The Best Ski Tours in Switzerland

Source: Best Health magazine, November/December 2015

Best Sleeps

Rooms at the cute chalet-style Auberge de la Poste in Les Diablerets blend 18th-century charm (low ceilings, wooden furnishings and details) with modern amenities.

Grindelwald’s family-run Hotel Belvedere offers perks, including stellar views of the town and surrounding mountains, pickup at the train station, an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor hot tub.

Come to the Chedi in Andermatt for the luxe rooms, ski butler and easy chairlift access; stay for the gourmet European and Japanese restaurants and the 2,400-metre spa and wellness centre, including indoor pool and multiple soaking pools, steam rooms and saunas.

Best Eats

Café-Restaurant L’Étable, near Les Diablerets, is accessible by road if you prefer not to ski. Peek through the glass at the sheep, geese and other farm animals before tucking into French-Swiss cuisine; perk up for the afternoon with an apricot sorbet topped with apricot schnapps.

In Grindelwald, cozy up for a classic cheese fondue with Alpine herbs in Grindelwald at Barry’s Restaurant, inside the Hotel Eiger, where nightly specials also include sushi and Mongolian barbecue.

Best Tours

The above-the-trees ski area Glacier 3000, halfway between Les Diablerets and Gstaad, is a must-visit for its otherworldly landscapes at 3,000 metres. Non-skiers can go winter hiking or sledding or simply ride the gondolas up to enjoy the views. Skiers should come prepared for lots of T-bars.

Board the train in Grindelwald for an excursion up 25-degree slopes (with the assistance of cogs in the centre of the tracks) to Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station, at 3,454 metres. Highlights at the top include a walk inside the glacier and the world’s highest watch shop.

Travel writer Kat Tancock learned to embrace winter – and all it took was a visit to Switzerland. Read her travel story here.