Bulgaria, Georgia, Andorra: Where are Europe’s best value ski destinations?

As ski season approaches, many holidaymakers are calculating with dismay how much more a trip to the slopes is going to cost this year.

In Italy, the price of ski passes for destinations from the Dolomites to the Apennines is set to jump 40 per cent compared to 2021 - a development denounced by a national consumer watchdog as “completely unjustified”.

A study from earlier this year found that overall, the cost of skiing in Europe has risen by 34.8 per cent above inflation since 2015.

So is it still possible to have a ski break on a budget in Europe? The answer is yes, you just need to look a little further afield than the classic resorts in Italy and Switzerland.

Bulgaria is home to some of Europe’s best value ski resorts

Bulgaria frequently tops rankings for Europe’s lowest-priced breaks on the slopes, partly thanks to affordable ski passes.

Borovets is located high in the Rila Mountains. It has 58 kilometres of slopes, which is smaller than many European ski resorts, but its location means it has almost guaranteed powder all season.

The resort charges adult skiers around €52 a day, with discounts available for ‘early bird’ tickets during November and December or for purchasing a reloadable lift card.

The seasonal ski pass costs €1020 for adults, but if you are over 75, you can take to Borovets’ slopes for the whole season for just €54.

Equipment rental is also reasonably priced, with skis, poles and boots costing adults around €20 a day.

Similarly, Bansko in the Pirin National Park allows holidaymakers to spend around a third of what they might in some of Switzerland’s resorts.

Until the end of November, the seasonal pass costs adults €869 - or €51 for over 75s. The price for the rest of the season and single-day passes has not yet been announced, but last year, a daily pass cost around €56 for adults.

Accommodation around both resorts is also well-priced, with private rentals as low as €30 a night and four-star hotels starting at €50.

Both resorts have shared shuttle bus transfer options from Sofia airport, which keeps costs down.

Find adventure and authenticity in Georgia

Georgia’s ski resorts are another reasonably-priced option, with the added bonus of offering reliable snow coverage.

While the Caucasus mountains are warming just like everywhere else, Georgia's slopes have the advantage of being quite high up. Resorts Gudauri and Tetnuldi both span from 2,000 to over 3,000 metres.

This also makes it some of the most eco-friendly skiing in Europe, as resorts don’t have to rely on artificial snow.

For Petr Majer, team leader at Vagabond Adventures Ski School in Gudauri, Georgia also offers an “air of adventure that you just won't get from the polished resorts and storybook villages of the Alps”.

What it lacks in refinement - its infrastructure is sometimes a little behind developments in other European destinations - it makes up for with its authenticity and charisma, he says.

Gudauri is Georgia’s largest ski resort, offering the most amenities and English-speaking ski schools such as Vagabond Adventures. It can be reached in two hours from Tbilisi International Airport.

Ski Passes cost around €25 per day, and the best deal is the season pass, which gets you unlimited access to all the ski resorts in Georgia for about €200. Rental costs an average of 22€ for a full set of gear per day.

And after a thrill-packed day on the slopes, you can refuel with Georgia’s belt-busting, budget-friendly cuisine of khinkali dumplings and khachapuri - fluffy bread with a pool of melted cheese and butter.

Enjoy affordable skiing in Andorra

Andorra is not a new skiing destination, but its slopes in the Pyrenees have maintained their laid-back character - and prices.

Holiday sites direct families to Pal-Arinsal in the long-established Vallnord ski region, which has 63 kilometres of pistes accessible for around €52 a day.

Beginner and intermediate skiers can find plenty of suitable slopes and a ski school in the area around Pal. In the Arinsal area, the more advanced can find slopes at elevations over 2,500 metres, with red and black runs.

The €750 seasonal Nord Pass grants unlimited access to both Pal Arinsal and Ordino Arcalís, a total of 90 kilometres of slopes.

For €970, skiers can purchase the Andorra Pass, which also includes the Grandvalira area. This is the largest resort in the Pyrenees, with 140 runs for all levels covering 215 kilometres reaching up to 2,600 metres in elevation.

There are also snowparks, off-piste routes and mountaineering circuits. A day pass costs around €61 for adults.

Grandvalira has won the award for Best Ski Resort in Andorra at the World Ski Awards several times, in 2023, 2022, 2020, and 2015.