The Best Ski Resorts for Christmas and New Year 2026/27

The festive fortnight is the most expensive, most crowded and most magical time to ski in Europe. Almost the entire continent is off work between 19 December and 3 January, which means one thing: every resort is full, and you're paying for it.

Before the resorts, the single most useful piece of planning advice. Christmas week and New Year week are not priced alike. New Year week (Sat 26 Dec – Sat 2 Jan) is the second most expensive week of the entire season after February half-term. Christmas week (Sat 19 – Sat 26 Dec) costs noticeably less. And the week before, from around 12 December, has in recent seasons come in at up to half the price of New Year for essentially the same holiday, with empty slopes to go with it. If your dates aren't locked to school holidays, that's where the value is — see our guide to the most snow-sure resorts for December.

If you are locked to the holidays, these eight resorts earn the premium. As always, we've rated each on how it works for a group where not everyone skis the same way.

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1. Zermatt, Switzerland

If you want the postcard, this is it. Zermatt is car-free, so the streets fill with electric taxis, horse-drawn sleighs and Christmas lights under the Matterhorn, and the skiing runs up to 3,883m on the glacier — as snow-sure as Europe gets.

Mixed-group verdict: Very good, expensive. Experts get some of the best high-altitude terrain in the Alps and a link into Cervinia; non-skiers get a genuinely beautiful town with things to do. Beginners are the weak spot: nursery areas are up the mountain rather than in the village, which makes for a lot of lift-riding.

Getting there: Train to Täsch then shuttle; around 3.5 hours from Geneva or Zurich. Check transfer cost →

2. Selva Val Gardena, Italy

The Dolomites do Christmas properly: markets in Ortisei, Alpine choirs, and food that makes half-board feel like a waste. Selva sits on the Sellaronda circuit with access to Dolomiti Superski, and the region's snowmaking is the most comprehensive in the world, which matters when natural snow is late.

Mixed-group verdict: Excellent. Endless blue and easy red cruising for improvers, the Sella Ronda circuit as a shared goal for the group, the Vallelunga valley and Val Gardena's steeper pistes for experts, and market towns for anyone skipping the slopes.

Getting there: Innsbruck around 2 hours; Verona around 3. Check transfer cost →

3. Courmayeur, Italy

A proper Italian mountain town rather than a purpose-built resort, sat under Mont Blanc with cobbled streets, good restaurants and a strong Christmas atmosphere. The ski area is modest at around 100km, but the setting and the food carry the week.

Mixed-group verdict: Good for groups where skiing isn't everyone's priority. Intermediates are well served, experts have off-piste and Chamonix nearby, and the town itself is the draw for non-skiers. Serious mileage-hungry skiers will want somewhere bigger.

Getting there: Geneva around 1.5 hours through the Mont Blanc tunnel, Turin around 2. One of the shortest transfers in the Alps. Check transfer cost →

4. Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria

A lakeside town with one of Austria's best Christmas markets, plus the Kitzsteinhorn glacier up to around 3,000m as snow insurance. That combination is unusual: festive town atmosphere at low altitude, reliable snow a gondola ride away.

Mixed-group verdict: Very good for families and mixed groups. Beginners learn at Kaprun, stronger skiers head to the glacier, and non-skiers have a lake, a town and a spa. Be realistic about the low-lying Schmittenhöhe slopes in a poor snow year.

Getting there: Salzburg, about 1.25 hours. Check transfer cost →

5. Obertauern, Austria

A village at 1,740m ringed by its own ski area, so every bed is effectively ski-in, ski-out and snow reliability is among the best in Austria. It's compact, social and much less known to British skiers than Kitzbühel or St Anton.

Mixed-group verdict: Excellent. The circular layout means groups can split and still meet for lunch without a logistics operation, there's a genuine beginner area, and the après is lively without the St Anton intensity.

Getting there: Salzburg, about 1.5 hours. Check transfer cost →

6. St Anton, Austria

For New Year specifically, few places compete. St Anton has the Arlberg's huge terrain, legendary off-piste and an après scene that peaks on 31 December. Book the accommodation before the flights.

Mixed-group verdict: Fine for confident groups, poor for nervous ones. The reputation for steep, demanding skiing is earned, and the beginner areas are tucked away from the main action. If one person in your group is on their first skis, this is the wrong choice.

Getting there: Innsbruck about 1.25 hours; direct trains from Zurich. Check transfer cost →

7. Soldeu, Andorra

The value option. Soldeu sits at around 1,800m in the Grandvalira area, roughly 200km of pistes, with English-speaking ski schools that are among the best in Europe for beginners, low tax on everything you buy, and a big New Year's Eve.

Mixed-group verdict: Excellent for budget mixed groups, especially those with beginners. Experts will exhaust the terrain faster than in the Alps, but for a first festive group trip the price-to-quality ratio is hard to beat.

Getting there: Barcelona or Toulouse, around 3 hours. Check transfer cost →

8. La Tania, France

A tree-lined, low-key village that plugs straight into the 3 Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world. It costs a fraction of neighbouring Courchevel 1850 for access to identical skiing, which is exactly what you want in the most expensive fortnight of the year.

Mixed-group verdict: Very good, with one caveat: the village is small and quiet, so a group hunting nightlife should look at Méribel instead. For families and mixed abilities, the combination of gentle tree runs and 600km of terrain above is close to ideal.

Getting there: Geneva or Lyon, around 2.5–3 hours. Check transfer cost →

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At a glance

Christmas or New Year?

Christmas week is calmer, cheaper and better suited to families: markets, torchlit descents, and resorts that empty out on Christmas Day itself while everyone eats. New Year week costs more and books out first, but it has the parties, the fireworks and, being a week later, usually better snow cover.

Two practical points. Travel days are brutal in both weeks, so flying midweek instead of Saturday saves money and hours. And book early: festive chalets and family apartments in the best-value resorts sell out months before the season starts.

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Find the right resort for your group

Festive week is the worst time to get the resort choice wrong — it's the one week you can't rebook. Tell VentureOff's AI Trip Planner who's coming, their ability levels, your dates and your budget, and it'll match you to the resorts that actually fit, with the reasons why.

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FAQ

Is it cheaper to ski at Christmas or New Year?

Christmas week is consistently cheaper than New Year week, and the week before Christmas is cheaper still — in recent seasons, up to around half the price of New Year for a comparable holiday. For dates before the holidays, see the most snow-sure resorts for December.

When should I book a Christmas ski holiday?

As early as possible. Festive accommodation in popular family resorts is often gone by early autumn, and prices only rise as availability drops.

Which resort is best for a first festive ski trip with beginners?

Soldeu for value and ski-school quality, Obertauern for snow reliability and easy group logistics, or La Tania for access to a vast ski area without the Courchevel price tag.

Last updated: September 2026. Village altitudes and transfer times are approximate. Christmas events recur annually but are not yet confirmed for 2026 — check resort tourist offices closer to the season. The "up to half the price" comparison reflects operator commentary from the 2025/26 season.