Skiing in Switzerland: Swiss locals share their favourite holiday spots

Hiking, swimming in the river (atleast in Basel),skiing or snowboarding – these are just some of the things that many Swiss kids grow up doing. Every summer, I am appalled at the number of people and kids swimming in the Rhine on a regular basis, and every winter, at the adorable skiing costumes and enthusiasm that kids have while going for their family skiing vacations. In fact, some of my friends are certified ski instructors as they have been skiing all their lives- and that is so fascinating for me! Switzerland undoubtedly is an extremely beautiful country and attracts lots of tourists each year, many of who try out winter sports like skiing and sledging too. If you are planning your ski holidays or thinking of where to go in Switzerland for skiing, this post is perfect for you. But, where do the Swiss locals themselves go skiing? My quest for finding out the answer to this dates back to at least a year ago, when I started asking people for their favourite skiing spots in the country. Friends, neighbours, acquaintances, colleagues, people I met in trains and their friends, friends of friends – you get the drift. Whenever I found myself in a comfortable conversation with a Swiss, I tried asking them where they liked to go skiing too (and then noted it down on my phone). So, here is a list of some of the places that came up a lot in all the conversations.What I did notice though that their answers were of course affected by where they grew up.I’ve also added a bunch of things you can do apart from skiing in those places too.Whether you are a pro or a beginner, I hope you get some ideas for skiing in Switzerland!

1.Davos Klosters : Skiing in Switzerland

One of the most popular spots seems to be Davos, located in the very East of Switzerland in the Canton (district) of Grisons or Graubünden. Some of you might have heard or read about it as the venue for the World Economic Forum every year. For those who know how to ski, you can get a ski pass for half a day, 1 full day or multiple days at varying costs. If you are a beginner and would like to learn how to ski, you can join one of the many group classes at ski schools or take private lessons too. For a rough estimate, a group session for 5 days might cost you about 330 CHF.While most of my friends prefer to stay overnight in hostels, I came across a great offer for Nov-Dec 2016 on the Davos website which gives you a ski pass for free if you stay overnight in one of the participating hotels in the area.

How to get there: It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours from Zurich to get to Landquart by train (sbb.ch)  and then take a bus to reach the destination.

 Alternative activities: If you are not too keen on skiing or are accompanied by people who are not, there are plenty of other interesting activities you can try out, such as sailing, swimming, biking,tobogganing or sledding. They also have an ‘Inside’ offer that lets people staying at selective hotels choose from about 20  complementary experiences. These can range from exploring the surroundings at sunrise to spotting mountain goats or ‘Ibex’ ,sledging or even visiting places frequented by celebrities and members of the Royal Family.

Want to get prepared for the snow? Why not check out some snowboard clothing in this guide!

The Grissens have many more skiing resorts and some of them were mentioned by quite a few of the people I spoke to. Here is one:

2. Arosa-Lenzerheide : Skiing in Switzerland

 Arosa and Lenzerheide are two towns which are now connected via a double-track cable car, opening up a lot more opportunities for people to indulge in the beauty around them. There doesn’t seem to be a dearth of activities in this region throughout the year – from winter sports to ballooning to competitions in water sports , it seems to have it all!This year, they were also offering free ski classes to youngsters under 18 years of age to boost the sport further. If you are a beginner and are interested in learning how to ski in this region, they have 4 schools for you to choose from. A friend suggested Lenzerheide for students on a budget, though she stressed on two other places in the region that I’ll be detailing later.You can also rent the equipment there, if you would like to ski on your own. An interesting thing I came across was the Arosa Lenzerheide Card, which you can recharge and then use it to pay at partner cable cars, restaurants,etc, and it is valid for 5 years.

How to get there: From Zurich, you can get a train to Chur (about 1.5 hours) and then continue on to Arosa or Lenzerheide, as desired.

Alternative activities: Apart from skiing, you could take a ride on a cable car, go for ice skating,Nordic walking or hiking, or perhaps attend events like the Arosa Humor Festival, Waterslide contest , etc.

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3.Engelberg : Skiing in Switzerland 

Engelberg is a ski resort in Central Switzerland(district of Obwalden), and is popular for reasons more than one.If you’ve visited Switzerland or done any planning for the trip, you might have heard of Mount Titlis, which is located in the area.If you are in the mood of  skiing this spring, you can do so in Engelberg until May 22nd,2016. It has some of the most breathtaking views, and is frequented by tourists and nature lovers throughout the year. I myself have yet to go skiing, but I had a good intention of joining a beginner’s group tour from my University that would have taken place there.

How to get there: You could take the Lucerne-Engelberg Express which would take about 45 minutes. From Zurich, it takes less than 2 hours to arrive at Engelberg, and then you can make use of free buses from your hotel to reach the cable car station.

Alternative activities: Depending on your interests: take the cable car up Mount Titlis, visit the Titlis Glacier cave for free,go for the Cliff Walk (also for free), or go kayaking,Nordic walking, wildlife watching,snowshoeing or perhaps visit the Igloo village and paraglide. And for Bollywood fans, you have the life-size cutouts of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol from DDLJ waiting for you!

Check out this post about spending a day at Mount Titlis in the summer.

4. Grindelwald: Skiing in Switzerland

Located in the Bernese Oberland, Grindelwald, near Interlaken is a place I’d highly recommend you to visit, even if you are not interested in skiing. A lot of people mentioned going to Murren,Lauterbrunnen or Wengen in the Jungfrau region for winter sports. I myself went up the Busalp when I was visiting Grindelwald and Interlaken, and tried sledding (which became a scary experience while it was snowing in the dark by the way). You can also base yourself in Interlaken for instance, and take day trips to the mountains around- including the ‘top of Europe’- Jungfraujoch. For those interested in snow sports schools, here are your options.

How to get there: Grindelwald can be reached within 2 hours from Zurich and in about 3 hours from Geneva. You can take the train to Interlaken Ost and then go up the mountains.

Alternative activities: A lot of adventure sports are offered in this region, though on the pricey side.You could consider paragliding, cliff diving,etc. There are several opportunities to take day trips too and explore the beautiful mountains and lakes around.Besides, if you like, you can always indulge in some relaxation making use of the wellness options available.

Tip:Why not gift a canyon jump experience in Interlaken to a loved one (or yourself)!?Gift an experience and create memories!

Eiger in summer. Image copyright: Jungfrau Region Tourism

5. Abelboden : Skiing in Switzerland

Also in the Bernese Oberland lies Abelboden, a mountain village with scenic waterfalls,ski slopes and which has been the first place in the country to receive the Alpine Wellness holiday resort certificate.It is frequented by winter sports enthusiasts for cross-country skiing,tobogganing, freeriding and hiking. Infact, the FIS Ski World Cup is held here every year.They also hold 1 day avalanche courses for skiers and  snowboarders apart from other courses for skiing, freeriding,snowshoeing, etc.

How to get there:  You can take the train to Bern and then change for Frutigen. This would take about 2 hours from Zurich and nearly 3 hours from Geneva.

Alternative activities: Various festivals and events such as the horn toboggan race,Igloo festival,Swiss Chamber Music Festival and Chuenis bi Nacht (a night race with a laser and winter sports show) are held through the year.You can also choose to visit local museums, a wood carving shop,climb up the Höi-Turm  or have dinner at Fondue Igloo-the world’s largest fondue parlour.

6. Schneeselital : Skiing in Switzerland

SchneeSelital is a small ski resort in the Canton of Bern, with a spectacular winter sports area, a funpark and possibilities for snowtubing. The Gantrisch Nature Park is located in that region. You can check out details of the snowboarding school and other winter sports on their website-gantrisch.ch.

“Whether you want to ski, do snowshoe or cross country, or take a winter hike, in Selital you’ll find it all in one place.”  – Bern Tourism

How to get there: It is about one hour from Bern by train or Alpine Bus.

Alternative activities: Visit the Nature park and the lake,  look out for wildlife, visit the monastery ruins and enjoy hiking!

Tip:Like meeting locals? Share a meal with them on your next trip or host travelers in your home for a meal while earning alongside!Sign up to be a VizEat host!

 

7.Gstaad : Skiing in Switzerland

Situated in the South-Western part of the country, in the Canton of Bern, Gstaad is a ski resort that has  been popular with the elite for long.The region comprises of  9 other ski chalets and also attracts a lot of families and locals to spend their holidays in the area. Celebrities like John Travolta,Roger Federer and Roman Polanski are said to be frequent vacationers here!

The SnowPark and the Glacier 3000 make it popular with ski and winter sports lovers. As of now, a day pass for an adult seeking to ski in the Glacier 3000 area might cost around 50 CHF, while a day pass for sledding in the Gstaad region costs lesser.Ski enthusiasts can also consider the ‘Super Pass’ which gives access to three ski areas.

If you happen to board the panaromic GoldenPass Line, a train route that takes you from Lucerne to Montreux in about 5 hours, you will also be crossing this region. Some useful info that I came across includes getting various discounts with the  Winter Easy Access Card, which can be bought from the hotels if you stay for atleast 2 nights.Also, kids under 9 years of age travel for free on all cable cars, ski lifts and also get offered free accomodation at some hotels.

So, whether it is a luxurious holiday that you yearn for, or a peaceful countryside hiking adventure, the region of Gstaad  has ample of options to choose from.

How to get there:  Gstaad is located quite close to the French borders, and can be reached in about 2.5 hours from Geneva via Montreux. If you are arriving from Zurich, you would have to take the train to Bern, change to Zweisimmen to arrive in the region and then change for Gstaad.This could take about 3 hours depending on your connection.

Alternative activities: Several cultural and sport events take place in the region every year.You can spot the traditional Alpine life in the mountains; meet local farmers,cheesemakers, craftsmen,etc. Cheese lovers can go on guided tours with farmers and relish a session of cheese tasting and apertif!If you are not interested in skiing but would just like to explore the beauty around, you can also take the Glacier 3000 Peak Walk.This can be done just as a day trip too.

 

 

8. Saas Fee : Skiing in Switzerland

Also known as the ‘Pearl of the Alps’ , Saas-Fee is located in the Canton of Valais and is known for its high snow peaks, adventure forests,family friendly resorts, the highest underground funicular railway in the world and the highest revolving restaurant in the world at 3,500 m (11,500 feet).

The website shows a lot of discounts and offers for skiing,and some hotels too seem to have several complementary offers.

How to get there:  You would have to take the train to Brig or Visp and then move on to Saas Fee.Trains would take about 3 hours from Zurich, Lucerne and Geneva. Incase you are interested in visiting Italy, the borders are not too far away!

Alternative activities: Go visit the ice pavilion or venture into some adventure by crossing the deep gorge.Or perhaps you might like to have some tobogganing fun! Apart from this, you could follow one of the several hiking paths, go sledging or enjoy fondue high up on the mountains.

 

9. Montreux Vevey : Skiing in Switzerland

The Montreux Riviera is another extremely scenic region in Switzerland, close to the French borders.Visiting Montreaux is recommended whenever you are in the area or say, visiting Geneva.In fact, the town of Vevey, with its astounding Alpine views,  is known as one of the “Pearls of the Montreux Riviera”. Comedian Charlie Chaplin is also said to have lived here for the last twenty five years of his life. While there are a host of cultural activities and events taking place, there are also a lot of opportunities for skiing and learning how to ski.Some of the low level ski resorts are easily accessible by train. You could go to Les Pleiades, Rocher de Naye or even Les Paccots and Rathvel. If you stay in a hotel or holiday apartment, you can collect the Montreaux Riviera Card which would give you access to public transport in the region and provide several discounts on trains and museums.

How to get there: It takes about an hour to reach Montreux from Geneva and then you could take a bus to reach Vevey. To go skiing, you can take trains from Vevey as desired.The town is just 15 minutes away from Lausanne too(sbb.ch).

Alternative activities: The Jazz Festival is almost synonymous with Montreux. It takes place every July and is one of the most famous ones in the world. You can visit the Chateau Chillon if you like visiting castles, explore wine caves near Vevey, attend the Street Music Festival or visit Alimentarium -the food museum.Also, Château d’Oex is a ski area that  hosts the International Balloon Festival every year in January.From the pictures, it looks like a spectacular sight!

Did you know you could stay in a White Pod overlooking the mountains just outside Geneva? Or go ice-diving in France, not very far from the area?Gift an experience voucher that could be used in hundreds of places!

A beautiful sunset in Montreaux. Image Copyright:Montreaux Riviera/Maude Rion

But, what if I’m a beginner and on a budget? Where can beginners go skiing in Switzerland?

Well, from what I got to know,

• Go on a lower ski slope if you are just beginning to learn.
• Some of the popular places are more expensive and have high slopes. So, smaller towns might be good to begin with.

Earlier, I had mentioned Lenzerheide as one of the less expensive places. Other recommendations I got were Parpan and Brambuesch in the Graubuenden region.The capital of Graubuenden, Chur, is located nearby and would be liked by food lovers as well as party folks. Sports schools in the area offer classes for skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking. Yet another recommendation I got from a friend is Wildhaus, located in the Eastern part of the country, in the St.Gallen Canton.He had started learning to ski there from the age of 5 and later this was where he got his ski instructor license too.

I would like to end this post by showing you some visuals from the Parpan, Brambeusch region. I came across this very impressive blog post detailing extensive bike routes in the area. Though I not into mountain biking myself, I loved all his photographs and descriptions, and perhaps, it could help you plan your hiking or biking trip in the Swiss summer! Patrick Noonan lives in the US but visits his relatives in Switzerland for vacation.Check out his post on the pinkbike website.

Hope you liked this post. It wasn’t possible to write about all the amazing places in the country, but hope that you now have a better idea and more info about where you might like to go in Switzerland. This post wasn’t sponsored and it took me a long time to compile everything.Some of the links here are affiliate links, meaning,if you make any purchases or sign up using these links, I might be able to go get a coffee or a chocolate at no extra cost to you! Please do share this post with your friends and family or across social media. Thanks in advance.

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