World's Best Ski Resorts

The world's best ski resorts can be rated on manyLillehammer / Hafjell - Norway
factors, whether it be towering mountains boastingLillehammer hosted The Olympic Winter Games in
exceptional conditions, length of trails and vertical1994, and is known for old farms, a modern town
drops, fabulous apres-ski with exclusive glamourcentre and surrounding alpine skiing resorts.
factor or all-round international appeal and popularity.Lillehammer is one of Norway's oldest winter sports
The places that often get voted as the world's bestdestinations. The Olympic town is surrouned by good
ski resorts, for whatever reasons, all promise thealpine and cross-country possibilities. The wide variety
same thing - an amazing ski experience with theof alpine slopes at Hafjell provide a diverse range of
most spectacular winter sports scenery in the world.skiing challenges. The alpine facility is not about
Here's the Top 10 of the world's best ski resorts, incrisscrossing slopes, but about long and fast
alphabetical order, chosen by Snow Menu. You won'tcontinuous runs. Due to the advanced and
regret a visit to one of these!comprehensive on-site snow-making facilities, Hafjell is
Are - Swedena resort with reliable snow and skiing conditions
Are village is the only ski resort in Sweden with athroughout the entire winter ski season. All the slopes
genuine Alpine atmosphere. The cable car takes toat the resort lead to the same final destination at the
directly up to the top of the mountain and you canbottom of the hill - simple and easy.
ski all the way down to the square. The range ofPortillo - Chile
pistes covers everything from advanced skiing onThe Portillo ski and resort experience is unlike that of
demanding slopes to relaxed skiing on easy slopes. Ifany other commercial ski resort in Chile and abroad.
you are a keen shopper you can find all the latestThere is no neighboring town, meaning Portillo is
trendy gear and the ski service here is top class.totally self-contained, much like a cruise ship nestled in
There are many restaurants, some ten on or aroundthe magnificent Andean peaks. Your skiing experience
the square alone, offering delicious and characteristicin Chile will surely be unforgettable. But Portillo is not
food from all over the world. There is nightlife forjust for skiing or snowboarding, socializing and
any taste, every night and one of the largest stagesrelaxing, it is also for renovating and restoring the
in the mountains presents the best Swedish artists.body and mind in a natural environment that is
Aspen / Snowmass - USAnothing less than spectacular. Portillo has been South
Aspen/Snowmass, anywhere else this would be fourAmerica's premier destination ski resort for more
separate vacations. It's not just one mountain - it'sthan 50 years, internationally famous for its majestic,
Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands andAndean setting and powder snow. If there is a
Buttermilk. With four choices and 5,303 acres, decidetemple for ski sports in Chile, Portillo is it.
which mountain fits your passion. Snowmass, soSt. Anton am Arlberg - Austria
many runs, so much variety - cruisers, steeps, glades,Tourism on the Arlberg dates back to the 19th
off-piste, terrain parks, superpipe and the longestcentury. But it was not until the advent of Alpine
lift-served vertical rise in the United States. Rising outskiing, pioneered to a large extent by men from the
of the heart of downtown Aspen and famous for itsArlberg, that the region acquired the outstanding
steeps, bumps and incredible views, Aspen Mountainreputation it still enjoys today as a winter sports
and its double-black and tree runs are fun for skierscentre. St. Anton am Arlberg is a truly unique
and snowboarders alike.recreation paradise for the whole family. The cozy
Chamonix Mont-Blanc - Francelittle town with 2,500 inhabitants has still maintained
High mountain scenery, the sheer beauty of whichits genuine ambiance and charming atmosphere. Relax
will take your breath away, majestic ice falls andand unwind at the elevation of 1,300m where crisp
glaciers, one of Europe's highest cable cars, cogand clean mountain air is guaranteed! Experience
railways that take you on a journey through time, agenuine Tirolean hospitality and spend the most
beautiful alpine town, witness to 250 years ofbeautiful days of the year among friends.
mountaineering history, traditional villages and hamletsWhistler Blackcomb - Canada
scattered along the 20km long valley and above all aYou have read the articles in the magazines, seen
heart and soul, beating to the rhythm of all thoseglimpses in the ski and snowboard movies, heard all
that live and love Chamonix!about it from your friends. Now it is your turn to
Cortina d'Ampezzo - Italyexperience the magic of Whistler. Get ready for the
Cortina d'Ampezzo is the most charming ski resort invacation of a lifetime! Whistler is a friendly ski town
Italy, near the north-eastern border with Austria. Thelocated in British Columbia, Canada and is home to
village, boasting a thousand-year old remarkablealmost 10,000 residents. One of the many things that
historical background, has nearly 7,000 inhabitants. Itmakes Whistler so special is two unbelievable
attracts visitors from all over the world for its livelymountains - Whistler and Blackcomb. Side by side,
international atmosphere, its fashionable shops, andthey represent over 8,000acres of skiable terrain,
excellent restaurants. It is surrounded by forests andrising a mile above the valley of Whistler. Whistler and
wide ski slopes, below the towering craggy red rockBlackcomb Mountains offer unforgettable skiing,
mountains. It offers something for everyone andsnowboarding, and unlimited winter and summer
most keen skiers will be willing to visit it.activities. Find something for everyone year round.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen - GermanyZermatt - Switzerland
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is located at the foot of theThe village and the mountain: Zermatt and the
Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany (2,962mMatterhorn. Both are legendary. The Matterhorn is
9,724ft), and is both one of the principal climaticthe most beautiful mountain in the Alps, perhaps
health spas in the Bavarian Alps and Germany'seven in the whole world. And Zermatt (1,620m), a
premier winter sports metropolis. The city hosted thecar-free health resort and mountain village with
1936 Winter Olympics and the 1978 Worldinternational flair offers relaxing and at the same time
Championship and offers pristine nature, secludedaction-filled holidays whatever the time of year.
spots, cultural and culinary highlights, newThere's probably nowhere better to experience a
experiences, relaxation, wellness, and upscalehigh altitude mountain landscape so intensively as
shopping. A wide range of sports is available in bothhere. In international terms, we hardly need to point
summer and winter. You can also pamper yourselfout that Zermatt is one of the most famous holiday
with spa treatments such as ayurveda, thalasso,destinations, as fascinating in summer as it is in
natural hay baths, and numerous health therapies.winter.