Skiing holidays can turn into an obsession. Once you've explored one resort, you'll want to slalom your way through them all. But with 6,000 resorts worldwide, it's probably a good idea to prioritise a bit. So where to next?
So much goes into picking a location. Price, length of slopes, opening dates, the après ski… So, before you pack your ski goggles and skiing equipment, let us help you find the best resort for you. We've taken a scientific approach to finding the best ski resorts in the world, ranking each one on eight key factors.
We've also found the countries with the most choice of ski resorts, the resorts with the most social media love and, of course, the best resorts for the all-important après ski.
The UK might not be the most world-renowned skiing destination, but there are many excellent resorts just waiting for you to hit the slopes, which is why we’ve also put together an index of the nation’s best ski resorts. After all, if you decide to plan your trip here in the UK, you could be zipping up your ski jacket after a few short hours’ drive.
The world’s best ski resorts
1. Les 3 Vallées, France Ski Resort Score /10: 8.25
The best ski resort in the world is Les 3 Vallées, which is partly situated in the Vanoise National Park in Southeastern France. Scoring highly across the majority of factors, the resort earned an overall score of 8.25/10.
Les 3 Vallées is the resort with the greatest total length of ski slopes at a whopping 600km, giving skiers a vast area to explore and enjoy. Accordingly, the resort has a total of 156 high-performance ski lifts, making it much easier to reach the top of the slopes, while visitors will also be able to choose from an impressive 14 different ski equipment rental stations. This resort is open 8 hours a day, with a day pass costing €72/£63. It is open for 164 days and offers a skiing and snow guarantee, thanks to exceptional snow cover and snow grooming conditions.
2. Les Portes du Soleil, France Ski Resort Score /10: 7.99
The ski resort taking second place in our index is Portes du Soleil, which earned an impressive overall score of 7.99/10. With the highest number of ski lifts at 208, meaning you can get around its 600km of slopes easily, it's no surprise that it ranks as one of the best ski resorts in the world. It is also home to the highest number of mountain restaurants and ski huts, with 90. Le Vaffieu is a must-visit chalet restaurant located atop Pleney with a children’s menu and terrace, serving cheese fondue, cakes and crepes.
Portes du Soleil is located in both Southeastern France and Western Switzerland, occupying a large area along the border between the two countries. You can explore 30 areas and 307 runs at Portes du Soleil. Adult day passes are available from €62/£54, with the resort open 8.5 hours daily.
3. Zermatt-Matterhorn, Switzerland/ Italy Ski Resort Score /10: 7.84
Zermatt-Matterhorn is the third-best ski resort in our study, earning an overall score of 7.84/10. The resort has as many as 15 ski and snowboard schools and 3 equipment rental stations, making it a great place for newcomers to get to grips with snowsports.
Matterhorn Ski Paradise is a vast skiing area which stretches across Italy and Switzerland. With a total of 360km of slopes available, accessible via 51 ski lifts, Zermatt-Matterhorn has a lot to offer its visitors. The highest ski area in the Alps is open all year round, and adult day passes cost €106/£93.
The countries with the most ski resorts
1. Germany Total Ski Resorts: 678
Germany has the highest number of ski resorts at 678, making it an excellent ski destination that is often overlooked in favour of more classical European skiing spots, such as the French Alps. Germany is also home to some of the best ski resorts in Europe.
The highest-rated German ski resort in our study is Zugspitze, which took 53rd place with an overall score of 5.09/10. The size of the resort prevents Zugspitze from earning a higher place on the list, with only 20km of ski slopes being available. However, the resort is open 153 days a year for a total of 8.25 hours a day, and despite its smaller size, it hosts a total of 8 ski and snowboard schools. 9 other German ski resorts placed in the top 150 within the world skiing index.
2. Japan Total Ski Resorts: 565
Japan has the second-highest number of ski resorts in the world, with a total of 565. Most of these resorts can be found on the country’s large Northern island of Hokkaido, which experiences an incredible amount of annual snowfall. In fact, Japanese snow is often regarded as some of the best for skiing and snow sports, which is driving an influx of ski tourism from all over the world. Despite this sought-after snow, many Japanese ski resorts are relatively small when compared to other major skiing countries, with all but three in our study offering less than 50km of slopes to enjoy. This may have prevented them from earning higher scores in our overall ranking.
The highest-rated Japanese ski resort in our study is Niseko United, which took 11th place with an overall score of 7.42/10. The resort, located in Southwestern Hokkaido, offers 50.8km of ski slopes and is open an impressive 12 hours a day, providing plenty of time to enjoy some of the best skiing in Japan.
3. United States Total Ski Resorts: 529
The United States has the third-largest number of ski resorts, totalling 529. With a country as large as the United States, it’s no surprise that there are many ski resorts to choose from. Some of the states with the highest number of resorts include New York, Colorado and Michigan.
Vail is the highest-rated ski resort in the United States, earning an overall score of 5.47/10. Vail is located in Colorado and is roughly a two-hour drive West of Denver. The resort itself is quite large, boasting 234km of slopes to explore. However, Vail is quite an expensive option for a skiing holiday, with adult day passes costing €261/£228, reflecting the much higher prices seen in the United States compared to the rest of the world and influencing their index rankings.
The most popular ski resorts on TikTok
1. Ruka, Finland TikTok Views: 22.8 million
The most TikTok-famous ski resort is Ruka, in Northeastern Finland, having racked up as many as 22.8 million views on the app. Ruka’s popularity on TikTok can be explained by the ability to see the Northern Lights from the resort. Visitors can book guided tours to the best viewing spots for witnessing the natural wonder. Ruka finished in 37th place on our index, earning an overall score of 6.04/10. The 19.1km of ski slopes at this resort are accessible 9.5 hours a day, 213 days a year, while the resort features 33 mountain restaurants and ski huts, which is a very high number for its size! An adult day pass at Ruka ski resort costs just €46/£40.
2. KitzSki, Austria TikTok Views: 15.8 million
The second most popular ski resort on TikTok is KitzSki, located in the Austrian Alps, having received 15.8 million views. KitzSki finished fourteenth overall, with a score of 7.28/10. The resort is home to 188km of slopes, 59 ski lifts and 13 equipment rental stations, making it a very well-organised resort. The resort highlights numerous photo points to take what it calls “the perfect selfie”, as well as offering the opportunity to take on a giant slalom ‘Skimovie’ course free of charge, which may help explain its popularity with TikTok users. There are also 62 mountain restaurants and ski huts, as well as 6 ski and snowboard schools, meaning the resort caters to just about every type of skier. An adult day pass at KitzSki ski resort costs €72/£63.
3. Skicircus, Austria TikTok Views: 13.7 million
Skicircus is the third most popular ski resort on TikTok, having garnered a total of 13.7 million views. Another high-scoring Austrian ski resort, Skicircus earned an overall score of 7.64 and finished in sixth place. Skicircus is one of the largest and most popular ski resorts in Austria, and is loved by advanced skiers from around the world thanks to its opportunities for freeriding, showcased by many TikTok users. The resort has 270km of slopes for its visitors to enjoy 129 days a year, which are accessible by 70 ski lifts. Skicircus has plenty of amenities, including 14 ski and snowboard schools and 60 mountain restaurants and ski huts. An adult day pass at Skicircus costs €72/£63.
The most popular ski resorts on Instagram
1. La Plagne, France Instagram Posts: 102,931
The most popular ski resort on Instagram is La Plagne, with by far the most posts at 102,931. This ski resort is very popular among British skiers and is a particularly common choice for families. La Plagne is located in Southeastern France, not far from the Italian border, and took tenth place in our index with a score of 7.45/10. The resort boasts 240km of slopes and 74 ski lifts, and is open 135 days a year. An adult day pass here costs €65/£57. The top Instagram posts using the hashtag #Paradiski showcases the resort’s stunning mountain landscapes, luxury chalets with hot tubs, and idyllic lakes.
2. KitzSki, Austria Instagram Posts: 37,282
Having already finished in second place for TikTok views, KitzSki now takes second place for Instagram posts with a total of 37,282. The resort is open 7.5 hours a day, 150 days a year, and is a great choice for beginners, as all practice lifts in the Kitzbühel area are free of charge. Instagram users sharing posts of KitzSki showcase the resort’s snow-grooming machines, on-site saunas and cosy ski huts.
3. SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental, Austria Instagram Posts: 35,775
The third most popular ski resort on Instagram is SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental, which has been featured in 35,775 posts on the app. Those visiting SkiWelt have shared snaps of learning to ski with the on-site school and the resort’s family-friendly atmosphere, which features child-friendly aids and children’s playgrounds. Yet another high-performing Austrian ski resort, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental, finished 16th in our index with a score of 7.21. The resort is larger than most, with 270km of slopes, accessible via 83 ski lifts, and features an impressive 80 mountain restaurants and ski huts. The resort is open 8 hours a day, 116 days a year, and an adult day pass costs €69/£60.
The best resorts for “Après-ski”
1. KitzSki, Austria Après-ski score: 9.83
The best ski resort for food, drinks and socialising after a day on the slopes is KitzSki, which earned an impressively high score of 9.83/10. Spending quality time with friends, family, and fellow skiers is a big part of the ski holiday experience, which is known as “après-ski”. Schi-Alm is a rustic hut with umbrella bars located at the valley run to Kirchberg, serving ribs and snack boards next to an open fire. Berggasthof Sonnbühel is a must-visit mountain restaurant with live music every Friday evening and a five-course menu.
2. SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental, Austria Après-ski score: 9.69
SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental takes second place for “après-ski”, combining many mountain restaurants and ski huts, with as many as 80 available and a considerable number of social media posts. After all, it’s not just your performance on the snow that is Instagram-worthy, but the good time spent with your close friends afterwards. KRAFTalm is one of the most popular mountain restaurants, serving traditional dishes, including apple strudel.
3. Skicircus, Ski Arlberg & Les Portes du Soleil Après-ski score: 9.39
Three ski resorts tied for third place when it came to “après-ski", all with scores of 9.39/10. Two of these, Skicircus and Ski Arlberg, are in Austria, while Les Portes du Soleil is located in France. This clearly shows that Austria could be the best country for “après-ski” activities, despite the term being coined in French. Those visiting Skicircus should reserve a table at Hendl Fischerei, one of the most popular mountain restaurants in the resort. Hendl Fischerei serves lobster, oysters and homemade lemonade.
The UK’s best ski resorts and centres
1. Glenshee UK Ski Resort Score /10: 9.61
Glenshee is the UK’s best ski resort, taking first place with an overall score of 9.61/10. Located in the Southern end of the Cairngorms National Park, Glenshee is the largest ski resort in the UK, boasting 40km of ski slopes which are serviced by 21 ski lifts. An adult day pass at Glenshee costs €39/£34.
2. Glencoe Mountain UK Ski Resort Score /10: 8.55
Glencoe Mountain is one of two ski resorts that tied for second place in the UK, earning an overall score of 8.55/10. Located in the West Highlands, approximately 22 minutes drive from the town of Glencoe, the Glencoe Mountain ski resort provides access to 24.3km of ski slopes with 9 ski lifts in operation. An adult day pass at the resort costs €41/£35.
3. The Lecht UK Ski Resort Score /10: 8.55
Also finishing in second place with a score of 8.55/10 is the Lecht ski resort. The resort is located in the Northeastern area of the Cairngorms National Park, about a 90-minute drive West of Aberdeen. The Lecht has 18km of ski slopes for visitors to enjoy, serviced by 13 ski lifts. An adult day pass at the resort costs €41/£35.
Methodology
For our international section:
- We sourced the km of slopes, number of ski lifts, number of ski schools, the cost of an adult’s day ticket during the main season rounded to the nearest whole number, the number of days a year that each ski resort is open, the hours each ski resort is open, the number of ski equipment rental stations and the number of mountain restaurants and ski huts at each ski resort using SkiResort.
- Where unavailable, we used each ski resort’s official website.
- Where the resort was home to separate ski and snowboarding schools, these were recorded individually.
- All figures were sourced in Euros and converted to Pounds using Google Finance on 13/10/23. * For Titlis ski resort and Saas-Feeski ski resort, we calculated the average cost of a day ticket for the week commencing 27/11/23 using the ski resort website.
- Where the ski resort’s official website did not detail opening dates, we used projected opening dates sourced from OnTheSnow and AmazingSnow and SnowJapan.
- Where the ski resort’s official website did not detail the number of slope restaurants and ski huts, we used Google Maps.
We used a per cent rank scoring system to give each resort a normalised score out of 10 for each factor. By calculating the average score for each resort, we revealed the ‘ski score out of 10’, which formed the basis of our ranking.
- We also used Instagram and TikTok to source the number of hashtagged posts and hashtag views for skiing in each resort, where available, as of 13/10/2023. We used articles and Google to find the most relevant hashtag for each resort. Any resorts with no results were removed from this section.
We also revealed the best countries for skiing opportunities by ranking each country on SkiResort based on the total number of resorts. Data collection was completed on 13/10/2023.
To reveal the best resorts for “après-ski” we used a per cent rank scoring system to rank each resort based on the number of Instagram posts, the number of TikTok posts, and the number of mountain restaurants.
For our UK section:
- We sourced the cost of an adult’s day ticket, the number of ski lifts, the average km of slopes, the availability of ski equipment rental at each resort using SkiResort and, where unavailable, the ski resort’s official website.
- Where prices of an adult’s day ticket varied, we used the starting price. Prices sourced from each resort’s official website were sourced in Pounds and converted to Euros using Google Finance on 30/10/23.
- Where the ski resort’s official website did not detail ski rental options, we sourced the availability of ski equipment rental at each resort using SnowPlaza.
We used a per cent rank scoring system to give each resort a normalised score out of 10 for each factor. By calculating the average score for each resort, we revealed the ‘ski score out of 10’, which formed the basis of our ranking.
