Planning a Skiing Holiday - it’s all Location, Location, Location! - A skiing trip is an excellent holiday whether it’s with family or friends. Skiing is not difficult to learn and offers adrenaline thrills at little risk alongside spectacular views - it’s obvious why the activity has become so massively popular. Whilst we are mindful of the essential kit, your kid's ski jackets and kid's ski pants, how many of us actually give too much consideration to the local knowledge for the area we are heading.
Planning a Skiing Holiday - it’s all Location, Location, Location!
By Robert Deans
Jan 30, 2011 - 7:52:04 AM
A skiing trip is a fantastic holiday whether it’s with friends or family. Skiing is really a fun sport, with many ski destinations offering tuition it is suited to all, combine this with magical surroundings and it is a fabulous holiday choice. But many of us plan a skiing holiday by packing up the kids ski jackets and kids ski pants, and forgetting to pack the knowledge about where we’re going.
The timing of the holiday plays a key part in the type of conditions you will encounter once you get there, officially the ski season is from December to March. At the beginning of the season the snow is frequently patchy and may be icy; this is not ideal, particularly for skiers who are quite new to the sport. January and February are usually the best months for skiing, especially in Northern Europe, however it is best to avoid the last two weeks in February as many European school holidays take place at this point.
The main skiing hotspots in Europe are France, Austria and Switzerland. Chamonix in France is among the most well-known ski resorts. Chamonix is fantastically equipped for a skiing holiday with exceptional transport links throughout the resorts. And with most of the ski slopes located above 2000m, good, fresh snow is practically always guaranteed. It is worth considering though, because of its popularity, Chamonix may get very busy.
Austria is the second most popular European skiing location. The Austrian resorts may be at a slight disadvantage to those in France as they are that little bit lower. This rarely causes problems, particularly in mid season, but if you’re planning a skiing trip to Austria early or late in the season you ought to check recent snow reports so that you can be certain the conditions will be suitable.
Switzerland will be the perfect choice for those of us who food and exquisite surroundings. In addition to the skiing facilities the resorts offer, you might enjoy a meal at one of the best mountain restaurants in the world, overlooking stunning landscape.
You are also more likely to enjoy smaller crowds in Switzerland dues to its misrepresentation as an expensive place to holiday. The simple truth is, lots of the best ski hotels in France are in fact more expensive than the Swiss equivalent.
If you’re skiing on a tight budget, Italy can be a good option, as it tends to be considerably cheaper compared to the neighbouring ski destinations. General cost of living is often cheaper too, and thus if you’ve left buying your kids ski jackets or kids ski pants to the last minute, you’ll probably get yourself a better deal in Italy than you would elsewhere.
Should you be considering somewhere further a field then the ski resorts on offer in the US or Canada can be worth looking at . These countries often offer longer ski seasons; occasionally it is possible to ski as late as June, and once you reach there, you tend to get more for your buck than in Europe.
In California there is the huge mountain aptly named 'Mammoth Mountain'. It’s 11,000 feet high and it has somewhere around 3,500 acres of ski slopes. And finally Canada, which has been host to this years Winter Olympics and home to 'Whistler' probably one of the greatest skiing destinations worldwide.
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