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Where to ski in Scandinavia

Scandinavia is certainly a great choice for a skiing holiday, particularly if you fancy a more relaxed style of skiing and the Aprés Ski is not as lively, however, the resorts have comfortable accommodation and great food. If you choose your destination carefully you will have the added bonus of being able to go floodlit skiing or skiing in the midnight sun!

Âre, Sweden

Âre in northern Sweden is the biggest and best-known resort with more than 200 miles of snow trails! Situated 220 miles south of the Arctic Circle it is trendy, fun with some great skiing. There are three ski areas; the easiest slopes are at Âre- Björnen, which is ideal for families with young children and at the other end of the scale, Âre-By which is steep and challenging – definitely for experienced skiers! The town has plenty of shops, restaurants and offers other fun activities including dog sledding, snowmobiles and paragliding.

Riksgränsen, Sweden

The Swedish ski resort of Riksgränsen is situated 12 miles north of the Arctic Circle and is the world’s most northernmost ski resort. It opens in March when temperatures are not quite so harsh. There is a limited selection of different accommodation and about 15 runs but there is some fun and exhilarating off piste trails. The resort is open until June for skiing and snowboarding and of course because of its location there is the added bonuses of seeing the Aurora Borealis and skiing in the midnight sun! Hemsedal in Norway has the nickname ‘ the Chamonix of Scandinavia’ and has challenging steep mountains, which contrast sharply with the more gentle slopes found elsewhere. Situated three hours from Oslo, there is a good variety of skiing available with really good nursery slopes and good off piste areas for experts. Hemsedal is a really child friendly resort, while Geilo is a quieter Swedish resort and one of the oldest, it is situated on the coast, not far from Hardangevidda, the largest mountain plateau in Europe. There are just a dozen hotels in the town, but there are 40 different trails that are best suited to beginners and intermediate skiers and particularly children.

 

Trysil, Norway

Trysil is the largest Norwegian resort where the skiing takes place mainly below the skyline. There are 66 pistes – 21 green, 17 blue, 17 red and 11 black – so there is challenging skiing for all levels. It is the perfect choice for intermediate skiers and there are 200 miles of cross country trails and snow boarding facilities too and the chance to go on a husky safari! If you are a cross country ski fan, then the perfect Norwegian ski resort for you is SjusjØen-Lillehammer which has more than 700 miles of cross country tracks and is the cross country ski capital of Norway! Situated on the shores of a lake, this resort offers tranquility and the chance whilst skiing to enjoy the wonderful wildlife. Holiday accommodation is mainly I attractive chalets.

Finland

In Finland there are a selection of different ski resorts to enjoy. Levi is a purpose built centre which, is situated at the bottom of the ski runs. There are 27 miles of pistes – most of an intermediate level and 17 floodlit ski slopes. As the year progresses the days get longer so that is good news for those on the ski slopes! Ylläs is another Finnish resort and this one has the longest downhill slope in the area and it really geared to skiers, after all the Finns think nothing of it if you want to just ski around the village and park your skis outside the shop! There are 33 miles of slopes, which are perfect for beginners but there is plenty of other attractions including 200 miles of tracks for cross country skiers and some good snowboarding too. If you are planning a family holiday, other attractions include snowmobiles and reindeer safaris to your bucket list!

Certainly a ski holiday in Scandinavia will be fun for everyone, whatever your age or ski experience and there is something rather special about settling down in front of a roaring log fire after a day of great skiing with a warm glass of spicy glÖggi to get you feeling warm again!

Have you been inspired by our ‘where to ski in Scandinavia’ blog? Contact us today on 0800 0856 846 or contact us for a quote.