The best apres-ski resorts
When the lifts close, the real fun begins. These are the resorts where the music starts at the bottom of the last run and keeps going long after dark.
Great apres-ski comes in two flavours. There are the slopeside umbrella bars where you ski straight in, boots still on, for a drink and a dance before the last descent: St. Anton am Arlberg built its legend on places like the Mooserwirt, and Solden, Obertauern and Soll keep the tradition very much alive. Then there is the resort that turns into a full town party after dark, with Ischgl famous for its big concerts and Saalbach Hinterglemm packing its main street every evening.
France and Switzerland have their own icons. Val Thorens, the highest resort in Europe, mixes huge open-air terraces with late nightclubs, while Verbier draws an international crowd that dances on the tables. Les Deux Alpes leans young and loud, and beyond the Alps the energy travels well: Sauze d'Oulx in Italy, Are in Sweden and Hemsedal in Norway all know how to celebrate, while Aspen Snowmass, Breckenridge, Park City and Heavenly bring an easygoing American spin to the after-ski hours.
Our picks
Niseko
Hokkaido
Val Thorens
French Alps
Sölden
Austrian Alps
Breckenridge
Colorado Rockies
St. Anton am Arlberg
Austrian Alps
Verbier
Swiss Alps
Ischgl
Austrian Alps
Heavenly
Sierra Nevada (California)
Les Deux Alpes
French Alps
Aspen Snowmass
Colorado Rockies
Park City
Wasatch Mountains
Obertauern
Austrian Alps
Grandvalira
Andorran Pyrenees
Hemsedal
Norwegian Mountains
Killington
Green Mountains
Saalbach Hinterglemm
Austrian Alps
Formigal
Spanish Pyrenees
Åre
Swedish Mountains
Pas de la Casa
Andorran Pyrenees
Sauze d'Oulx
Italian Alps
Queenstown
Southern Alps (NZ)
Söll
Austrian Alps
Bansko
Pirin Mountains
Coronet Peak
Southern Alps (NZ)
Zell am Ziller
Austrian Alps
High1 Resort
Taebaek Mountains
Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada (Spain)
Vivaldi Park
Taebaek Mountains
Frequently asked questions
- Which resort has the best apres-ski?
- It depends on the style you want, but St. Anton am Arlberg and Ischgl are widely seen as the benchmarks in Austria, with Val Thorens and Verbier leading the way for big terraces and late nightlife.
- What is apres-ski?
- Apres-ski is the social scene that follows a day on the slopes, from a drink at a slopeside bar to dancing in town. In resorts like Saalbach Hinterglemm or Solden it often starts in ski boots in the afternoon and rolls straight into the evening.
- Where is the best ski nightlife in Europe?
- For full nightclubs and late nights, Ischgl, Val Thorens and Verbier are hard to beat, while St. Anton am Arlberg pairs legendary slopeside bars with a buzzing town. Andorra's Grandvalira is also a strong pick for a lively, good-value scene.