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Beginner ski holidays
Thinking about your first ski or snowboard holiday? Ace, We can't wait to show you what it's all about. Get ready for exhilaration, lots of fun with your friends or family, and views that will blow your knee-length socks off.
If you don't know where to start, we have really helpful blogs in our Beginner Ski Guide, with everything from where to go, to what to pack.
If you'd like more personal advice, then give us a call. Our super-friendly team (who were all beginners once!) are on hand to guide you every step of the way.
Or, if you're ready to dive in and start searching for your first trip, just use the 'beginner' filter and we'll only show you beginner-friendly ski resorts.
Best ski resorts for beginners
When picking that perfect resort for your first ski trip you want gentle and crowd-free slopes, that means choosing a resort where the main network of runs are rated green or blue, especially the pistes back to the resort.
With free lifts on its beginner slopes and an excellent ski school, Flaine in France is another popular ski resort with beginners and easy to get around. For something a bit different, try Trysil Norway - it's a great place to learn the basics, with two thirds of its pistes rated either green or blue. And If you don't want to commit to a full week before you're sure you like skiing, try Seefeld Austria which is really easy to get to for a short trip.
Most Popular Beginner Ski Holidays
Avoriaz, France
If you were to create the perfect ski resort in one of the highest and most spectacular areas of the Alps, you’d probably come up with Avoriaz – which is exactly what they did in 1966. One of our bestsellers, Avoriaz is a catalogue of smile-inducing blues perfect for families and beginners.
Hidden Gem Beginner Ski Holidays
La Massana, Andorra
La Massana is a fantastic family and beginner-friendly ski resort. Home to gentle slopes amid the Pyrenees, this charming mountain village is a quieter alternative to its more lively neighbours, Arinsal and Pas de la Casa.
FAQs about beginner ski holidays
Is the ski pass and hire included in the price?
Because Heidi is all about flexibility, we don't want to assume what people require for their personal holiday.
But it's super easy to add-on ski passes and ski hire during the booking of your holiday (or even after you've booked, in case you're unsure at the time). Ski pass, equipment and even lessons (if available) can be booked on the extras page (as you book your holiday) or the My Booking page (if you've already booked).
The price will also vary for many reasons, ranging from the resort you're visiting, and even the what part of the ski season you holiday in (for example, in many resorts early and late season is often cheaper than peak season around February / March time)
Still have some questions? Don't worry, we're here for you! Just get in touch with our expert team today.
Am I able to book lessons with Heidi (and how many lessons do you recommend?)
For many resorts, you can book lessons with Heidi, directly through the website. But if you have any questions, or cant see any ski lesson information, get in touch with our team directly as we'll be happy to help you find the answers you need around lessons.
When it comes to knowing how many lessons to do, well it varies from person to person and even the budget. Many people will be content with doing a block of group lessons and taking their learnings to the slopes in their own time. Other people might want to pay for more private one-to-one lessons (to really fast-track their route to becoming an advanced skier or snowboarder!), but this isn't necessary, more as a nice-to-do.
No matter what you're thinking, the Heidi team is always on hand to help you with any questions you have, either before booking or after. Just get in touch and we'll always be happy to help.
Are ski-in / ski-out accommodations worth booking?
While we would love to say one way or the other, it all depends on the resort, your accommodation, and how comfortable you think you'll be with getting around the resort.
While many hotels are ski-in and ski-out, some accommodations may be beside an intermediate slope that doesn't suit your ability. And at the end of a long day, with weary legs, its often nicer to not put yourself through the challenge that it may be.
Focusing on ski-in ski-out will also limit the available options both in price and location. You might find that the accommodation is further from the town and other activities. So by being flexible with a short walk to the slopes, you open up vastly more options to yourself.
But when it's all said and done, nothing beats being able to ski right into the boot room of your accommodation (and then quickly onto your room's sofa!)
Do I need to choose a resort that has a big ski area?
While the opportunity as a beginner, to traverse the land, and glide across the snow can seem like a dream to many, it's often the dream of over-ambitious beginners and can lead to disappointment. The last thing you want is to end up paying for a huge ski pass, that you barely get a chance to use!
As a beginner, you'll naturally be starting out on more gentle terrain and beginner runs, and until you build a level of confidence and skill, you'll be best staying in these areas of resorts.
And there's a big advantage to this! - As a beginner, you can target both smaller and quieter resorts, that are often substantially cheaper than their bigger brothers and sisters. So play it smart, and spend your early trips learning somewhere comfortable and more affordable, as to avoid any disappointment.
Need some help in knowing where's good for beginners? Our expert team is always on hand to help - just get in touch today.
What do I need to wear for a ski holiday?
It's a great question - we've got everything you need to know about what to wear all in our expert-written blog
Can I hire ski clothing in the resort?
Another great question - owning your own gear can be expensive and while not everyone does, some people opt-to rent for their first holiday.
If you're unsure if you can rent clothing in the resort you're thinking of resort, then give us a quick call and we'll be happy to help get the answer for you!
Are 'nursery slopes' free to use?
Some resorts have areas specially designated for beginners to ski in. And with that, many resorts have free 'magic carpets' or chairlifts, which don't require a ski pass to use. They take people to the top of the beginner areas, making it easy to do laps while you learn the ropes. The only thing you'll need to get is the ski or snowboard equipment.
If you have any questions on resorts that have these free-ski areas, then feel free to get in touch, we're always happy to help!
Will I ski / snowboard every day?
Not necessarily! The most important thing is not over-pushing yourself. The last thing you want to do is tire yourself out and not have the stamina for the rest of your trip. So take it as it comes and focus on enjoying yourself most of all!
And if you choose one of the many amazing resorts that cater to non-skiing activities, you'll have countless other things that you can do, from heading to high altitude viewing points to ice skating and even swimming in the many high altitude swimming pools (who says you shouldn't treat yourself to a hot-tub while on holiday!)
How do I know if a resort or piste is beginner-friendly?
All resorts have beginner-friendly aspects within their skiable area, but some resort areas are more extensive than others. The best way to check is to go to our resort-specific pages (found through the website navigation), and explore the table showing the volume of beginner-friendly runs. It also helps to check out the 'piste map', so you can get an idea of where these skiable areas are located in the resort.
And when it comes to 'pistes' (the groomed runs that you ski and snowboard on down the mountain), France and Spain mark their easiest runs as green, with blue being the next 'level' up in terms of difficulty. Whereas most other countries mark their easiest runs as blue and then red is the next 'level' up.
But if this feels in any way overwhelming, don't worry! We're on hand to help - simply get in touch with the team today for the best answers to your questions.
Does it get cold on the mountain?
Naturally with it being winter and high altitude, it can get cold. Certain months are typically colder than others, such as December and January being the coldest. But each resort varies in how cold it gets depending on many factors such as:
- If the resort is south-facing vs. north-facing
- If the resort is in a valley as opposed to being located nearer the peak of the mountain
- If the resort is more exposed to wind or not.
But if you're concerned about the cold or unsure if your gear is good enough, then there's no harm in looking at going later in the season, such as March or April, when temperatures are usually warmer (but be aware, weather is unpredictable, so you may sometimes be blessed by a cold dump of snow randomly at various points on your trip!)
What is the best value way to try out skiing?
If you've never skied or snowboarded before, then it makes sense that you wouldn't want to commit a lot of money to a brand-new hobby (even if we're confident you'll fall in love with it!). And naturally, some resorts and countries are more cost-effective than others.
For example, in Andorra and Bulgaria, the ski pass and equipment hire is a lot cheaper. You'll also find that you can get a lot more value for money with the accommodation as well. The icing on the cake is that you can find smaller and quieter resorts or those in cheaper countries such as Andorra and Bulgaria, which are cheaper for things like food, drink and evening activities, meaning you won't break the bank enjoying yourself post-skiing.
And finally - you can also choose to go on a smaller-length trip as a taster to snow holidays, rather than forking out for a full week on the slopes. This gives you the time to fall in love with it but at a much lower cost than a full week's holiday.
When should I go?
It all depends on what you're looking for. Typically you can save money by going in the quiet seasons such as:
- Early December before Christmas and New Years
- January on the whole (before February half term)
- Late March and April when the season is quietening downBut if you're looking for reasons to go other times, these can include:
- Enjoying the magic of Christmas or New Year's Eve on the slopes - something that has to be experienced to be believed!
- Aiming for the heavier dumps of snowfall in February, to hopefully experience a true powder ski holiday!
See our ski holiday reviews
Why book a beginner ski holiday with Heidi?
Blogs about Beginner Ski Holidays
Where to head for the best night skiing on the mountain
What is night skiing? Many ski resorts illuminate their slopes on certain nights throughout the year, allowing the public to ski under the stars. We're here to give you the low-down on where to go for the best night skiing resorts in Europe.
Phoebe Hewitt
20 Dec, 2024
1 min read
5 of the best resorts in Austria for beginners
One of the best ski destinations in the world, the Austrian Alps are a veritable winter wonderland for snow-seeking newbies looking to book their first ski holiday.
Phoebe Hewitt
22 Nov, 2024
1 min read
5 of the best ski resorts in Italy for beginners
Looking for somewhere truly 'bellissima' for your first skiing holiday? Say 'buongiorno' to Italy - home of friendly slopes, high-altitudes, and (arguably) some of the Alps best eats.
Phoebe Hewitt
19 Nov, 2024
1 min read
