East Midlands Airport (EMA) is not only a gateway to the Alps but also to some great alternative skiing destinations this winter season.
With flights to Salzburg, Chambéry, and Geneva, the unrivalled slopes of the Austrian, French, and Swiss Alps are within easy reach of EMA. However, some fantastic and affordable off-piste options are also available.
Bulgaria offers smaller ski areas that are great for beginners and intermediate skiers, at a fraction of the cost of other European destinations.
Balkan Holidays have packages starting from £359pp for a self-catering week in January 2025, with the resort of Borovets only 1.5 hours from Sofia Airport and Pamporovo and Bansko around an hour further afield. Bansko, the largest resort, has recently been named one of Lonely Planet’s top ten cities to travel to in 2025. As well as providing 75km of varied pistes reached by 16 lifts, it boasts a lively après-ski scene.
Weekly Saturday flights are available from 18 January 2025 to 8 March 2025, with deals such as £2260 for a family of four for a week self-catering in Bansko, including six days of ski lessons, lift passes, and ski hire, bookable via https://www.balkanholidays.co.uk/.
The Czech Republic has a number of small resorts among the Giant Mountains, which can be reached via Prague by train, followed by bus or taxi. The largest resort, Špindlerův, offers 28km of pistes with 17 lifts, with other ski areas nearby that can be easily reached by ski bus. There is also the option of combining a ski trip with a city break in Prague, one of Europe’s cultural gems and especially magical during the winter. Return flights from EMA to Prague with Ryanair are available from as little as £43 in January.
Poland has a number of ski resorts, with the main one, Zakopane, covering five small ski areas included under one lift pass. About 2.5 hours by road or rail from Kraków Airport, Zakopane offers skiing best suited to beginners and low intermediates. A free ski bus connects to other ski areas with steeper slopes and longer runs. Kraków Airport is served from EMA by Ryanair, with return flights in January as low as £94pp.
There’s skiing available in Slovenia too, with Kranjska Gora being another resort suited to beginners and families with young children looking to ski on a budget. It is a 2.5-hour road trip from Salzburg and has much of the charm of its neighbouring Austrian resorts. Its 20km of pistes may not match Kitzbühel, but it’s priced accordingly and has lively après-ski and well-priced restaurants. Flying to Salzburg – from £220pp return in February with TUI – clearly opens up the possibility of an Alpine resort in Austria. Söll is among the best-value Austrian resorts, located at the heart of the SkiWelt – an area of 270km of pistes and a short bus ride from 233km more.
Or how about skiing in Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountains? Reached from EMA via Málaga Airport and a two-hour transfer by road, it is the third-highest mountain range in Europe, with a ski season often lasting through to April. It offers 100km of pistes suitable for all abilities, served by 21 ski lifts, including some recent additions to keep queuing to a minimum.
Popular with young skiers, there’s a wide range of bars and restaurants available in the resort as well as up the mountain. It’s also another great destination for young families, with excellent facilities for beginners. Later in the season, there’s even the tempting prospect of combining a ski trip with a beach holiday! Return flights to Málaga in December are available from around £74 with Jet2 or £62 with Ryanair.
*All prices correct at the time of publication.
• Top 6 European Christmas Markets to visit from East Midlands Airport
