low Tatras) and Ski Bar Krupová for its warm drinks and all-day music.
Skiing costs: A one-day adult ski pass is £50.50, and that drops to £45.94 a day if you buy one for six days (£275.65 total). If purchased in-person instead of online, expect to pay a few pounds more. Daily ski boots rental is £14.55 and £80.40 for seven days. Daily helmet rental is £6.85 and £37.65 for seven days.
Food and drinks costs: You can expect to pay around £2.50 for a beer, £3 for a cappuccino and £9.40 for a meal at a local restaurant. Prices can be a little more expensive in the centre of the resort, so budget to spend a little more if you’re eating and drinking there.
Accommodation costs: If you want to stay in the main Jasná town during the ski season then you’re looking at hotel rooms with a starting price of £150 a night. Where you’ll find the cheaper accommodation is a 20-minute drive away, in Liptovský Mikuláš town; you can find basic studio apartment stays here during peak season for £22 per night.
How to get there: One-way Ryanair flights in February 2024 from London to Poprad start at £15. It’s then a one-hour drive to Jasná Nízke Tatry.
4. San Vito di Cadore, Italy
Skip the super busy Cortina d’Ampezzo ski resort and check out San Vito di Cadore next door. It’s the budget-friendly, slightly smaller sibling with 20km of runs – perfect for newbies and families with little skiers. Here the season runs from mid December to mid March, and they’ve got nursery slopes, family discounts and even an amusement park.
But here’s the secret sauce: even though it’s small, San Vito di Cadore is still part of the Dolomiti Superski Complex, that means you get a whopping 1200km of pistes to enjoy. Snap up a Skipass de Valle and you’ll get access to the Alpe di Siusi and Val Gardena slopes as well.
Skiing costs: You can get a day pass for £38.50 (you can also buy morning or afternoon passes, handy if you don’t always want to ski a full day). Ski equipment can be rented from The Tambres ski rental which is in the Vito di Cadore ski area. Adult ski and poles rental prices start at £18.70 for the day and £47.05 for six days. Helmet rental is £5.15 for the day and £17.95 for the six days.
Food and drinks costs: A local beer will set you back £3.85 and a meal at a restaurant costs around £10.30.
Accommodation costs: During the San Vito di Cadore ski season, you can find basic yet good-value hotel rooms for around £60 per night and resort stays from £125 per night.
How to get there: Once you’ve flown into Venice airport it’s a 1 hour 35 minute drive to San Vito di Cadore. You can catch a direct one-way flight to Venice from London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and Edinburgh airports from as little as £13. Check out Ryanair and easyJet for the cheapest flights to Venice.
5. Ischgl, Austria
Ischgl in Austria’s Tyrol mountains is linked up with the Swiss resort of Samnaun just across the border. You get 365km of trails, including sweet off-piste spots. The season stretches from November to May, and whilst the main season isn’t cheap, where you can bag a bargain is towards the beginning or the end, when you can snag a slightly cheaper ski pass. They have lots of accommodation options, the only catch is those ski-in, ski-out spots go quick.
This resort also holds music festivals and concerts with pretty big names: The Black Eyed Peas are playing the Top of The Mountain Closing Concert this year!
Skiing costs: An adult day ski pass is £61.60 and an adult week pass is £313.20 in peak season (classed as the end of December till the first days of April). An adult day pass is the same price in low season (April) but cheaper for the week at £281.95 – that’s just £46.99 a day.
Food and drinks costs: You can expect to pay around £4 for a beer at a restaurant, £4.20 cappuccino and £17 for a meal at a nice restaurant.
Accommodation costs: Accommodations in Ischgl town mainly consist of resorts, although you can find a few standard hotel rooms. During the low season you can find hotels in the town from £95 per night, otherwise on average hotel stays are around £200 per night. It’s worth booking your accommodation quite a few months in advance as the hotels in Ischgl town tend to sell out fast.
How to get there: EasyJet runs direct flights from London, Bristol and Manchester airport to Innsbruck starting at £17 one way. It’s then a 1 hour 20 minute drive to Ischgl. There are transfers available too.
6. Les Houches, France
Tucked away in the gorgeous French Alps, Les Houches ski area is a snowy paradise with Mont Blanc, Europe’s tallest mountain, as its stunning backdrop. Cruise down ski runs that stretch from 950m to 1,900m while soaking in breathtaking views of the Mont Blanc Valley. The season here generally runs from mid-December until the first few days of May.
And the fun doesn’t stop with skiing! Les Houches hosts activities like snowshoeing and ice-skating, and has an adventure park and a climbing wall.
Skiing costs: A one day adult ski pass at Les Houches starts at £25.70 and prices for a six-day pass (available online for December – March) start at £125.95 – that’s only £21 a day!
Food and drinks costs: This is a little less cheap – you can expect to pay around £7 for a beer and £18 for a main meal at a restaurant.
Accommodation costs: The area has some truly upscale resorts that can be quite pricey. However, the good news is that there are plenty of mid-range hotel rooms available during peak Les Houches skiing season, ranging from £65 to £150 per night.
How to get there: The nearest airport is Geneva, from there it’s a 1 hour drive to Les Houches. Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Edinburgh airports, along with all the major London airports, offer direct flights to Geneva for as low as £18.
7. Vogel, Slovenia
Vogel is part of the stunning Triglav National Park and home to Slovenia’s longest ski slope at 7.5km long. They’ve got a slick cable car that whisks you from the Lake Bohinj to the mountains in a flash. Once up there, you’ve got a ton of wide-open, treeless spaces to explore. Their skiing season usually lasts from November to May. Vogel’s super affordable prices make it one of the cheapest places to ski in Europe.
However, don’t expect wild nightlife here, but the capital, Ljubljana, is just over 1 hour away. So, you can sneak in a day trip for some city vibes!
Skiing costs: An adult day pass is £35.95 while a seven day pass costs £188.25 . This cost also includes the cable car. You can rent a ski set (skis or snowboard, boots, poles) from the SKI FINŽGAR ski school for £24 a day and £106.10 for seven days.
Food and drinks costs: A beer will cost you £1.75, while a supermarket bottle of wine is priced at £4.40.
Accommodation costs: You’ll find a good mixture of B&Bs, hotels, apartments and resorts in Bohinjska Bistrica. Stays in hotels rooms in the Vogel ski season generally start at £40 per night.
How to get there: Fly to the capital. of Ljubljana, then it’s a 1 hour drive to Bohinj. We found direct flights to Ljubljana with easyJet for as little as £21 one way.
Escape to the snow with the most affordable ski destinations in Europe
Thanks to our round up of affordable ski and snowboard destinations, you can get ready for your trip to the slopes. Whilst you can’t guarantee the weather, you can be smart with your budget by choosing lesser-known resorts or travelling at the end of the season. Booking sooner rather than later can also help with keeping on top of those costs, leaving more funds for the après!
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