Zermatt named best ski resort in Europe by CN Traveler
By Jan de Boer
As part of the latest Reader’s Choice Awards by Condé Nast (CN) Traveler, six ski resorts in Switzerland have been named among the 20 best in Europe. What’s more, the enchanting resort of Zermatt took the top prize for 2023.
Six Swiss ski resorts named among the best in Europe
To create the list, CN Traveler took a survey of their readers, to see which places are their favourite to carve some snow. “When it comes to the best ski resorts in Europe, Condé Nast Traveler readers are eclectically picky snow bunnies: They rated these their 20 favourite spots for ski and après-ski - a mix of high-profile Alps hangouts and the more remote, high-altitude destinations made for families as well as serious downhillers,“ they wrote.
This year, the resort at the foot of the Matterhorn was rated as the best on the continent. The magazine described Zermatt as an “enchanting alpine village” that combines traditional Swiss architecture with a “state-of-the-art lift system and swanky après-ski diversions.”
Zermatt praised for its après-ski
Indeed, while the resort is notable for its hundreds of kilometres of ski runs, CN Traveler was more of a fan of all the activities available once skiers and snowboarders unfixed their bindings. Specifically, the magazine recommended a burger at Chez Vrony and a glass of champagne at the end of the Sunnega piste, before returning to a horse-drawn sleigh ride along the car-free streets. When it comes to hotels, the glitz continued with the magazine recommending the Mont Cervin Palace and the Schweizerhof.
In news that will delight the jet set, St. Moritz was ranked as the second-best ski resort in Europe, with the magazine praising the town events and “world-class hotels and restaurants, chic shopping, and excellent skiing on- and off-piste that draw celebrities and royalty alike.” Thanks to its huge range of different runs, the resort of Verbier found itself in fourth, with other Swiss entries including Engelberg-Titlis in 11th, Andermatt in 16th and Saas-Fee in 20th.
10 best ski resorts in Europe in 2023
In all, here are the 10 best ski resorts in Europe, according to the Readers Choice Awards’ by CN Traveler:
- Zermatt, Switzerland
- St. Moritz, Switzerland
- Innsbruck, Austria
- Verbier, Switzerland
- Val d’Isère, France
- Kitzbühel, Austria
- Bormio Ski, Italy
- Courchevel, France
- Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
- Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria
To see what the magazine had to say about the other resorts, check out the official list.
Thumb image credit: BearFotos / Shutterstock.com
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more