Revealed! The cheapest ski resorts for winter 2016/17

View over a ski slope from a lift
View over a ski slope from a lift



Bansko in Bulgaria has been named the best value ski resort in Europe for the seventh year in a row.

Cash-conscious skiers can avoid the slippery slope of higher prices for their annual downhill trip by heading to the Eastern Europe ski resort, where ski holiday staples including equipment hire, lift passes and ski tuition for six days plus a meal and drinks on the slopes cost just £270.77.

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Post Office Travel Money and Crystal Ski Holidays' Ski Resort Report revealed that prices there have risen just four per cent year-on-year, despite the weaker pound.

As a result, the Bulgarian ski resort has pulled further ahead of long term runner-up Kranjska Gora (£337.62), where local price rises have compounded the impact of the weaker sterling exchange rate. This has made Kranjska Gora almost 20 per cent more expensive than last season and 25 per cent pricier than Bansko.

The research found that prices in the 'Big Four' ski destinations – Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland – were a revelation because local prices in four Italian resorts surveyed either fell or stayed on par with last season to make them far better value than Austria and France.

Sestriere and Livigno featured in the top five of 20 European ski resorts surveyed. Sestriere (£354.98) moved up to third place in the table from fifth position last year, making it the best deal across the eurozone.

Elsewhere in Italy, local euro prices are on par with a year ago in Livigno (4th place, £363.84) and Selva Val Gardena (10th place, £470.30), and down four per cent in La Thuile (9th place, £456.45).

By contrast, local prices have snowballed across nine Austrian and French resorts surveyed. Once the exchange rate is applied, skiers can expect to pay an average of 20 per cent more than last season in Austrian resorts and 26 per cent extra in French ones.

Post Office Travel Money's best value ski resorts 2016/17

1. Bansko, Bulgaria - £270.77
2. Kranjska Gora, Slovenia - £337.62
3. Sestriere, Italy - £354.98
4. Livigno, Italy - £363.84
5. Ellmau, Austria - £403.08
6. Soldeu, Andorra - £441.64
7. Ruka, Finland - £443.73
8. Morzine, France - £446.33
9. La Thuile, Italy - £456.45
10. Selva Val Gardena, Italy - £470. 30



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