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The Alps offer a blend of winter adventure and timeless charm that makes Christmas feel truly magical.
Mountain scenery, snowy rooftops, sparkling lights, mulled wine and fondu… it’s hard to find anywhere more festive than a ski resort at Christmas time.
It’s equally hard to find anywhere inexpensive. If you’re going to fork out extra money on a Christmas ski break, make sure you choose a resort that really sparkles. Here are some of our favourites.
Best Christmas ski resorts
Levi, Finland
Lapland is where Father Christmas lives, right? And if he and his little helpers had any spare time to go skiing at Christmas, Levi is where they would go.
This is Finland’s largest ski resort, with 26 lifts serving 44 pistes and 750,000 visitors annually. In terms of downhill skiing, it’s nowhere close to what’s on offer in the vast Alpine resorts. But for a Yuletide break, it’s perfect.
There are 12,000 reindeer living in the vicinity – including Rudolf, of course – and plenty of activities for non-skiing visitors. There’s dog-sledding, snowmobiling, saunas and the chance to view the northern lights.
Like many Scandinavian resorts, Levi is low in altitude (just 531 metres above sea level) but so far north that it guarantees snow – a mix of natural, man-made and even some stored over the summer – for seven months of the year, from October to May.
Kitzbuhel, Austria
The pretty facades of the houses and the Christmas market in Kitzbuhel are the perfect backdrop to a festive ski break. Head for the town’s Hinterstadt and Stadtpark and you’ll find the yuletide market with plenty of treats.
Munch on hot chestnuts and sip mulled wine as you wander the various stalls stacked high with regional delicacies and traditional handicrafts. Local choirs and live bands provide the entertainment alongside storytellers and a carousel for the kids.
For 2025, the Christmas market runs from November 19th to December 26th 2025, with the special St. Nicholas parade on December 6th.
Back on the mountain, there are 233kms of pistes served by 58 lifts, as well as 60 or so mountain restaurants.
Megeve, France
“In Megeve, Christmas is not just a winter interlude: it’s a way of life, a unique atmosphere that envelops the entire village. From the end of November, the narrow streets light up and the snow becomes the natural backdrop for a living painting.”
This may be the rather biased opinion of the tourist board at this lovely French resort. But there’s no doubt Megeve offers a wonderful Christmas experience. The first thing you’ll notice is the huge Christmas tree in the village square, with its evening sound and light show.
For ice skaters there are two options – the Olympic ice rink in the Palais des Festivals and the open-air rink at Place de la Resistance. At the latter, from December 22nd 2025 to January 2nd 2026, you’ll get to meet Santa Claus and his elves. You can also go dog-sledding.
If you fancy some Christmas retail therapy, there are dozens of great shops dotted across the village, while the many bars and restaurants will do their best to fill you with festive cheer.
As for the skiing, well Megeve is part of the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area, offering 400kms of connected pistes across several mountain ranges.
Brighton, USA
On Christmas day you’ll find hundreds of Father Christmases at this Utah resort. It’s thanks to a special promotion where the first 200 skiers or boarders to turn up on December 25th “dressed head-to-toe in a full holiday-themed costume” will receive a free lift pass for the day.
This friendly resort is a lot less expensive than many of its neighbours, with lift passes currently starting at $60 a day. There’s also an emphasis on serving the local community.
“At Brighton, we believe the joy of skiing and riding belongs to us all,” they say. “From pro riders, to first-time families, to after-work warriors, and all those in between, we’ve got the terrain to put a smile on everyone’s face and keep them coming back for more.”
By Rocky Mountain standards, Brighton is not a massive resort, with only 66 pistes across 1,050 skiable acres. But there’s also night skiing and snowboarding under lights on 24 of the pistes, meaning you can maximise your time here, even in mid-winter when the sun sets early.
Whistler, Canada
This superb, and very large resort in British Columbia really comes into its own at Christmas time. There’s a winter wonderland experience called Wintersphere – in Whistler Conference Centre, from December 20th 2025 to January 3rd 2026 – with free entertainment and visits from Santa Claus. There are also candlelit concerts, ice skating, dog-sledding, and a family gala dinner in the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Macdonald Ballroom on Christmas Day itself.
But it’s the ski resort’s festive lights that you’ll notice most of all. Apparently there are 350,000 of them, strung up around Whistler Village. In the nearby forest, you can also enjoy an immersive night walk through the trees, called Vallea Lumina.
As for the skiing, well thanks to more than 200 pistes served by 37 lifts across more than 8,000 acres of terrain, you’re sure to be busy.
St Anton, Austria
They take Christmas seriously at this lovely resort in the Tyrol. “Adventzauber”, or Advent Magic, is what the locals call it. In the grounds of the town’s museum there is a Christmas market, with craft stalls, local food, a life-size nativity scene, brass bands, carol-singing and plenty of Gluhwein.
You can also enjoy a Christmas theme trail, sleigh rides through the forest, ice skating and tobogganing. Celebrations take place this year on the evenings of December 8th, 14th, 20th and 21st.
Sankt Anton am Arlberg (to use its full name) is part of a larger ski area called Ski Arlberg, offering 300kms of pistes served by 85 lifts.
Banff, Canada
Banff is part of the SkiBig3 ski area, where one lift ticket gives you access to all the pistes of Banff, Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay.
Christmas time is special here. On weekends in the run-up to the big day, this Canadian resort hosts a festive market blending “the charm of a traditional European market with the breathtaking beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountains”. There are 175 artisanal vendors, live music, an outdoor fire lounge, and a workshop with Santa Claus.
To keep yourself toasty in the cold weather, you can follow the Banff and Lake Louise Hot Chocolate Trail, which links up 30 or so restaurants and cafes, each offering its own festive-themed hot chocolate.
There’s also an outdoor experience called In Search of Christmas Spirit, where twinkling lights guide you on a walking tour through the Cascade of Time Garden. Here you’ll witness a live Christmas story told by the animals of Banff National Park. It runs until December 31st 2025.
November 04, 2025
