A Piste of the Action

Snow kite in St Moritz, Switzerland

If glitzy and glamorous skiing is what does it for you then you’ll probably be well briefed on St Moritz, Switzerland, once favoured by Charlie Chaplin, Brigitte Bardot and Liz Taylor. The luxed-up living still exists, but if you’re keener to try out the more adventurous side of the destination then consider giving snow kiting a shot. It’s about as difficult as it sounds – kitesurfing (and that ain’t easy) but on skis or a snowboard. Your stage is the glistening, frozen Lake Silvaplana, which sits at the base of 3,000m-high mountains.

Of course, you can’t abandon the finer things on a visit to St Moritz. Book via the five-star Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina and you’ll enjoy one-on-one tuition, fine dining on return, spa treatments to soothe those screaming muscles and heavy-curtained rooms. Don’t rest too long – there are 58 lifts and 350km of pistes to explore in this area, and the last remaining natural bob run in the world. A must, if you ask us.

Save some cash in Vogel, Slovenia

Need your ski fix but don’t have the funds to drop on spraying Cristal over the crowds in Courchevel? Do it on the cheap and head to Vogel in Slovenia. Here, you can combine the epic scenery of Triglav National Park (which sits above the pretty Lake Bohinj) with huge cash savings. Skiing takes place between two bowls and it’s best suited to beginners and intermediates, although there is a black run if you’re feeling crazy. Expect cosy inns with awesome lake views (complete with mountains reflected in the water) and somewhat limited nightlife – hey, this is about saving money, remember.

Great-value après ski in Andorra

Great hospitality, great bars, great savings – it’s a skiing dream come true if you’re looking to save some funds but also travel on the party train. If that’s the journey for you then you can’t get wrong with Arinsal, located towards Andorra’s western border with Spain. There are 95km of runs, long sunny days and a lively après-ski scene, concentrated around the small bars that are open until the early hours. Keen to hone your snowboarding skills? Try the resort’s ‘freestyle area’.