This is how skiing holidays in 2023 work, even on a small budget

Created: 11/26/2022, 2:00 p.m

A ski holiday is usually associated with considerable costs.

If you don't want to invest that much, you should know the most important information for a budget trip.

Snow-covered mountains, romantic alpine huts and boisterous après-ski parties - for many people, the annual skiing holiday is one of the highlights of the cold season.

Fortunately, there are numerous excellent ski areas in Europe that are easily accessible by car or train and offer everything a winter sports enthusiast could wish for.

The best known are probably the classic Alpine regions in Austria and Switzerland.

But Germany and France also have some great slopes for snow lovers.

However, it is often the high prices that make potential ski holidaymakers shy away.

However, if you follow a few helpful tips, you can go into the mountains with a smaller budget.

Because a price comparison is worthwhile: Instead of booking a stay in one of the most famous ski resorts too quickly, families in particular should consider switching to lesser-known areas.

A brief overview of the European ski resorts and the associated costs for the coming 2023 season can help to find the right holiday destination for a well-deserved ski holiday.

Ski vacation 2023: These are the most popular ski areas in Europe

When you hear the word skiing, the first thing that comes to mind for many is Kitzbühel.

And there is a reason for that: the small town in the western Austrian state of Tyrol has long been a paradise for ski lovers.

Due to the Hahnenkamm race, which has been held since 1931, among other things, Kitzbühel has become a stronghold of alpine skiing over the decades.

But vacationing there has its price - it's not for nothing that Kitzbühel is known as a vacation spot for the rich and beautiful.

Despite a tight budget, many want to hit the slopes in winter (symbol image).

© IMAGO / Schoening

In contrast, the town of Ischgl, also located in Tyrol, is known as the "Ibiza of the Alps".

The emphasis here is on exuberant après-ski parties, which recently hit the headlines in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you prefer something a little more dignified, you should visit one of the numerous ski areas in Germany.

In Winterberg in Sauerland or in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, for example, there are excellent slopes for beginners and professionals alike.

In Switzerland, popular ski regions include Graubünden and Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn.

Of course, non-German-speaking countries are also worth a visit.

The Les Trois Vallées area in the French Alps is said to be the largest contiguous ski area in the world.

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These tips will help you save when booking your ski holiday

A skiing holiday can also be realized with a smaller budget.

Of course, it makes the most sense to plan your trip outside of the holiday periods and thus benefit from the lower prices in the off-season.

However, this option is often not available for families with children.

In this case, you should consider switching to a smaller ski area in cheaper holiday countries such as the Czech Republic or Poland.

There are often fewer slopes available here, but accommodation and meals as well as equipment and ski passes are usually cheaper.

Booking a holiday apartment with self-catering instead of an all-inclusive hotel also reduces spending on a skiing holiday enormously.

Anyone who decides to choose accommodation further away from the slopes

can save further costs.

Parents with children should also keep their eyes open for discounts: equipment that has become too small can often be turned into money in the ski area itself, and in many places there are providers with cheap rates for young winter sports enthusiasts.

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Ski vacation 2023: This is how much the ski pass for the coming season costs on average

Especially when it comes to ski passes, it is worth comparing prices in advance.

It is usually cheaper to buy a multi-day pass instead of investing in a day pass more often.

The prices vary enormously depending on the region: While a day pass for adults in Bernau in the Black Forest costs only 26 euros, in Kitzbühel around 60 euros are required.

Ski passes are cheapest in the Eastern European winter sports areas.

In the Czech town of Bedrichov, for example, the price for a day pass is around 16 euros.

On average, European ski resorts charge around 40 euros for a day on the slopes.

So if you buy a day pass for less than 30 euros, you have undoubtedly made a very good deal.

If possible, the ski pass should be purchased online when planning the trip and should cover the entire stay,