Attention downhill thrill seekers: If you’ve already crossed Whistler and Vail ski resorts off your list, then you’re probably hankering for a European ski or snowboard vacation. Europe offers some of the best slopes in the world, thanks to decades of resort development… and some 65 million years of Alps development.
It’s no surprise that most of the world’s top resorts are in the Alps—Austria, Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland are your main targets. If you’re looking for something a little less crowded, but every bit as exciting, we suggest heading up to the Nordic countries to enjoy their extra long season (some resorts there spend more than half the year blanketed in snow).
In no particular order, here are the best ski resorts in Europe (they’re great for snowboarders too, of course). We picked one from each of the countries on this list, but they’re all bucket-list experiences in their own right. The only way you can go wrong is if you don’t go at all.
