Bovec-Kanin, Slovenia
7. Bovec-Kanin, Slovenia As locals will be the first to point out, you don’t merely come skiing in Slovenia, you come for a whole winter experience. After all, if there is a more picture postcard perfect place on earth than Lake Bled when covered in ice and snow, then I have yet to see it. Kranjska Gora is the country’s best-known, and Good largest resort, famous for the slalom Loads for non-skiers to do, perfect World Cup races held here each year for families and mixed groups. and superb cross-country tracks. Bad In my opinion however, there is far The queue for the gondola lift better (and less crowded) skiing in the morning can be very long. to be had at the other ski centres in the country, particularly at 6. Kapaonik, Serbia Vogel near Bohinjska Bistrica and Kopaonik, on the border of Serbia Slovenia’s highest resort, Kanin, and Kosovo, offers 55 kilometres which now has direct access from of tree-lined pistes. Runs are quite the town of Bovec on the other side short but good fun, and there are of the Triglav National Park. This few crowds: the resort is very well being Slovenia, no resort (with designed and the lift system, which the exception, alas, of Bovec) is has seen much investment in recent much more than an hour’s drive years, including a new six-seat chair- from Ljubljana. lift, keeps queues to a minimum. The highest slope barely tops Good 2000m, but snow cover is usually Picture postcard scenery. guaranteed until the end of March Bad (and even when there isn’t any All of Slovenia’s resorts can be snow, the resort boasts the longest very crowded. artificial ski slope in Europe, nearly a kilometre in length and served by 8. Kolašin 1450, Montenegro its own chairlift). Accommodation There are currently seven places to is good value, and there is plenty ski in Montenegro, and the country to choose from. Access, however, is keen to develop winter tourism is a problem: it’s almost five further. The largest, and best resort is hours from Belgrade, longer from currently Kolašin 1450, a 90-minute Podgorica. Prishtina is in theory far drive north from the country’s capital closer, but as you are not allowed Podgorica, generally snow-sure from to cross the border directly from December to April. With a modest Kosovo to Serbia, you need to go 20 kilometres of mainly gentle, via Montenegro. tree-lined slopes served by seven lifts (including a brand new chair-lift) Good the resort is currently off the radar Varied skiing with plenty for experts. of most European skiers, but that Bad could soon change. The Montenegrin Access is far from easy. government has high hopes for winter sports: an entirely new resort is being built further up the mountain at Kolašin 1600, which will increase bed capacity (currently there are few accommodation options), and tens of millions are currently being spent on creating what will be the largest ski area in the Western Balkans, all part of a major plan to develop the Bjelasica region. high altitude and made snow-sure by a sophisticated snow-making system. The downside is that access to the ski area from the town is via a gondola lift for which the queues are the stuff of legend. Waiting an hour is not unheard of at the wrong time of day (between 10am and midday). Get there early.
Kapaonik, Serbia
Good You’ll possibly be the only foreigner in the resort. Bad Little for experts.
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LIFESTYLE
9. Zakopane, Poland Poles are crazy about ski jumping, and Zakopane in the Tatras is the country’s ski jumping capital. Competitions are held all winter, the highest calibre being the World Cup event which takes place at the end of January. Alas, when it comes to more conventional skiing, you will almost certainly leave Poland with the impression that it could be fantastic, if only they could get their act together. Zakopane is a good base for exploring a number of different ski areas, of which the closest (and biggest) are Kasprowy Wierch and Gubałówka, on either side of the town centre. The two areas are not connected however, and despite the recent installation of new chair-lifts, the crowds and lift queues remain a turn off. Zakopane does have plenty to offer away from the slopes, however, including great food and drink, and for groups and families including non-skiers, it’s a superb choice. Good Great place to watch ski jumping. Bad Long queues, main ski areas not connected. 10. Sinaia, Romania In a parallel universe Sinaia is the best place to ski in emerging Europe, not the 10th best. In that universe one company operates the ski lifts (instead of two in the real world) and only one far-from-cheap lift pass is needed. In that universe high winds do not close the lifts and there is reliable snow (Romania, contrary to popular belief, has relatively dry winters). If you get lucky and catch Sinaia on a sunny day, with good snow and no crowds, then it can be easy to think that you are in that parallel universe. Alas, such days are few and far between. Enjoy them – if you can. •
Good Lots to do off the slopes, especially the tour of gorgeous Peles Castle. Bad Two lift passes needed, unreliable snow, crowded at weekends.