In Zermatt, it has always been about the mountains. Whether people scale them, ski down them, or simply gaze at them, the mountains are the centerpiece for life in this village of 5,600 people. Zermatt is home to the Matterhorn, one of Europe’s most recognizable peaks, and draws visitors from around the world.

Zermatt is a scenic, car-free village with a medieval center and provides a great base for some of the best skiing in the Alps. Three main ski areas, the Sunnegga, the Gornergrat, and the Klein Matterhorn, offer world-class excitement for every level of skier.

Ski Area

The ski areas surrounding Zermatt provide 250 kilometers (156 miles) of trails with 71 lifts to transport skiers. Zermatt is not the best place for beginners but is a haven for intermediates. Fifteen trails are designated for beginners and are located for the most part in the Klein Matterhorn and Gornergrat regions. About 50 percent of Zermatt’s trails are best for intermediates and offer a variety of terrain from wide-open trails to scenic, pine-shrouded forest trails. Twenty-eight percent of the resort’s trails are designated for experts but there’s excellent off-trail skiing at Zermatt, as well.

Snowboarders are welcome in Zermatt and are happy to find an excellent new terrain park and half-pipe close to Riffelberg, as well as a park on the Klein Matterhorn. Those who enjoy other winter sports activities are on cloud nine here and it’s not just the altitude. Non-ski winter activities include ice hiking, ice climbing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, ice skating, and sleigh-riding, among others.

Given the charm of the village, the friendliness of the locals and the drama of the scenery, it’s easy to see why some people – including numbers of middle-aged people who have been going for decades – love Wengen. But non-devotees should think carefully about the lack of challenge, the unreliable snow and the dependence on cog railways before signing up.

The last of these drawbacks in Wengen is slightly less serious than it was. The avalanches of 1999 had one happy outcome: the new station of the Männlichen cable car has been built in the heart of the village, where it is not only less vulnerable to avalanche but also much more convenient. Of course, the cable car is now more popular and gets lines. So those willing to gear their holiday activities to timetables – or to accept half-hour waits for trains – will still mainly rely on the railway. The rest of us will go probably elsewhere.

What’s Great

• Some of the most spectacular scenery in the Alps
• Traditional, ‘traffic-free’ Alpine village, reached only by cog railway
• Lots of long, gentle runs, ideal for intermediates, linked to Grindelwald
• Rebuilt cable-car now an attractive alternative to trains up to the slopes
• Beginner slopes in heart of village
• Calm, unhurried atmosphere

Charming resort, great scenery, great for a stress free family holiday.

Villars is on a wooded, sunny plateau above the Rhône Valley. It is about halfway between Martigny and the Chateau de Chillon end of Lake Geneva, so it offers various activities. You can find a fine balance between recreation and relaxation.

Ever since the famous Orient Express arrived here, visitors to Villars have enjoyed the healthy air and it is on the natural balcony it rests on. At about 1,300 meters (4,225 feet) in the heart of the Vaud Alps, this idyllic setting has stunning views stretching from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc.

There are 52 runs which are 50 percent beginner, 42 percent intermediate and eight percent advanced, so winter sports fans can enjoy the wide range of attractions the area offers.

• 125 kilometers (78 miles) of skiing terrain.
• Les Diablerets glacier, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) from Villars for sports enthusiasts looking for a  challenge
• Four glaciers in the area available for heliskiing
• Thermal baths (Lavey-les-Bains) for those in search of relaxation
• Family programs that cater to adults and kids so children too can enjoy their stay

What’s Great

• Pleasant, relaxing year-round resort
• Fairly extensive intermediate slopes linked to Les Diablerets
• Good beginner areas
• Quite close to Geneva airport
• Good range of off-slope diversions

There is no doubt that Verbier is trying hard to retain its international visitors, improving over the last few years its grooming, snowmaking, ski school, and lifts – most recently with the overdue replacement of the Tortin gondola. But major complaints remain. Some are down to the organization of the resort – the kind of slope signposting would be comical if it were not infuriating – but others are down to the lie of the land.

For experts prepared to hire a guide in order to explore off-slope, Verbier is one of the big names. With its FourValleys lift network and a claimed 250 miles of slopes; Verbier would seem at first sight to rank alongside the French mega-resorts such as Courchevel or La Plagne for slope skiers, too. But it doesn’t; the Four Valleys is an inconveniently sprawling affair, while Verbier’s local slopes are surprisingly confined. Of course, slope skiers can have a satisfying holiday here – but you can do that in scores of resorts from Alpbach to Zell am See. Whether they can match Verbier’s famously vibrant nightlife is another question.

What’s Great

• Extensive, challenging slopes with a lot of off-slope potential and some good bump runs
• Lively, varied nightlife
• Fewer liftlines than there used to be
• Hardly any surface lifts in Verbier (though still lots in linked resorts)
• The sunny, panoramic setting, and great views from the highest slopes
• Good advanced-level lessons
• Much improved slope grooming in recent seasons

St Moritz is Switzerland’s most famous ‘exclusive’ winter resort. It is glitzy, pricey, fashionable and, above all, the place to be seen. Also, it’s the place for an all-round winter holiday with an unrivaled array of different diversions including such wacky pursuits as:

• polo
• golf
• cricket on snow
• gourmet festivals
• music festivals

The slopes on the two main mountains are almost uniformly easy intermediate. We don’t rate it highly for complete beginners, and experts must be prepared to venture off-slope. However, for langlaufers, it is superb.

St Moritz itself may not be as attractive to look at as some other Swiss resorts, but its setting is spectacular. It sits by the lowest in a long chain of lakes at the foot of the 4000m Piz Bernina. This is one of those areas where the need to stand and gaze will regularly interrupt our progress on the mountain. It may not have quite the drama of the Jungfrau massif, or the Matterhorn, or the Dolomites, but its wide and glorious mountain landscapes are equally special. And the langlauf, walking, and other activities on the frozen lake give it a real ‘winter wonderland’ feel.

What’s Great

• Beautiful panoramic scenery
• Off-slope activities second to none – including the Cresta Run, horse- racing and lots of varied festivals
• Extensive, largely intermediate slopes
• Fairly snow sure, thanks to altitude and extensive snowmaking
• Good après-ski, for all tastes
• Good mountain restaurants, some with magnificent views
• Painless rail access via Zurich

Saas-Fee is one of our favorite places. It oozes Swiss charm and the setting is stunning – spectacular glaciers and 4000m peaks surround the place. And good snow is guaranteed, even late in the season: the altitude you spend most of our time at – between 8200ft and 11500ft has no rivals in the Alps.

But we tend to drop in for a couple of days at a time, so the limited extent of the slopes never becomes a problem; for a week’s holiday, it would. Top to bottom there is an impressive 5900ft vertical, but there aren’t many alternative ways down. Keen, mileage-hungry intermediates should look elsewhere, as should experts (except those prepared to go touring). For the rest, it’s a question of priorities and expectations.

What’s Great

• Spectacular setting amid high peaks and glaciers
• Traditional, ‘traffic-free’ village
• Good percentage of high-altitude, snow-sure slopes
• Powerful lift access to highest slopes for year-round skiing

Mürren is one of our favorite resorts – for a short visit, at least. There may be other Swiss mountain villages that are equally pretty, but none of them enjoys views like those from Mürren across the deep valley to the rock faces and glaciers of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau: simply breathtaking. And then there’s the Schilthorn run, which draws us back like a magnet whenever we’re driving through the Oberland.

Our visits are normally one-day affairs; holidaymakers, we concede, are likely to want to explore the extensive intermediate slopes of Wengen and Grindelwald, across the valley. And you have to accept that getting there takes time.

It was in Mürren that the British more or less invented modern skiing. Sir Arnold Lunn organized the first ever slalom race here in 1922. Some 12 years earlier his father, Sir Henry, had persuaded the locals to open the railway in winter so that he could bring the first winter package tour here. Last winter, we had the great pleasure of a chat in the bar of the hotel Eiger with Sir Arnold’s son Peter, who first skied here in November 1916 and now skis here with his children and grandchildren. Mürren’s that kind of place.

What’s Great

• Tiny, charming, traditional ‘traffic-free’ village, with snowy paths and chocolate-box chalets
• Stupendous scenery, best enjoyed on the challenging run from the panoramic Schilthorn
• Good sports center
• Good snow high up, even when the rest of the region is suffering

Interlaken is in the German-speaking heart of Switzerland. It offers winter sports’ fans access to some of the most spectacular skiing in the Alps. Skiers will have their base in a service-packed small city in a spectacular lakeside setting.

Traditionally a ‘Summer’ resort, Interlaken had long been attractive to winter sports enthusiasts.

This is because of two main reasons:

• its prime location
• its excellent hotels and other facilities offer very low rates during the winter

However, this resort’s status became ‘official’ with the launch of The Jungfrau Top Ski Region. This region contains more than 100 miles of trails in ski centers above Grindelwald. They are all linked to Interlaken by a mountain railway. Your ski pass includes the railway fee. The average length of runs in the area is a remarkable four – nine miles. With the pass, it’s possible to ski a different ski area every day for a week.

The name ‘Interlaken’ actually means “between the lakes” – Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

Water is omnipresent throughout the area. The view is breathtaking, with idyllic clear mountain streams and waterfalls running off the hills and into the lakes.

The resort offers dozens of water-based activities throughout the year. If you ever have enough of sliding on the cold white variety, you can always enjoy anything from a cruise on a lake steamer to just feeding the ducks or even frog watching!

Visitors first started arriving at Interlaken long before downhill skiing was conceived. One of them, Lord Byron, famously remarked “it’s a dream” on first seeing the town. The first hotels opened their doors in 1806, complementing the existing monastery hospice. This hospice is now the four-star hotel Interlaken. Boom years began in the 1860s. Much of the beautiful architecture and grand design date from this 50-year era up to the First World War. The impressive exteriors hide equally impressive modern interiors, so Interlaken offers the best of old and new.

In the early days, when the likes of Goethe and Mendelssohn popped by, Interlaken was famous for its healthy climate, as well as the spectacular views.

Gstaad is the Swiss resort of fairy tales. The town is surrounded by the Alps and its most prominent feature is a picturesque castle that sits on a hill overlooking the village. At night, spotlights light the Palace Hotel and strings of small white lights illuminate the eves of every chalet in the village. Adding to the charm of this winter marvel is that the town is car-free and all destinations are a close walk away.

Gstaad is famous for its luxury hotels and shopping, excellent service, and international stars, as well as being one of the largest ski areas in Europe. The town is at the intersection of two valleys in the Bernese Oberland in the Alps.

Switzerland is a multicultural nation with the two largest ethnicities being French and German speakers. The dividing line between these two distinct parts of the country is close to Gstaad, enabling anyone spending time at the resort the opportunity to experience two cultures. A few miles to the west are Vaudois, French-speaking Alps region, and Gruyère, world famous for its cheese; to the northeast are the international resorts of Adelboden and Interlaken.

There is a vast array of activities year-round in Gstaad. Skiing and snowboarding are the most popular activities and are abundant for both the novice and the advanced skier. Visitors can ski the entire Gstaad “Super Ski Region,” which has some six sectors, over 70 lifts, and 150 miles (250 kilometers) of trails. In summer this ticket enables skiers access to summer skiing on the gentle Diablerets glacier.

What’s Great

• Traditional village, traffic-free in center, without the towny feel of other fashionable Swiss resorts
• Lift ticket covers large area of slopes
• Good long run for intermediates
• Lively après-ski scene
• Wide range of off-slope diversions including swanky shops

There are few places to rival Grindelwald, and two of them are just over the hill. Enjoy stunning views from your hotel window and from the slopes. The village is not as stunning as Wengen or Mürren, but staying here does give you direct access to Grindelwald’s own First area. However, you can spend hours waiting for or sitting in the gondola or trains up into the Kleine Scheidegg area shared with Wengen. The gondola ride takes over half an hour. Grindelwald regulars accept all this as part of the scene. Some elderly skiers even find it adds to the holiday by enforcing a slow pace.

What’s Great

• Dramatically set in magnificent scenery directly beneath the towering north face of the Eiger
• Lots of long, gentle runs, ideal for intermediates, with links to Wengen
• Pleasant old village with long mountaineering history, though the tourist trade now sets the tone
• Fair amount to do off the slopes, including splendid walks and recently expanded toboggan runs

A splendid, spacious area with high slopes and great lifts, just 90 minutes from Zürich airport.

Flims Laax Falera has an impressive 137 miles of mainly intermediate slopes. The resort is very popular with weekenders and has invested in some large-capacity lifts, including a 3-stage gondola from Flims, a jumbo gondola from Laax and several high-speed chair lifts. It can be very quiet during the week, and it is virtually unknown outside the Swiss and German markets. It deserves better. Don’t be put off by the unfortunate (for English-speakers) local name for ‘peak’, which is ‘crap’. All the mountain tops are called crap, a top après-ski venue is the Crap Bar and the tourist office has used the slogan ‘Flims is crap’ in promotions.

There are very long runs from the tops of three different interconnected mountains, amid stunning scenery – all ideal for adventurous intermediates. And there’s plenty to play around on in all areas. The two main drawbacks are its sunny orientation, which can soon spoil the snow on the lower part of the mountain, and the lack of any sense of real Alpine in the villages. Now there’s a third: their new trail map uses a unique classification system unlike any other we have seen. Formerly black and red runs have become green (to signify ‘Allround Slope’), red now means ‘Freestyle Slope’, off-trail areas are shaded yellow, black diamonds have appeared. Confused? We are

What’s Great

• Extensive, varied slopes suitable for all but experts
• Impressive lift system
• Virtually liftline-free on weekdays
• Fair number of slopes above 2000m/6500ft, partly offsetting effects of their sunny south-east orientation
• Lots of wooded runs for bad-weather days
• Just 90 minutes from Zurich airport

Engelberg is a winter sports resort. It delivers on all its promises:

• guaranteed snow cover
• thrilling off-piste skiing
• superb snowboard parks
• vibrant après ski

It is the second most snow secure resort in the Alps, and it’s close to Zürich Airport.

Most Swiss ski resorts are along the border of France, Italy, or Austria. Engelberg, a village of about 3,500 people, hides in a valley right in the middle of Switzerland. The village is postcard perfect.

The mountain: imagine the Grand Canyon, with layers of horizontal rocky ledges and crenelated peaks like Hahnen that look like castle ruins. Frost it with snow. Drop in a few plateaux for the skaters and cross-country skiers, and add a glacier and a lake or two.

Engelberg also has the first revolving gondola: the 1993 Rotair. It takes skiers all the way to the top of Titlis, a 10,000 feet peak that faces north to hold its snow. The peak even offers a bar that may be needed before the dive down the black or better challenge of the infamous 3,289-foot Laub of untracked snow. If that’s not enough there’s a 395-foot ski hill and a glacier with year-round skiing.

Davos and Klosters; A region with guaranteed snow!

Are you a peak performer? Then the days on the magical mountains of Davos Klosters will be over all too soon for you. Because you can choose between 6 snow sports resorts here: The freestyle mountain Jakobshorn, the ski classic Parsenn and the two family-friendly mountains Madrisa and Rinerhorn are available to choose from. There is also the decelerated Schatzalp ski area and the freeride mountain Pischa. To put it in a nutshell: 190 miles of guaranteed snow pistes and 57 transport facilities.

Jakobshorn

On the Jakobshorn snowboards and free-skiers are particularly at home, having a ball in the fun park. And it is not only the numerous pistes and runs that see the action – the ski huts are also full of fun. The range of national and international sports events on the Jakobshorn is massive. The Jakobshorn is the ultimate event mountain!

Parsenn

On the opposite side of the mountain lies the ski resort Parsenn, which is accessible from Davos and Klosters . As the largest snow sports resort in the area, its pistes offer every difficulty rating. On Parsenn visitors will also find one of the longest runs in Europe – it is 12 km from Weissfluhgipfel to Küblis.

Madrisa & Rinerhorn

The family mountains Madrisa and Rinerhorn offer ski-loving families everything they want. Children experience fun and diversity in the various children’s fun areas.

Pischa

Pischa is the natural alternative for everyone who wants to enjoy the mountain far away from the hustle and bustle. The focus is on alternative sports such as fatbiking, winter hiking, snowshoeing or high-alpine cross-country skiing. The area is also an excellent starting point for ski tours in open terrain and freeriding.

Schatzalp/Strela

The Schatzalp-Strela slopes in Davos are home to the first “decelerated” ski resort . The resort, which is situated on the sunny side of Davos, is ideally suited for this with its gently rolling hillsides. Schatzalp/Strela is reached from Davos Platz in just four minutes by funicular railway.

What’s Great

• Very extensive slopes
• Some superb, long and mostly easy runs away from the lifts
• Lots of off-slope, with lots of marked itineraries and some short tours
• Good cross-country trails
• Plenty to do off slopes: excellent sports facilities, pretty walks, good range of shopping
• Some captivating mountain restaurants above Klosters
• Klosters is an attractive village alternative base

The mountains you gaze at – Zermatt’s Matterhorn just discernible among them – are mind-blowing.

The mountains you bounce down with the midday sun full on your face are charmingly scenic, the slopes, broken up by rock outcrops and forest.

When conditions are right, mountain-lovers may forgive Crans-Montana anything – in particular, its inconvenient, linear layout and the plain, towny style of its twin resort centers.

Sadly, conditions are more often wrong than right. Except in the depths of winter, the strong midday sun quickly bakes the slopes. For someone booking six months ahead, this is enough to keep Crans-Montana off the shortlist. For those who can time a visit according to the weather – and are more interested in impressive distant views than cozy immediate surroundings – the resort is worth serious consideration.

What’s Great

• Large slope area suitable for all, except if you prefer black runs
• Splendid wooded setting with magnificent panoramic views
• Fair number of woodland slopes – good for bad weather
• Modern, well-designed lift system, with few liftlines
• Golf course provides excellent, gentle beginner slopes
• Very sunny slopes (but see right)
• Excellent cross-country trails

Location is the main reason behind Château-d’Œx’s ability to provide a universal adventure. It is on the south side of a valley amongst the French-speaking Alps, the town is the picture of a quaint ski village.

To the west is the medieval village of Gruyères, world famous for its cheese; to the east, the international glamour resort Gstaad.

Château-d’Œx has a vast array of activities year round.

Skiing and snowboarding are the most popular activities here. There are plenty of trails for both the novice and the advanced skier. Two main resort systems in town are especially favorable for family skiing, so bring the entire family for a European vacation.

Advanced skiers will have plenty to keep them busy. In fact, a Château-d’Œx ticket enables you to ski the entire Gstaad “Super Ski Region”.

Visiting during the summer? No problem! The same ticket enables visitors to experience summer skiing on the gentle Diablerets glacier.

Perhaps the most exciting time to visit this resort is towards the end of January. That’s when the international hot air balloon festival happens. This is truly a breath-taking site from the top of the slopes across the valley. Hundreds of balloons decorate the sky. With options year-round and plenty of them at that Château-d’Œx, you’ll have an ideal vacation any time of year.

The village looks like a scene from a chocolate box. It is full of traditional Swiss chalets and snowy winding streets.

Champéry is definitely worth discovering. The backdrop is soaring Dents du Midi and Dents Blanches Mountains.

Magnificent views greet skiers that come to the nearby Portes du Soleil ski area. It’s just a five-minute cable car ride from Champéry. The Portes du Soleil is popular as the most expansive ski area in the world. It spans the Switzerland/France border and brings together 12 resorts, including Champéry.

Champéry itself is not the best place for beginners. However, the nearby Portes du Soleil provides scores of slopes for beginners. 51% of its runs are blue. Intermediates do well both within Champéry and the larger ski area. Intermediates enjoy runs to Grand Paradis, Les Crosets and Champoussin. They have the run of 40% of the trails in the whole Portes du Soleil region. For experts, a favorite challenge is the famous Pas de Chavanette (the Swiss Wall), a steep, long, and demanding run in the midst of spectacular scenery.

What’s Great

• Charmingly rustic mountain village
• Tram takes you into very extensive Portes du Soleil slopes
• Quiet, relaxed – yet plenty to do
• Easy access for independent travelers

A picturesque town near the Aletsch glacier, an ancient European crossroads to Italy.

The small and picturesque town of Brig is at an ancient European crossroads. This is where the Simplon Pass crosses the high Alps into Italy. It boasts many architectural treasures. The impressive Stockalper Castle palace has an impressive onion-domed tower and galleried courtyard.  The old town center is now a pedestrian zone. There are lines of shops and restaurants, making a very pleasant base when off the slopes.

Enjoy excellent skiing from Rosswald immediately above the town (5,850ft.-8,450ft.). You can reach it by gondola.

There are a dozen major ski centers within half an hour’s drive, including:

• Belalp
• Riederalp
• Bettmeralp
• Fiescheralp

A little further lie Zermatt, with the significant Matterhorn, and the starting point of the Glacier Express train route, which connects Zermatt to St.Moritz making a stop in Brig, and Saas-Fee, Leukerbad and Crans Montana.

The journey to Arosa, by rail or road, is a string of postcard-perfect views and picturesque terraced villages. Arosa has been a well-known and extremely popular alpine health resort for more than 100 years. On average, the sun shines eight to twelve hours a day and, due to the northerly location, there is always plenty of snow.

Arosa is located at the top of the Schanfigg Valley, surrounded by rugged, towering peaks. The town itself consists of two areas: the main resort is Ausserarosa, clustered around the train station and the Obersee lakelet, while the older village at the upper end of the valley is dubbed Innerarosa.

When the visitor has had his fill of ambiance, Arosa has plenty to offer in the way of sport. From the skiers taking in the view from the gondola station at the 2,653-meter (8,622-foot) summit of the Weisshorn to the ice skaters spinning on the lake on the valley floor, Arosa is an Alpine sporting feast. In fact, there are so many sporting and non-sporting options that it’s the type of place where one doesn’t have to ski to have a fun-filled holiday.

What’s Great

• Classic Swiss winter resort ambiance at the head of a beautiful wooded valley
• Family friendly resort with plenty of activities besides skiing & snowboarding
• Few lift lines
• Relatively reliable snow
• Some of the best cross-country skiing in the Alps
• Excellent free shuttle-bus to lifts