Category 2. Nightlife and Après Ski.
Many people take this part of their winter sports holiday very seriously and there are a few things to consider when deciding what you want to do once the ski lifts shut down.
Each European Alpine nation has a different feel when it comes to nightlife. This is often due to the overall culture of the country and also the outside influences of foreign tourism. So, the first thing you should decide is what kind of ‘Après Ski’ (A French term simply meaning ‘After Skiing’) you want?
For example, in Austria it is typical for the festivities to start early on before the ski lifts close down. They party early, then go home, have dinner and either carry on, or go to bed. Carrying on has its obvious consequences and if you drink from 4pm to 4am then you won’t get much skiing done the next day. The other thing to remember is that drinking half way down the mountain and trying to ski down again is not allowed in many resorts. But some ski resorts like St Anton, Saalbach or Kitzbühel have great reputations for an afternoon party atmosphere and if you want the real deal when it comes to ‘Après Ski’ then Austria is a good bet.
In contrast France and Switzerland has a slightly different feel. Although many resorts have bars with great atmospheres early on, it is more typical to get home, have a rest or a short sleep, eat dinner and then go out. Bars don’t get lively until 9pm and nightclubs can be quiet until at least midnight, but stay busy until 4am. Many skiers, especially beginners who are exerting themselves throughout the day, fail to get out after dinnertime due to exhaustion, and this should be considered if nightlife is one of your priorities. Resorts in Switzerland vary massively when it comes to nightlife and for example whilst Verbier is great for partying all night long, Wengen is much quieter during the night.
The Italian resorts also vary in terms of their nightlife offering. The sophisticated towns in The Dolomite region like Cortina d’Ampezzo have upmarket restaurants and bars in abundance, but go further west to Sauze d’Oulx and you will find one of the party capitals of The Alps.
Similarly Andorra has some fantastic opportunities for partying until the early hours. Pas de la Casa attracts the nightlife crowd whereas neighbouring resort Soldeu has shaken off its party town image and become a more ‘upmarket’ destination.
If peace and quite is your thing then don’t worry, there are many places in Europe where you won’t hear a thing after the sun sets.
It’s not possible to go into specific details on all the ski resorts when it comes to nightlife, but If you do want specific details on where to ski based on nightlife or Après Ski just make a comment on this post.