If your ski clients are looking for the right white Christmas…

Waking up on Christmas morning or seeing in the new year surrounded by pristine white snow is a feeling like no other. Whether you’re looking for a wild apres ski scene or a picturesque winter backdrop to add to the magic, here are some insider tips on the best ski resorts in Europe for celebrating the festivities in style from the experts at Ski-Lifts.com.

Zermatt
Few ski resorts offer skiing at over 3000m and this means Zermatt begins to look a lot like Christmas sooner than some other resorts. With glaciers to forest runs being wonderfully white, it offers the perfect winter escape. The village itself is 1620m high, which makes it an amateur photographer’s dream, with historic buildings, one-horse open sleighs and frozen lake skating giving an authentic slice of Swiss Alpine life amidst the backdrop of the grand Matterhorn. Activities such as sledging and snow-coated playgrounds also make Zermatt a wonderful Christmas destination for families.

Mayrhofen
If delightfully traditional is what you’re looking for, Mayrhofen is the resort for you. When it comes to Christmas, nativities and understated wreathes usually are front and centre, with vintage brass bands heard more frequently than Mariah Carey. The Advent Market offers Christmas visitors mouth-watering local delicacies, such as ‘Zillertal Krapfen’ and, of course, a healthy dose of mulled wine. Families with young children can also visit Kroll’s Advent Bakery, a petting zoo and can post their letter to Santa at the Christkindl post.

Kitzbuhel
As one of Austria’s most snow-sure resorts, Kitzbuhel is beautiful at any time and Christmas adds an extra layer. Imagine a Christmas display straight from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy-tale.
Pastel houses and cobbled streets mesh with carol singers and the aroma of roasted almonds, Kaiserschmarrn and gluhwein. On Christmas eve, the town’s cathedral rings its bell as crowds gather on the snowy streets to revel.

Tignes
The second-highest ski resort in Europe, with near-guaranteed skiing year-round, Tignes offers the perfect refuge for Christmas skiing. In Tignes Val Claret, visitors can participate in a freestyle contest where if you are lucky enough, you might see Santa or his elves. You can also grab a mulled wine as you watch the ski school instructors as they weave their way through the villages by torch light.

Obergurgl
Obergurgl is another resort that benefits from a high altitude, meaning fantastic snow on the piste and a white Christmas in the daintily lit village. Obergurgl’s apres scene is more traditional than some of the larger resorts, with table-top dancing and festivities to be enjoyed at mountain restaurants such as the Nederhutte.

New Year’s Eve
If apres ski is the place to be for New Year’s, these ski resorts offer some great entertainment, events, drinks and of course, heaps of snow

Crans-Montana
Even as one of the oldest Alpine resorts, Crans-Montana can often be overlooked in favour of some of the louder resorts such as Verbier or St. Anton. However, with a bombastic firework display and live music, the Ycoor square has a friendly, welcoming atmosphere for groups of all ages.

Valloire
Valloire is conversely often cited as one of Europe’s favourite ski resorts and one of its best kept secrets but it’s also a fantastic place to ring in the new year. An annual New Year’s party is held on the Avenue de la Vallee d’Or followed by a stunning firework display for a charming end to 2019.

Iscghl
Iscghl has one of the best apres scenes in the Austrian Alps and is a popular location for New Year partying. Each year sees a host of special events before revellers gather at the foot of the slopes to count down to the New Year, accompanied by a magnificent fireworks display.