 Poster: A snowHead
|
We had our first ever ski holiday this spring at Corvara in the Dolomites (loved it but v busy at half term). My question is - how do the ski resorts in Scandinavia compare? We are a mix of beginners and advanced, and also snowboarders.... we are looking for a resort with lessons and blue slopes for the beginners, as well as some thrills for the more experienced. We are looking for a place with a few good restaurant and bar options in the evening. Any tips welcome! Anyone been to both the Dolomites and Scandinavia - love to hear how they compare other than being less crowded? Thanks!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Expensive alcohol, limited extent of slopes, colder temps
Try it and come back and tell us!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
@bakers102, short answer is that most of the scandi resorts are very different to the Alps/Dolomites/Pyrenees, with much less vertical and a different feel. Not worse, just different. But if you are looking to drink out in the evenings, then you'll need a robust bank account - alcohol in bars, in particular, is very expensive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Plenty for beginners from what I’ve seen in Trysil. Also the instruction is very good. But snowboarders may not like the many and some long drags .
Even if the resorts are as busy, generally the Scandinavians are very polite and not inclined to hoon around so may feel less busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@bakers102, been to the Dollies many times, both summer & winter : also skid Norway a few times and would highly recommend Hemsedal - was there March 2023.
Easy to access from Oslo; quite an Alpine feel to the resort with plenty of runs plus some excellent lift served off-piste.
Costs are currently pretty good as the gbp/nok rate is in our favour, and to be quite honest beer costs weren't that astronomical - some of the local brews weren't much more than some city centre prices here in Bristol (which are shockingly high in some pubs)
Other costs such as hot chocolate in slopeside restaurants are much cheaper than the Alps, plus being a more compact area the lift passes are cheaper - car hire was cheap too
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I haven't been to any Scandinavian resorts, however I do know someone who teaches at Hafjell. So if you end up choosing that area as your resort then I could recommend you an English native instructor there for the lessons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No comparison really.
And I don't mean that in a bad way. Just completely different experiences.
The Dolomites allow much more a traditional "ski" holiday. Plently of kms of piste available. Varying prices depending on what you want to spend. Stunning scenery. We love the Dolomites.
We went to Levi in February and treated it as a "winter holiday" with a bit of skiing rather than a ski trip. In fact, we only did 1 day on the slopes. We had skiied everything. We did consider a lesson or two as they ski schools and well regarded but we filled our other days with the plethora of other activities Lapland offered. We did a cross-country lesson one morning and then spent the rest of the day giving it a go. A day snowshoeing and ice fishing. Spent a fun afternoon at Water World. And just walking around experiencing the wonder of area and being in the Arctic circle.
If you have a car, you can go to other resorts for a day as well.
But the whole place felt lovely, and depsite what others say we felt that the prices in Levi were not a huge difference to eating and drinking in many French resorts or even London.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| swskier wrote: |
| I haven't been to any Scandinavian resorts, however I do know someone who teaches at Hafjell. So if you end up choosing that area as your resort then I could recommend you an English native instructor there for the lessons. |
I don't think english-speaking ski classes will be a problem as English is so widely spoken
We were greeted at a restaurant in English - we hadn't actually spoken to the girl at that point so jokingly said blimey do we look that English. She replied that she was actually Czech and spoke no Norwegian, so greeted all customers (including Norwegians) in English 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
