I didn’t grow up on skis. It took a move to Switzerland as an adult for me to face my considerable fears and give it a go – and after many falls, frustrations and restorative fondues, I’m a pretty competent skier these days.
Why did I persist? Because the Swiss mountains are drop-dead gorgeous, and I was determined to be able to ride the highest ski lift and see the most glorious views. And it turns out they were worth every single wipe out. If you want to follow my tracks, you’re in the right place: here are some of my favourite places to ski in Switzerland.
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Caroline Bishop has been based in Switzerland for 10 years, and skiing there for most of it. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.
This family-friendly resort is a good spot for finding your ski legs. Perfect for beginners, but with plenty of challenging terrain for intermediates, Villars connects to neighbouring villages Gryon and Les Diablerets for more than 100km of slopes. If you fancy a break, ditch the skis, hire a toboggan and slide down the 7km sledge run in Les Diablerets.
Stay here: The Viu Hotel offers stylish contemporary rooms and a sunny restaurant terrace in the village centre.
Yes, it’s pricey, and the lift queues can be a tad tedious, but Verbier’s wide, long runs, copious freeride terrain and location within the huge 4 Vallées ski area – with 410km of pistes to explore – more than compensate. Daredevils will love the black mogul field from the top of Mont Fort, while debutants can practise their parallel turns on the blues of La Chaux.
Stay here: W Verbier offers quirky décor, a spa and a prime ski-in, ski-out location at the bottom of the home run.
Zermatt is the chef’s kiss of Swiss resorts. Its ski area – the highest in Switzerland – links to Italy, so you can ski over for a pasta lunch and return for Swiss schnapps in the afternoon. The village sports Michelin-starred restaurants and high-end shops without sacrificing authentic alpine charm, and it’s all overlooked by that famous witch’s hat mountain, the Matterhorn, a sight guaranteed to stop you in your snow boots, however many times you’ve seen it.
Stay here: When the live band has finished and the après-ski crowd has left, the Cervo is a stylish place to stay the night with a plum view of the Matterhorn.
Some of Switzerland’s most epic skiing is to be found in the Jungfrau Region. Tackle the notorious Lauberhorn run in Wengen, make fresh tracks in the shadow of the Eiger at Kleine Scheidegg and ski in and out of the car-free village of Mürren – all possible with its single ski pass, connecting 211km of slopes.
Stay here: Choose the family-run Hotel Kirchbühl in Grindelwald for easy access to all the trains and cable cars you’ll need for roaming the slopes.
Though not particularly well known outside Switzerland, this Valais resort is an absolute treat. Take the cable car up from the valley floor to the ridge at the top and enjoy some cracking intermediate-level skiing in view of the awesome Aletsch glacier, the longest in the Alps.
Stay here: Located in a car-free village on the mountain, the Waldhaus Bettmeralp has cosy rooms and a hot tub on the roof.
These three connected villages in eastern Switzerland offer high-altitude snowsure slopes, runs for all levels, dreamy off-piste powder and five snowparks for freestyle jumps and tricks. All this, and a good conscience – the area’s ‘Greenstyle’ strategy is making this one of Switzerland’s most sustainable ski resorts.
Stay here: Near the main lift in Laax, the Riders Hotel pairs swish, contemporary design with an eco-conscious ethos.
The jewel of Central Switzerland is known for its Rotair – a cable car which revolves 360 degrees as it ascends to the 3000m-high Titlis glacier. From here, good skiers can tackle the 12km descent to the valley floor, while the less ski-sure can enjoy the view and the ice cave before riding the lifts back down to the gentler slopes around Gerschnialp.
Stay here: The Ski Lodge Engelberg has a lively bar, a popular Swiss-Nordic fusion restaurant and a sauna and hot tub in the garden.
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