Skiing — not just for the rich? Top 5 inexpensive ski resorts in Europe

Winter is just around the corner, ski resorts are actively preparing their slopes, and the question arises more and more often: where to go skiing on a budget this winter? We have selected the top 5 excellent ski resorts for your inexpensive winter vacation.

In fact, in Europe you can find a huge number of elite ski resorts (the most expensive are in Switzerland, France, Austria, and Norway), as well as more affordable options. Today, we will focus on the latter. Let’s consider the key categories that affect the budget of the trip: the cost of ski passes, training with an instructor, equipment rental, accommodation, après-ski, cultural program, and the way to get to the resort.

Note. The term après-ski (from the French word après-ski) literally translates as «after skiing». That is, it is your leisure time after the closing of the slopes (which usually close at 16:30–17:00).

An important point for all of these resorts: it is advisable to book accommodation in advance (several months) to have time to «catch» bargains.

Zakopane, Poland

The city of Zakopane, the most famous ski resort in Poland, is located in the High Tatra Mountains. Winter in Zakopane is typically very sunny and mild, the average temperature is between 3-10 °C with a minus sign. Skiing season lasts from December to April.

There are 10 main ski areas in Zakopane, the most popular are Gubalowka, Nosal, Kasprowy Wierch and Polana Szymoszkowa. These complexes have more than 60 elevators, and the total length of trails is about 65 km.

Zakopane ski areas are scattered along the perimeter of the city, so almost all of them have to be reached by transport (cabs, buses or minibuses).

Zakopane ski resort track map

The cost of ski passes: 1 day — from €32, free for children under 10 years old (when having a photo ID), 25% discount for teenagers under 16 years old and retired people.

Training with an instructor: about €34/hour.

Equipment rental: around €6-13/day.

Accommodation: 3* — from €40/day, 5* — from €100/day. In most hotels and pensions, tourists receive service with breakfast or breakfast-dinner. If possible, book accommodation close to the tracks or in the city center to avoid travel problems.

Après-ski: the average bill for a dinner for two in a restaurant is €27, and a beer costs about €2.5-€3.7. 

Cultural program: checklist from REALTING — see the emerald green Sea Eye Lake; visit Nedzica castle; get to the top of Gubaluvka and take pictures of the Tatras; meet the local people — the gurals.

How to get there: Zakopane is easily accessible from Krakow (1.5 hours by car, 2 hours by bus, 3.5 hours by train); you can also take a train from Warsaw (it takes 6.5 hours). You can also get there from Slovakia — the airport of Poprad-Tatry is 70 km from the resort.

Borovets, Bulgaria

Borovets is the largest and oldest ski resort in Bulgaria, located in the Rila Mountains. The climate of the resort is mild, in winter the weather does not drop below −5 °C. The skiing season lasts from November to April.

Sitnyakovo, Yastrebets, and Markudzik are the 3 ski areas in Borovets. There are 24 tracks altogether with a total length of 58 km, and 12 elevators. There are 18 tracks for snowboarders.

You can come here with skills of various levels: there are pistes for beginners and professionals alike. The resort also has a ski school, and for children 4-8 years old there is a ski kindergarten.

Borovets ski resort track map

The cost of ski passes: 30 euros for a day pass, for children €23 (up to 7 years — free).

Training with an instructor: about €35/hour (individual class).

Equipment rental: about €25 per day (for children €11).

Accommodation: 3* — from €45/day, 4* — from €103/day. You can stay in Borovets not only in hotels, but also in apartments and small cottages.

Après-ski: the average bill for dinner at a restaurant for two is about 30 euros, and beer costs about 2.50 euros.

Cultural program: checklist from REALTING — visit the «ski carnival», drive around the seven Rila Lakes, have a photo safari in the picturesque Rila Mountains, climb to the summit of Malievitsa.

How to get there: you can fly to Sofia, and then take a bus to Borovets — it takes about 1.5 hours (about 70 km); the same way you can get to the resort from Plovdiv — it takes 2-2.5 hours. If you go by car, you can get from Sofia to Borovets in 1.5 hours on the route Gorubljane — Pancharevo — Samokov — Borovets.

Vogel, Slovenia 

Vogel is a popular ski resort in Slovenia. It is located in the Triglav National Park, above the beautiful Lake Bohinj.

There are 16 km of ski slopes in total. The climate in the resort is mild alpine with snowy winters. The weather is +1 °C during the day and −8 °C at night. At an altitude of 1,000 meters in the wintertime temperatures usually range from 0 °C to −3 °C. The season lasts from December to April.

Vogel ski resort track map

The cost of ski passes: a day ski pass costs 40 euros, the price for teenagers and seniors — €34, for children — €20 (under 6 years — free of charge).

Training with an instructor: €35/hour, children — €32.

Equipment rental: about €35/day.

Accommodation: 3* — from €50/day, 4* — from €70/day. In addition to hotels, you can stay in apartments and guest houses.

Après-ski: the average bill for a dinner for two in a restaurant is about 30 euros, beer — 2.50 euros.

Cultural program: checklist from REALTING — walk along the Triglav National Park and climb the mountain of the same name, admire the glacial lake Bohinj, hike through the canyon of the Pisnica River.

How to get there: Vogel is 1.5 hours drive from Ljubljana airport. From the airport you can reach the resort by bus (3 hours 22 minutes), by train with a transfer to the bus (3 hours 40 minutes), by cab and car — 1 hour. 43 min.

Poiana Brasov, Romania

Poiana Brasov is the most popular ski resort in Romania. It is located deep in the Transylvanian Carpathians, surrounded by thick pine forests and high peaks. The average winter temperature is around −3 C, the coldest month is January. The skiing season is from December to March.

Poiana Brasov resort has 7 slopes with a total length of 24.5 km, as well as 10 ski elevators. The resort is often called «Sunny Glade» because it is located in a large and well-lit valley at an altitude of 1030 meters.

Poiana Brasov ski resort track map

The cost of ski passes: 1 day for adults — €34, for children — from €17.

Training with an instructor: €14/hour.

Equipment rental: €16/day.

Accommodation: 3* — from €50/day, 4* — from €100/day. In addition to hotels, you can stay in apartments, hostels, chalets and guest houses.

Après-ski: the average bill for dinner at a restaurant for two is about 30 euros, beer costs 1.60-2.50 euros.

Cultural program: checklist from REALTING — visit Dracula’s castle and the medieval town of Brasov, climb the peak of Postravaru, go to the Romanian mountain villages, drive on the Transfagarasan Highway.

How to get there: you can rent a car in Bucharest and drive about 3 hours to Poiana Brasov; or take the train from Bucharest to Brasov and then the bus from Brasov to Poiana Brasov; another option is to take the special bus from Bucharest to Brasov (it takes about 4 hours).

Jasna, Slovakia 

Jasna is the largest resort in Slovakia, which is located at the foot of the northern slopes of Mount Chopok in the national park. In winter, the weather is snowy, with temperatures down to −7 °C. The skiing season lasts from December to early April.

Jasna is 50 km of slopes and 4 ski areas: Otupne (1140-1430 m), Zahradki (1030-1450 m), Chopok North (1230-2020 m), Chopok South (1160-2020 m). There are 22 ski elevators and night skiing. There are pistes for children, for motor-sledding and snowboarding.

Jasna ski resort track map

The cost of ski passes: a day ski pass for adults costs €44, for youth — €36, for children — €22.

Training with an instructor: €49/hour (group classes will be cheaper).

Equipment rental: for adults €21/day, for children €14.

Accommodation: 3* — from €50, 4* — from €80. The main hotels are located 20-300 meters from the elevators.

Après-ski: the average bill for dinner at a restaurant for two is about 30 euros, and beer costs 1.60-2 euros.

Cultural program: checklist from REALTING — check out the Andy Warhol Museum in Medzilaborce, relax in the hot waters of the natural thermal pool in Bešenov, and visit the Demänovské Caves.

How to get there: the first option is to fly to Poprad, then transfer in 1 hour 15 minutes; it’s also convenient to get to Jasna from Kosice, as there are regular buses, and you can also take a cab or rent a car; other options are to fly to Vienna or Bratislava, and then transfer from there. In any case, you have to change trains and buses in Liptovsky Mikulas, from where you can easily get to Jasna.