Consider these tips when picking your ski spot: Parsenn is ideal for classic skiing, with long, wide pistes connecting Davos and Klosters; Jakobshorn is a snowboarding haven known for its terrain parks and SuperPipe; Madrisa is family-friendly and great for kids; Rinerhorn is a hidden gem for families, carving, and night skiing; and Pischa is a paradise for free-riders and deep snow enthusiasts, with no groomed pistes.
The pass situation and stats:
Davos Klosters offers a variety of ski pass options, ranging from morning- and afternoon-only passes to one- or two-day single-mountain tickets (adult day passes start from about $85 to $108 for adults and shorter morning to afternoon options) to a regional ski pass valid across the whole ski area available from $117 for one day up to $1,090 for a 21-day adult pass.
- 54 lifts
- 85 runs: 25% intermediate, 42% advanced, 35% expert runs
- 7.5 miles: the length of its longest run
Where to après, eat, and drink:
In addition to flavorful Italian fare, Sapori, at the AlpenGold Hotel, offers a variety of vegetarian- and vegan-friendly dishes. For a warming pick-me-up, order a hot cocoa at the hotel’s Nuts & Co. While you’re in town, visit “the last beer stop before heaven,” also known as the BierVision Monstein brewery, in the neighboring town of Monstein. Dishes at Restaurant Extrablatt, inside the Kongress Hotel Davos, spotlight market-fresh produce.
A Davos Klosters mainstay, the AlpenGold Hotel (formerly the InterContinental Davos) offers spacious rooms, alpine-inspired interiors, and unbelievable views of the Grison Alps. Grischa Das Hotel Davos is situated directly outside the Jakobshorn cable car station, and its services include assistance with ski rentals and ski school reservations.
In Klosters, Hotel Piz Buin’s 53 rooms and suites feature balconies with mountain views; its plush studios and apartments are outfitted with kitchenettes—ideal for independent-minded guests or those wanting to extend their trips.
A nearly aerial view of high-altitude village Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets
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Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets
Set at an altitude of 4,000 feet in the canton of Vaud, this village—once home to the Abbey of Saint-Maurice monks—is a skiers’ haven offering views of Mont Blanc, the Dents du Midi, and the Diablerets massif. Villars and adjoining Gryon and Les Diablerets feature kid-friendly lifts and toboggan runs, plus snowshoeing trails (some even cater to strollers), and cross-country-ski-specific trails. About half of the ski runs in the resort are graded intermediate or below, making the area an ideal pick for travelers who have little ones in tow or are just learning to ski. Note, though, that, on the Diablerets side, the Glacier 3000 runs are for more experienced skiers. One not to miss: Black Wall. Opened during the 2022-2023 season, it features a heart-pounding maximum gradient of 46 degrees, or a staggering 104% pitch (for every 100 feet of horizontal distance covered, the slope drops 104 feet), making it the steepest run in Switzerland and one of the three steepest groomed runs on the planet. The drama begins at the approach to the slope: Skiers reach it via an almost 900-foot-long tunnel that cuts through the mountain and opens straight into a sheer drop.
The pass situation and stats:
Day passes start from about $58.
- 60 runs
- 130 kilometers of terrain between 1,200 and 3,000 meters altitude
- 40 lifts
Where to après, eat, and drink:
For refined, homestyle fare prepared from local ingredients (think roast ham with honey sauce; mushroom casserole with crispy rosti; and traditional fondue and cheese toasts), head to L’Étable in Gryon, set in a former stable. Skiing with a handful of friends who are as passionate about food as they are about the sport? Book La Table d’Hôtes at Chalet RoyAlp Hôtel & Spa for an intimate chef’s table experience. If a refreshing post-ski cocktail is calling, head to the contemporary yet cozy Restaurant & Bar 1870 at Villars Alpine Resort.
Relax at Chalet RoyAlp Hôtel & Spa, where rooms are decorated with wood, fireplaces, and cushy furniture. Villars Alpine Resort is a something-for-everyone hotel complex; it comprises four accommodation options, ranging from a Swiss-style lodge to the five-star wellness-focused Villars Palace. Other amenities at the eco-conscious resort include restaurants and bars, swimming pools, and fitness facilities.
Fresh powder blanketed on the winter playground of Flims Laax Falera
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Flims Laax Falera
Skiers and snowboarders of varying levels will find the perfect vacation at Flims Laax Falera, located in the canton of Graubünden. Its snow parks, featuring more than 90 obstacles, are popular among freestyle skiers who want to catch air jumping, spinning, and flipping (the world’s best freestyle athletes often train here), and its free-ride areas are playgrounds for creative skiers who want to navigate un-groomed, off-piste terrain. And there’s nothing quite like skiing the sharp slopes of the local glacier, Vorab. In April 2025, the resort’s legendary Vorabbahn—opened in 1978 as Switzerland’s first six-seater gondola lift—made its final run to the glacier before being dismantled and replaced with a state-of-the-art eight-passenger gondola system that opened for the 2025-26 winter season. Also debuting this winter: The pioneering 10-passenger FlemXPress, which, thanks to its unique “rope taxi” technology, operates on demand and allows passengers to choose their destination (insiders have called it the “Uber of gondolas”). It provides direct access to the Sardona UNESCO World Heritage Site above Flims. In the valley, skiers and winter travelers alike can find shops, bars, and fine dining, as well as a unique après culture reminiscent of laid-back California.
The pass situation and stats:
The average day pass rings in at around $89.
- 5 snow parks with more than 90 obstacles
- 134 miles of slopes: 39% beginner, 36% intermediate, 7% advanced, 15% free-ride, 3% snowpark terrain
- 30 lifts
- The main mountain, Mt. Crap Sogn Gion, is home to the world’s biggest halfpipe.
- 70% percent of all slopes lie between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level, which makes it one of the region’s most snow-sure resorts
Where to après, eat, and drink:
As more of a family-friendly ski town, Laax isn’t especially known for its nightlife, but for a bit of a scene, head to Satellite Bar, one of the trendiest around with its lounge feel and flowing music. In the valley, Indy Bar is where you want to be. Stomach rumbling after all those ski runs? Head to Riders Restaurant, at Riders Hotel, for three-course modern-vegetarian meals that feature fresh, seasonal ingredients served at long tables. Alternatively, step out of the valley’s cable car station and into Grandis, a luxe wine store and restaurant in the heart of Laax’s Rocksresort.
One of the most popular hotels in Laax is the ski-in, ski-out hotel Rocksresort, where the staff is welcoming, the apartments are spacious, and you’re right at Laax alley station with numerous shops, restaurants, bars, and the ski school within easy reach. For family-friendly accommodations, book your crew at Riders Hotel, also located directly at the valley station.
Iconic Swiss Alps ski town Saas-Fee in all its mountain glory
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Saas-Fee
Surrounded by 18 four-thousanders (peaks measuring in at more than 4,000 meters), Saas-Fee calls to some of the most adventurous skiers and snowboarders (and, it turns out, pop stars; ’80s sensations Wham! filmed the video for their hit holiday song “Last Christmas” here). In Switzerland’s Valais area, Saas-Fee is one of the villages around the valley of the Rhône. Ski slopes range from 5,900 to nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, making skiing available well past the typical winter months. At the resort, cruise down some of the highest mountains in the Swiss Alps. Beginners can gain practice close to the village, and free-skiers can venture into the Morenia snow park.
The pass situation and stats:
Adult one-day passes start from $104.
- 62 miles of slopes
- 22 lifts
- 35 runs: 30% beginner, 55% intermediate, 15% advanced
Where to après, eat, and drink:
Nesti’s Ski Bar is the classic place to grab a pint at the bottom of the slopes. And if you want to go out, party hardy Project X Club will keep you dancing to live DJs all night long (or really, until close at 3:30 a.m. on Thursdays or 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). To replenish all of those burned calories, order some of the best cuisine in Switzerland from Waldhotel Fletschhorn, which features homemade delights prepared with regional ingredients, plus some 8,000 bottles in its wine cellar.
At the five-star Walliserhof Grand-Hotel & Spa, you’ll experience holistic and sustainable relaxation. The Relais & Chateaux-member hotel is home to 73 modern, alpine-style rooms, as well as three restaurants and a sprawling spa complex.
Overlooking Andermatt storybook base, in the heart of Switzerland
AlamyAndermatt-Sedrun-Disentis
German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe first drew attention to Andermatt’s tourism appeal when he wrote about its mountain villages in the 18th century. Today, just 40 miles from Lucerne in the Urserntal Valley, Andermatt is a storybook base for accessing the Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis ski region, the largest ski area in the heart of Switzerland. It’s where you’ll find Gemsstock, a 10,000-foot paradise for expert, off-piste skiers, and the more beginner- and intermediate-friendly Nätschen-Gütsch and Sedrun-Oberalp Pass areas. (Not to mention, Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis has invested heavily in its base-village experience.) Upscale dining, shopping, snowmaking, and accommodations are increasingly on par with Switzerland’s most luxurious resorts. Increasingly, it’s not just about skiing here, but the full lifestyle experience.
The pass situation and stats:
A dynamic pricing model, used increasingly at resorts around the country, dictates what you’ll pay to play at SkiArena, but expect to hand over $77 to $87 for a peak-season day pass. Andermatt-Sedrun is also on Epic Pass.
- 33 lifts
- 40-plus runs
- 110-plus miles of slopes
Where to après, eat, and drink:
Five- to six-course Kaiseki menus are the specialty at The Japanese Restaurant. It’s located inside The Chedi Andermatt and was elevated to two Michelin stars in 2023. Another in-demand new address is IGNIV Andermatt, a sharing concept by Andreas Caminada led by chef Valentin Sträuli, named Discovery of the Year by Gault&Millau in 2026, which also earned two Michelin stars less than one year after its opening. Locals and visitors satisfy more casual cravings at Spycher, a pizzeria and bar with an impressive menu of pies and pasta, plus a couple of classic Swiss dishes, and at Ochsen for some of the best fondue served in a cozy fondue-Stübli.
With its sleek, Asian-inspired design—think smooth, honey-hued wood; deep bathtubs; and heated stone floors—everything about The Chedi Andermatt is zen. Light-filled rooms and suites at the more wallet-friendly Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen combine Swiss-chalet and Scandinavian style. For a more homely feel, the Andermatt Alpine Apartments offer spacious, convenient lodging with a warm, lived-in atmosphere.
One of Champéry’s invigorating near-vertical slopes
AlamyChampéry/Portes du Soleil
One of Switzerland’s oldest tourist destinations, Champéry began welcoming out-of-towners in the early 1850s. And with its location—between the Dents du Midi, the Mont-Blanc, and Leman Lake, in the Lower Valais—it persists as a base for modern-day plankers who come to ski their way around the massive Les Portes du Soleil ski area, which comprises 12 resorts on both sides of the France-Switzerland border (Champery, Les Crosets, Champoussin, and Morgins sit on the Swiss side). From Champéry, the most seasoned of skiers can access the famed “Le Mur Suisse,” or The Swiss Wall. It’s one of the steepest and most difficult tracks in the world with a near-vertical slope.
The pass situation and stats:
A single adult day pass is roughly $93 and grants access to the entire French-Swiss ski area and its 12 resorts.
- 17 lifts in Champery
- 31 miles of trails in Champery
- More than 370 miles of skiable terrain across the entire Les Portes du Soleil area
Where to après, eat, and drink:
Housed in an 18th-century chalet located in the middle of Village Street, Le Centre 42 strikes a just-right balance of cozy and refined thanks to its timber interiors, crackling fireplace, and modern, French-inspired fare. Prefer to refuel with some gooey raclette? The chalet-style Cantine des Rives has been melting cheese over a wood fire since 1949.
Champery has several charming hotels in the center of the village, not far from the Champery cable car, most of which are more than a hundred years old. Among them: Hotel National Resort & Spa, whose architecture harkens back to the belle époque era. For those looking for a ski-in, ski-out hotel where they can set off on their skis from the hotel itself, head to Les Crosets or Champoussin. The Hotel L’Etable offers a blend of modernity and Swiss authenticity for a discreet luxury stay.
Aerial shot of Cottages chalets in Murren village at winter night in Switzerland
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Mürren/Schilthorn
Car-free, perched on a clifftop, and framed by the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, Mürren has always been one of Switzerland’s most cinematic ski bases—literally. The summit restaurant Piz Gloria famously appeared as Blofeld’s lair in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, lending the area a fun retro allure. Now it’s entering a new era: Upgrades under the Schilthornbahn 20XX project include a new Funifor cable car (its parallel carrier cables provide greater wind stability, among other other engineering improvements) between Mürren and Birg, as well as an eye-popping lift from Stechelberg being billed as the world’s steepest cable car, with a gradient approaching 160%. Travel times are dropping, access is smoother, and the village—long known for feeling tucked away—is suddenly far more reachable. With that improved infrastructure comes a renewed cool factor: a quiet, atmospheric base with high-alpine drama that punches well above its size.
The pass situation and stats:
Adult day passes run from $90 to $95, with access integrated into the broader Jungfrau Region network.
- 17 lifts
- 25 runs totaling roughly 33 miles (approx. 9 beginner, 11 intermediate, 5 advanced)
- 9,744-foot top elevation
Where to après, eat, and drink:
For lunch with a side of cinematic views, head to Piz Gloria, the revolving summit restaurant serving alpine comfort food with 360-degree panoramas. Down in the village, Allmendhubel Panorama Restaurant offers long, sunny fondue lunches overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Après-ski hours are best at the warmly lit Hotel Edelweiss Bar, where the vibe is relaxed and live music pops up throughout the season.
Hotel Eiger remains the go-to for classic Swiss hospitality, mountain-chic rooms, and postcard views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. For something more intimate and design-driven, Hotel Blumental offers a stylish, minimalist alpine feel just steps from the lifts.
Arosa the swiss skiing and hiking tourist resort in the canton of graubünden captured during winter season. The high angle image shows several holiday apartments and hotels after several days snowing.Getty
Arosa/Lenzerheide
Set in the heart of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland, Arosa and Lenzerheide sit on opposite sides of a high mountain ridge connected by the Urdenbahn cable car, creating one seamless ski domain. The region is about a 90-minute train ride from Chur and is easily accessible from Zurich, making it one of the more convenient major alpine destinations without sacrificing big-mountain scenery. Fresh off a record season, the Arosa/Lenzerheide region is sharpening its infrastructure, ramping up digital services, and fine-tuning its perimeter terrain to compete with Switzerland’s biggest ski players. The result? An elegantly modern resort that still feels family-friendly and versatile—perfect for mixing beginner slopes, advanced runs, and après-ski wellness or village strolls with ease.
The pass situation and stats:
Ticketing caters to a variety of interests and skill levels, with options including beginner and snowpark tickets, Arosa-Lenzerheide ski tickets, and more. Skiers can buy four-hour passes, afternoon-only passes, or one- to six-day passes. Adult one-day Arosa-Lenzerheide passes start at around $94.
- 43 connected gondolas/chair lifts and cable cars
- Roughly 140 miles of groomed pistes: 50% beginner, 35% intermediate, 15% advanced
- Approximately 14 feet average annual snowfall, based on region-wide historical data
Where to après, eat, and drink:
For a standout mountain lunch, consider La Brezza, in the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in (Arosa), which offers refined regional cuisine with panoramic views. In Lenzerheide, check out the Michelin-starred La Riva, a modern French-inspired option recognised by the Michelin Guide. Early evening? Unwind in the stylish bar at Guarda Val resort in Lenzerheide, where craft beer meets alpine-chic.
In general, Arosa’s lodging options lean more luxury than Lenzerheide’s. Book the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa for five-star elegance, spa luxury, and ski-in, ski-out access via the hotel’s own Tschuggen Express mountain railway. For a boutique alternative, Valsana Hotel and Apartments in Arosa delivers stylish design, modern amenities, and a relaxed base in town. In Lenzerheide, grab a room at the Guarda Val, or check out the 75-room Schweitzerhof, which houses four restaurants and a spa.
