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6 minutes readSki resorts
New Year in the mountains means snow and sun, drive and endorphins. You can head off for the fashionable Alps or the no less popular Pyrenees. In any case, the ski resorts in Europe will delight you with their cozy chalets, breathtaking landscapes and tranquility.
Ellmau, Austria
- How to get there: the nearest airports are at Salzburg and Innsbruck (Austria) and Munich (Germany).
- Attractions: family atmosphere, tourist sites nearby.
- Drawbacks: the slopes are appropriate for beginners, but experienced sportsmen and women will need to travel to the neighboring resorts.
Ellmau is a village in the Tyrol Alps. The skiing season runs from December to April. The resort is appropriate for children and beginner skiers, so many visit Ellmau as families. The average daily cost of a ski-pass is €40-45.
The resort is appropriate for children and beginner skiers.
- Where to eat: for example at the Memory Cafe Bar Ristorante. Soup costs on average €4.50, pizza is €7-12, past costs €12-16, and burgers cost €11.50.
Where to stay
Cervinia, Italy
- How to get there: the nearest airports are at Turin and Milan (Italy).
- Attractions: local Italian cuisine, while the neighboring slope is already in Switzerland.
- Drawbacks: you can only get to Turin and Milan cheaply via indirect flights.
Cervinia is the highest mountain resort in north-west Italy. The ski village is located at the foot of the southern slope of Matterhorn, the peak of the Pennine Alps. Cervinia is remarkable for its wide selection of ski runs, including gently sloping pistes for beginners and steep ones for seasoned pros. A ski-pass will cost €33-48 depending on whether it’s the busy season. They are more expensive during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Photo caption: Cervinia is the highest mountain resort in north-west Italy.
- Where to eat: a big Italian pizza at Sotto Zero on average costs €9-13, while a budget Margherita costs €7. If you want to try other Italian dishes then take a look in Bar ristorante Metzelet. A portion of pasta here will cost €15, risotto €13, snacks €10-13, and desserts €6.50.
Where to stay
Sierra Nevada, Spain
- Attractions: Mediterranean climate, freestyle pistes.
- Drawbacks: none found.
Sierra Nevada translates as ‘snowy ridge’. It’s a mountain range on the south of the Iberian Peninsula and the southern-most skiing ridge in Europe. Sierra Nevada has lots of pistes appropriate for snowboarders and freestyle fans. It even has a run for night skiing. A 24-hour ski-pass costs €44.
Sierra Nevada has lots of pistes appropriate for snowboarders and freestyle fans.
- Where to eat: you can eat inexpensively at the La Visera cafe. Snacks here cost from €5-9, burgers cost €6-9, and main dishes €12-16.
Where to stay
Christmas fairs
Ski resorts and active holidays are very healthy, but Christmas and New Year fairs are also waiting to be visited during the winter. Once you’ve skied down snowy slopes and admired the beauty of mountain tops to your heart’s content, descend to the bottom, catch a train or bus and head off to the nearest major cities, where there will already be a holiday atmosphere.
Munich, Germany
Munich is the capital of Bavaria. Christmas fairs open here at the end of November. The oldest and best-known is Christkindlmarkt. It is located on Marienplatz with around 160 stalls selling everything imaginable. At Christkindlmarkt you can buy punch, gingerbread, wooden craft and many other traditional items.
Christkindlmarkt is the oldest and best-known Christmas fair.
The ChristkindlTram Christmas tram is an amazing attraction in Munich before the New Year. This retro-tram is decorated seasonally and functions across the city for just about an entire month while the fairs are held. Passengers onboard can enjoy adult and children’s punches, desserts and joyful music. An adult ticket costs €2 and a children’s €1. You have to book tickets online 24 hours in advance.
Where to eat: you can eat a snack near Marienplatz at the Ringlers sandwich bar. Sandwiches here cost €5-6. You can order filling pancakes at Mr. Pancake, costing €6.50-10. Try the beer at Kleiner Ochsnbrater pub for €3-4 as well as their Munich sausages for €3-6.
Where to stay
At Christkindlmarkt you can buy punch, gingerbread, wooden craft and many other traditional items.
Helsinki, Finland
Tuomaan Markkinat is an old and picturesque fair in Helsinki on Senate Square. It’s the largest one in the city. There is a free festive program on the opening day and on weekends and bank holidays. Because Finland is a socially responsible country, at the Christmas fair you can buy local produce in biodegradable dishes.
Before New Year it’s worth taking a walk along Aleksanterinkatu street. It has been decorated with bright lights at New Year for the last 70 years: this tradition took root in the tough post-war years, when there was a need to lift the spirits of the residents. These days, the cafe and shop windows compete in the originality and beauty of their design.
Where to eat: you can drink a coffee with a bun for €5 at Robert’s Coffee, a coffee house chain. If you want a filling breakfast with dishes from a buffet, head for the old cafe Ekberg 1852 Ltd. As is obvious from its name, it has been open since 1852. The buffet during weekdays until 10:30 costs €11.50.
Tuomaan Markkinat is an old and picturesque fair in Helsinki on Senate Square.
You can eat lunch inexpensively at Rax Pizzabuffet near Senate Square. The buffet costs €12-14, although it mostly consists of fast food such as pizza, potatoes, sausages and vegetables.
Where to stay
Rovaniemi, Finland
- How to get there: it’s easiest to fly from Helsinki.
Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, the region of Finland where Santa Claus lives. For this reason, thousands of parents take their children to meet this kind legendary old man, even though this is anything but the cheapest trip.
Santa Claus Village is a famous attraction located 9 km from Rovaniemi. In order to meet Santa you have to wait in a long queue. You are admitted to his home for free, but only for a couple of minutes. A photo is taken here and you can buy it as a souvenir for €25. You can also go on a reindeer ride for €17.
Santa Claus Village. Photo: Roman Babakin/Shutterstock
Where to eat: you can take a snack or lunch at Ravintola Roka Street Bistro, including local dishes. An assortment of salami and cheese will cost €16, while asparagus with cedar nuts or an assortment of local snacks from salmon and venison will cost the same. Salmon cream soup with fried bread will cost €11.50, while a Finish beef stake will cost €35. Simpler street food costs less: for €10.40 you can buy a meat sandwich, fish & chips or juicy pork & chips. The latter will be served with coleslaw.
Where to stay
Christmas and New Year is a time to make your own desires come true. To go skiing, stroll through the fairs, study the local tourist sites in European cities and enjoy life. Though we recommend practicing the latter all year round.
