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:

1. Zermatt, Switzerland
2. St. Moritz, Switzerland
3. Innsbruck, Austria
4. Verbier, Switzerland
5. Val d’Isère, France
6. Kitzbühel, Austria
7. Bormio Ski, Italy
8. Courchevel, France
9. Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
10. Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria

To see what the magazine had to say about the other resorts, check out the official list.

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