SKI season is on the horizon and some might even be heading to the slopes later this month.
If you’re still looking at potential destinations for the best powder, then experts at Crystal Ski have revealed the top spots in Europe for skiing this year from well-known resorts to traditional après-ski towns.
Val Thorens, France
The ski town of Val Thorens high up in the Tarentaise Valley is a ‘safe bet’ for December skiing.
The experts love Val Thorens for its shaded and north-facing runs which means that the early snow tends to last longer.
Thanks to it being purpose-built, there’s lots of snow-side places to stay too so you can get up onto the mountain incredibly quickly.
It’s not all about the skiing though, it’s named as one of the best resorts in the Alps for après-ski with pubs, bars, restaurants and a dancefloor.
With Crystal Ski a family of four can stay for seven-nights at the Hotel Club MMV Les Arolles in Val Thorens (half-board) from December 21, 2025 for £1760pp.
Across the week that works out at £440pppn.
The stay comes with ski-in, ski-out, and there’s an on-site spa, bar and lounge as well as a kids’ club.
Saas-Fee, Switzerland
This resort village in the Swiss Alps is your classic ski destination, car-free and very beautiful.
Fans of Wham! will recognise it for being the location where their Last Christmas music video was filmed.
It has a 100km ski area and pistes up to 3,500km with runs for various abilities.
It might be quiet but there’s still plenty to do and the bars tend to fill up from 3pm each day with most having outdoor terraces so you can admire the view.
A family of four can stay at the Hotel Europa for seven-nights from December 20, 2025, on a Bed & Breakfast basis from £1088pp.
Across the week this works out as £272pppn.
The Hotel Europa has saunas, and easy access to the slopes on its free shuttlebus.
Ruka, Finland
Ruka is the perfect place for any beginner skiers as it has the biggest area designated to those learning to ski in Finland.
While it will get darker earlier because of its position, the runs remain open well into the evening and are lit up by floodlights.
It’s a place recommended for families too as there’s more to do than just hitting the slopes like going on a reindeer safari, or hopping on a snowmobile.
And of course being in Lapland, it’s the perfect time to visit Santa and his elves too.
A family of four can stay at the Ruka Parkside in Finland from December 14, 2025 for £888pp (self-catering) – which is £222pppn.
This price is on a self-catering basis but guests can add breakfasts and evening meals to their stay.
Guests stay in their own apartments which are next to the Saarua slopes and are metres from the ski lifts.
The apartments are cosy with everything you need and there’s also a nearby bar and lounge as well as boot room with lockers and heated boot racks.
Val d’Isère, France
Possibly one of the most recognisable names in skiing is Val d’Isère.
It’s a very traditional Alpine village with pretty wooden chalets, enormous mountains and not to mention, great ski runs.
If you go at the right time in December then you’ll be able to see some of the top skiers do their thing in the Première Neige – which starts on December 13, 2025 and runs though into January 2026.
There aren’t any Crystal Ski holidays left to Val d’Isère for December 2025.
But if you head to Heidi.com, a family of four can stay at the Chalet Skadi in Village Montana (self-catering) leaving December 13, 2025 for £870pp – which is £217pppn.
Zell am See, Austria
According to the experts, Zell am See is one of their top resorts in Austria.
Beginners can head to the Schmittenhöhe mountain which has lots of gentle blue runs.
For the more experienced there are plenty of red runs and even the Black Mamba piste.
The town is also a great place to explore with cobbled streets where there are lots of boutiques and cafés and make sure to take a wander down to the frozen lake.
With Crystal Ski, a family of four can stay at the pretty Hotel Zum Hirschen for seven-nights (Bed & Breakfast) from December 20, 2025 for £732pp.
Over the week this works out at £183pppn.
The hotel is two minutes walk to the gondola and inside is an award-winning restaurant as well as a sauna and infrared cabin.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt is a unique one as it’s home to the highest lift system in Europe and there’s year-round skiing on the Theodor glacier.
There are plenty of high-altitude slopes and the postcard perfect ski town makes for a beautiful backdrop.
Its main street, Bahnhofstrasse has plenty of independent shops, hotels and restaurants.
There’s also lively après-ski scene as well as public ice skating rinks and you can try out curling too.
A family of four can stay at the Schweizerhof Zermatt for seven-nights (Bed & Breakfast) from December 13, 2025 for £2367pp – or £594pppn.
The hotel is perfectly situated on Zermatt’s main street and inside are plenty of restaurants serving classic Swiss meals or even Japanese cuisine.
There’s also an on-site spa as well as saunas and a swimming pool.
Cervinia, Italy
The Crystal Ski experts say that Cervinia is a ‘solid choice’.
It’s handily linked to Zermatt too so you get great early season benefits and solid skiing time.
Not to mention the Matterhorn mountain makes for a picture perfect spot.
Cervinia is another purpose-built town so everything is easily accessible and there you need it to be.
A family of four can stay in the Valtur Cervinia Cristallo Ski Resort 4 Star for seven-nights (half-board) from December 21, 2025 at £1355pp – which is £338.75pppn.
The hotel has a shuttle bus taking guests to and from the hotel, there’s also an indoor swimming pool and kids’ club.
It has plenty of entertainment too from live music to a spa, steam room and sauna, gym, as well as a Fire Place bar and buffet restaurant.
Mayrhofen, Austria
Last on the list is Mayrhofen in Austria, which is a lively après-ski town with pretty wooden chalets and lots to do.
It has pubs and clubs if you’re looking for something lively, as well as laid-back hotel bars.
As for the slopes, they can be a challenge up on the Hintertux glacier.
But there’s still a nursery and beginners area for those still learning with the chance to go onto intermediate spaces too.
A family of four can stay at the Sport & Spa Hotel Strass across seven-nights (Bed & Breakfast) from December 20, 2025 for £1124pp – which is £281pppn.
It’s found in the middle of the resort centre next to the Penken gondola with a spa, pools, saunas and a family area.
Within the hotel is three bars and even a nightclub.
For more skiing, these are the eight best ski resorts in Europe from beginner slopes to toddler-friendly resorts.
Plus, this destination is one of the best budget getaways in Europe for winter where pints are 90p – and skiing is cheap too.