April might seem like the time to pack away your ski gear and dust off the flip-flops.
But savvy skiers know better.
While your mates are posting Instagram stories about their first lukewarm pub garden pints of the year, you could be carving through pristine snow under brilliant blue skies.
You might want to chase the last hurrah of winter. Or maybe you simply fancy a spring fling with the mountains.
Either way, Europe's high-altitude resorts still deliver the goods when the daffodils are blooming back home.
Where to Ski in April in Europe
I've rounded up the best destinations for late-season skiing in Europe. These spots will have you telling everyone at the office about your snowy April adventures for months to come.
Here's where to ski in April in Europe.
Austria
Hintertux Glacier
- Nearest airport: Innsbruck Airport, then 1 hour 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: Year-round.
- Ideal for: Glacier skiing, expert skiers and off-season skiing.
Adobe Free Stock / Pavel Kašák
If you're wondering where to ski in April and consistency is your thing, Hintertux is your spiritual home.
This Austrian gem offers year-round skiing thanks to its glacier, which sits at a lofty 3,250 metres.
When other resorts are turning into muddy hiking trails, Hintertux keeps on, with around 200 km of impeccably maintained pistes in April.
Sölden
- Nearest airport: Innsbruck Airport, then 1 hour 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: Late September to early May.
- Ideal for: Freeriders, après-ski, and intermediate skiers.
Adobe Free Stock / Chris
Fancy skiing where James Bond did in Spectre? Sölden lets you channel your inner 007, minus the helicopter chases and improbable survival scenarios.
With access to two glaciers, Rettenbach and Tiefenbach, this resort boasts serious high-altitude credentials that keep the snow flowing well into spring.
The resort's big three peaks - all above 3,000 meters and accessible by lift - offer spectacular views.
And when the snow gets heavy in the afternoon, you can always retreat to one of Sölden's famously energetic après-ski venues.
Kaunertal Glacier
- Nearest airport: Innsbruck Airport, then 1 hour 45 mins by car.
- Ski season: October to May.
- Ideal for: Advanced skiers, freeriding and ski touring, snowboarders, late-season skiing and quiet slopes.
Adobe Free Stock / ryszard filipowicz
If you're the type who finds joy in the absence of selfie-stick-wielding tourists, Kaunertal might be your personal nirvana.
This hidden Austrian treasure offers uncrowded slopes, even during peak times. This makes April feel like your own private ski playground.
Thrill-seekers will find their match in the black Ibex slope, the steepest in Europe with a gradient over 87.85%.
Its two long black pistes with varied terrain will keep even the most accomplished of skiers challenged.
France
Val d'Isère
- Nearest airport: Geneva Airport, then 3 hours by car.
- Ski season: Late November to early May.
- Ideal for: Advanced skiers, après-ski and luxury stays.
Part of the enormous Espace Killy area, shared with Tignes, Val d'Isère resort sits at a snow-sure 1,850 metres with skiing up to a dizzying 3,456 metres on the Glacier du Pisaillas.
The notorious La Folie Douce transforms from a respectable mountain restaurant to what can only be described as Ibiza-on-ice by mid-afternoon.
For those seeking a quieter ambiance, Val's upmarket village offers plenty of Michelin stars and designer boutiques.
Val Thorens and Orelle
- Nearest airport: Geneva Airport, then 2 hours 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: Mid-November to mid-May.
- Ideal for: High-altitude skiing, beginners and mixed groups.
Adobe Free Stock / Frédéric Prochasson
Val Thorens is Europe's highest resort. And with slopes reaching 3,230 metres, its altitude is an impressive boast.
Part of the massive Three Valleys system, Val Thorens offers something for everyone, making it perfect for groups with mixed abilities.
The resort's north-facing slopes hold snow remarkably well, while the high-altitude terrain remains ski-able long after lower resorts have traded skis for mountain bikes.
Switzerland
Zermatt
- Nearest airport: Geneva Airport, then 3 hours 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: Late November to early May.
- Ideal for: Intermediate and advanced skiers, iconic views and long ski runs.
Adobe Free Stock / schame87
If you've ever wanted to ski while being photobombed by the world's most recognizable mountain, Zermatt is your spot.
The Matterhorn looms large over this car-free Swiss paradise, providing a perfect backdrop for your April ski escape.
With the highest cable car station in Europe at 3,883 metres, Klein Matterhorn, Zermatt practically guarantees snow when other resorts are already serving pints on sun terraces.
April skiing here means access to over 200 kilometres of high-altitude pistes, including the spectacular 13-kilometre run from the Matterhorn glacier paradise all the way down to Zermatt.
Engelberg
- Nearest airport: Zurich Airport, then 1 hour 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: October to May.
- Ideal for: Late-season skiing, freeriding and snow reliability.
Adobe Free Stock / AlehAlisevich
Engelberg might translate to Angel Mountain, but its challenging terrain may make you swear like a sailor.
This Swiss resort has been flying under the radar of British skiers for years.
Its crown jewel is the Titlis glacier at 3,020 metres, which ensures skiable conditions well into spring.
The famous Laub run - a gloriously wide, consistently steep north-facing slope - maintains excellent snow quality throughout April.
With a vertical drop of over 2,000 metres from top to bottom, you can experience everything from winter conditions at the summit to full spring skiing at lower elevations in a single run.
Iceland
Bláfjöll Ski Resort, Blue Mountains
- Nearest airport: Keflavík International Airport, then a 50-minute drive.
- Ski season: Late November to early May.
- Ideal for: Beginner and intermediate skiers, scenic skiing, beginners, and Northern Lights.
Bláfjöll (try saying that after a few Icelandic beers) offers a truly unique April skiing experience just a stone's throw from Reykjavik.
What makes April special here isn't just the skiing - which admittedly is more limited than Alpine resorts.
Rather, it's the possibility of catching the Northern Lights while making your way down the floodlit slopes during the evening sessions.
The resort's proximity to Reykjavik means you can combine urban adventures with skiing.
And maybe even squeeze in a dip in the Blue Lagoon to soothe those muscles after a day on the slopes.
Siglufjörður
- Nearest airport: Akureyri Airport, then 2 hours by car.
- Ski season: Mid-December to early May.
- Ideal for: Quiet slopes, ski touring, and backcountry skiing.
Adobe Free Stock / aboutfoto
If your idea of holiday heaven involves getting away from absolutely everyone, Siglufjörður might be your spiritual home.
This remote former herring-fishing-village-turned ski resort in northern Iceland offers an April skiing experience that's about as far from the packed pistes of the Alps as you can get.
Its location in a narrow fjord creates a microclimate that holds snow remarkably well into spring.
While facilities are more modest than European mega-resorts - i.e., don't expect heated chairlifts or champagne bars - what you get is pristine snow, few lift queues and unique, dramatic scenery.
Italy
Livigno
- Nearest airport: Milan Malpensa, then 3 hours 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: November to May.
- Ideal for: Beginner to intermediate skiers, budget-friendly skiing, snowboarders and freestyle parks.
Adobe Free Stock / Nikokvfrmoto
Livigno has two claims to fame - exceptional snow reliability and duty-free status.
It's basically the skiing equivalent of finding a fiver in your pocket and getting an extra shot in your coffee for free.
April skiing here means 115 kilometres of mostly blue and red runs bathed in sunshine.
But they still boast good cover, thanks to the resort's altitude.
Snowboarders and freestyle skiers flock to Livigno's extensive park, which stays in prime condition longer than most in Europe.
Cortina d'Ampezzo
- Nearest airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport, then 2 hours 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: Late November to early May.
- Ideal for: Scenic skiing, luxury stays, and advanced skiers.
Adobe Free Stock / Giulio
Host of the 1956 Winter Olympics and playground of the Italian elite, Cortina d'Ampezzo offers some of the most spectacular mountain scenery you'll ever encounter while trying not to face-plant on a black run.
April skiing here is special. A unique pink glow bathes the dramatic limestone peaks at sunset.
This is a phenomenon called enrosadira that looks like an Instagram filter on the entire mountain range.
Stelvio Pass
- Nearest airport: Milan Malpensa, then 3 hours 30 mins by car.
- Ski season: End of May to early November.
- Ideal for: Summer skiing, glacier skiing and training camps.
Adobe Free Stock / Comofoto
If you're looking at this list thinking "April is for amateurs, I want to ski in July," then Stelvio Pass is your bizarre but beautiful answer.
This quirky Italian resort operates in reverse to normal ski areas, opening from late May until November, thanks to its lofty altitude of 2,758-3,450 metres.
The resort sits atop the famous Stelvio mountain pass. It offers summer skiing on glaciated terrain that would normally be inaccessible in winter.
It's also favoured by national ski teams for summer training.
So you might find yourself sharing a T-bar with the next Olympic champion. Or, more likely, being aggressively overtaken by one.
April sees the area in its winter hibernation, as the roads remain snowbound and the resort teams prepare for the summer season.
Adobe Free Stock / kovop58
But it's worth including on this list as a reminder that in Europe, with a bit of determination and questionable planning, you can actually ski almost all the year ound.
Stay Connected on the Slopes with Airalo
Don't let dodgy WiFi and hefty roaming fees spoil your late-season ski trip.
Whether sharing snowy selfies, checking forecasts, or finding your way after too many mulled wines, an eSIM can keep you connected without stress - as essential as your lift pass.
Head to the Airalo store to find the best eSIM for Europe, select, install and stay online as you explore where to ski in April. Bon voyage!
