How do people go skiing?

[Skinnysaluki]

My teens have asked if I can take them skiing next winter- I don’t know where to start! very much not from a skiing family or background!
We would need lessons/beginner slopes/ ski hire, a place to stay that is cosy and with guaranteed snow maybe ice skating options as well.
also! I’m skint so it would need to be as cheap as possible. And they are ages 20 and 16 so it will probably be a 3 adult cost and maybe that will just be too much.
how/ where do we even begin?

(That was only 5 days)

Yes it really isn't cheap, and wanting a snow sure resort in holiday time is not going to be a bargain.

I'd probably look towards La Plagne or Cervinia. Snow sure resorts like Zermatt (right over the summit from Cervinia!) or Val d-Isere will cost.

The good thing about companies like Crystal is you can usually pay a deposit to secure the booking and pay the rest later which will give you chance to save. Andorra is great for beginners and on the cheaper side. You can also join Facebook groups for these resorts as often people who own accommodation in the area advertise on there with cheaper rates (if you don’t go down the package route).
Also vinted has tons of ski gear on there for very little.

The minimum varies but this is a good ballpark for the main ski areas. Bulgaria is still cheap and there are some cheaper, smaller resorts in Czech and Poland. But it’ll still cost you a few thousand @Skinnysaluki - always does. My very young child is skiing now and already set me back quite significantly in their first season (equipment plus school and the actual trips). I’d take them indoor skiing first and see if they actually like it.

What is your rough budget for the holiday?

When we skied in Cervinia we kept the cost down by:

• hiring a car and staying in an apartment a ~20 minute drive from the resort
• self catering
• flying out Thursday night (had an inset day on the Fri before feb half term) and back on the Friday a week later not sat-sat

For 4 people in the school holidays Christmas/half term you are looking at least £6k upwards probably more like £8k once you add lessons etc.

It is cheaper to go Easter time but the snow can be a bit iffy be then.

If you are a complete beginner family then definitely book a package.

If you are stuck with school holidays, try Norway or Finland lapland at any Easter. The season runs to May, snow is guaranteed and its good for beginners. An early Easter like this year may mean good deals of higher European resorts, but we probably won't get one again for a while.

Yes there’s a reason Royals and celebs ski- it’s expensive! Maybe your teens should save up and get to Escape instead. School ski trips are also a more cost effective way of going on a ski holiday.

What would the budget be? Guaranteed snow in Feb half term (it’s never guaranteed in December) will be very expensive, especially if you’re hiring skis and taking lessons.
Bulgaria isn’t cheap anymore and actually is pretty poor value these days compared to some of the Italian resorts.

Since you are all beginners you don't need to go somewhere with huge slopes like the alps, look into the Nordics instead. You can then mix up the skiing with dog sledding, ice skating, cross country skiing, aurora watching etc. and ski for just 2-3 hours a day or so. Look at Åre and Sälen in Sweden for example. You can then combine it with a few days in Stockholm if you are into city breaks.

Amazing idea- we all know we can definitely ice skate!
budget wise, I think I can scrimp up to £5k just about

So many really useful comments, thank you so much!

I’d personally pay the extra for flights and go to Canada. We found the slopes much less busy and the costs were so much more reasonable.

I would plan to go the first week of the Easter holidays. Crystal is a good option for a package deal, or look at sunweb. Vinted will sort you out for ski clothes at minimal cost. Stay somewhere that does half board and take a baguette and drink with you for lunch. If you have a dry ski slope near you that will be much cheaper than an indoor slope for learning. My kids did weekly lessons at our council run dry slope really cheaply and were pretty competent skiers before we went on holiday. I’m doing a week in an expensive resort in France at Easter for 4 of us, all inclusive hotel, for 5k (that includes ski hire, ski school etc) so you’ll definitely be able to find something within budget.

For example, I’ve just priced up Passo Tonale (great snowsure resort in Italy, perfect for beginners) with Crystal. Half board, including lessons, ski hire and lift pass comes to £3800 for the 3 of you. Have assumed flying from London but other airports available. The only additional costs would be drinks and lunch on the mountain. It’s a cracking deal and would be super easy for your first ski holiday.

How much would a trip like this cost?

That was for 20th March 2027 (I’m assuming your school term dates are the same as our local ones).

Actually that PT holiday was only £3600 and includes alcoholic drinks with dinner. At that price I might book it myself 😂

The cheapest way that we found to do it was to book last minute in order to be sure of snow and then to drive to nearest resort with snow stay a few miles away in simple accommodation self catering or logos de France type family hotel bed breakfast and evening meal. If you don’t fancy drive MG as per a pp hire a car out there or aim for a place to stay with a lift or bus service that will take you up to slopes. Upside of this is not paying a premium for being in ski in ski out resort.. downside is possible lack of apres ski and more effort getting to and from slopes.Having said that , our DC have booked last minute in high season and stayed in cheap apartments but obvs that is risky

I go with DH every year. Our apartment and lift passes this year are £500- for both of us!

Look at Mount Vacation, OP. It’s not the fanciest of accommodation, but it’s clean, in resort, and your lift passes are included. We generally go to Puy St Vincent (SE Alps), in March. There is still snow, but it’s sunny too. It’s not a big resort, and not posh, but I love it there- we have been in summer too. It’s ‘rustic’ 😁.

We drive and take our own gear, but you can generally get cheap flights to Turin.

It depends on what kind of standard you want of course but for example this place is in a good location (ski-in/ski-out) and for 5 nights it's about 1K or 2K for a week (I just picked a random week in Feb): https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/40103445?adults=3&check_in=2026-02-07&check_out=2026-02-11&search_mode=regular_search&source_impression_id=p3_1766928769_P30ShfXm39SF4dka&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=5d8dcca3-45ba-48e6-9838-562b0937e38d&modal=PHOTO_TOUR_SCROLLABLE. You can find cheap flights to Stockholm with Norwegian usually and then take a train and bus there if you don't want to rent a car and drive.

Here are also some other activities that you can do in the area: https://www.visitdalarna.se/en/salen.

Ski rental is about 40 per person for the week and ski passes around 140 per adult or 110 for under 18s for the week.

Åre is bigger than Sälen but also a little bit more expensive. Neither of these are as flashy as the resorts in the alps but they are also a lot less busy and the ski rental is

I think, travel and all, it would be doable for around 4K for a week for 3 adults/almost adults.

I’ve just priced up a trip outside school holidays for 1.300€ plus ski passes at Sälen. If you add in a Stockholm, depending on the number, probably no more than 1k€ more? I use points for hotels so not had to pay, but I can’t imagine it costing more than 500-1k extra for a stopover break.

In school holidays, Trysil is cheaper. But both send prices up 2k. Closest airport is Scandinavian Mountain Airport reachable via transfer in Stockholm. SAS now so SAS Holidays and you can pay monthly.

We are just back ! We ski every year . I’m a teacher too but in Ireland . And we can take unpaid leave so that’s what we usually do .

Have a look at Crystal and then contact any hotel you like the look of yourself . You’ll get a better price .

Try Snowtrex for great deals including lift passes . Lift passes are very expensive .

When the kids were small we did our first few family trips to Slovenia . All the beauty of Austria but was much cheaper . Not a whole lot of runs but definitely enough to learn !

You can definitely do it ! People saying 2k are way off . I can do luxury for about 1500 .

You can do a luxury ski trip for three adults in february half term for £1500?