Easter skiing in the Alps
Snow-sure, high and ski-in/ski-out almost everywhere. This is Val Thorens, at the heart of Les 3 Vallées, and the hotels where you wake up above the tree line.
Expedia GroupEaster 2027
Easter Sunday falls on 28 March in 2027, early enough for good odds of snow in the Alps and the Nordic mountains. Here are the dates, the resorts and the sunny escapes we would book now.
Easter comes early in 2027. Palm Sunday is 21 March, Maundy Thursday 25 March, Good Friday 26 March, Easter Sunday 28 March and Easter Monday 29 March. Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays in England and Wales. School Easter holidays vary by area, so check your local term dates.
An early Easter is good news if you want to ski. In late March it is still winter in the highest resorts of the Alps and in the Norwegian mountains, with long, bright days as a bonus. If you would rather have sunshine, the Canary Islands, Madeira and southern Spain are safe bets this early in spring.
When Easter falls in March, altitude decides everything. Pick a resort where the village sits high and the slopes reach up to a glacier, and you will not be chasing snow. Val Thorens is the highest resort in Europe and one of the safest bets for Easter skiing. Tignes has a glacier and a long season, and from Zermatt you can ski across the border to Cervinia in Italy. Car-free Saas-Fee is surrounded by glaciers.
For more après-ski and tradition, St Anton, Lech, Val d’Isère and Verbier are the classics. Some sit lower, so check the snow report before you book. The same resorts are the ones to look at for skiing in April. Every resort we have written about is in our ski resort guide.
Ski resorts
A frozen lake, a glacier that offers skiing for much of the year and Espace Killy in every direction. This is Tignes, where the snow is almost always good, and the hotels with ski-in/ski-out access.
Ski Resorts
Many agree that Zermatt has the toughest mountains, the most beautiful village, and the very best food on the slopes.
Ski resorts
The Matterhorn right above the village, sunny pistes and skiing all the way to Switzerland. This is Breuil-Cervinia, and the hotels where Italian hospitality meets some of the highest slopes in the Alps.
More resorts for Easter
St. Anton am Arlberg is where Alpine skiing became a way of life. Here are the slopes, the legendary après-ski and the hotels that put you right in the middle of it all.
Ski resorts
Olympic runs, a real Savoyard village and après-ski that set the standard for the whole of the Alps. This is Val d’Isère, and the hotels that put you in the middle of it.
Ski resorts
A small village with great style, snow-sure mountains and Ski Arlberg on the doorstep. This is Lech, and the hotels that put you at the heart of one of the Alps’ most exclusive ski resorts.
Ski resorts
Steep couloirs, powder and a village that lives for the mountains. This is Verbier, the freeriders’ favourite in Switzerland, and the hotels with the mountain on your doorstep.
Easter is the biggest ski week of the year in Norway, with oranges, chocolate and ski tracks straight from the cabin door. Hemsedal and Trysil are the big resorts with slopes for the whole family, while Hafjell is a short drive from Lillehammer. For spring sunshine and snow far to the north, Svalbard is at its best in spring, with long days and snowmobile trips across the plateau.
Easter in the Norwegian mountains
Steep mountains, long runs and après-ski with a Norwegian soul. This is Hemsedal, the resort many call the Scandinavian Alps, and the hotels close to the slopes.
Ski resorts
Wide pistes, ski-in/ski-out lodging and just a few hours from Oslo. This is Trysil, Norway’s biggest ski resort, and the hotels where the whole family gets an easy, happy ski holiday.
Ski resorts
Olympic slopes from 1994, wide family runs and the Gudbrandsdalen valley as a backdrop. This is Hafjell, just north of Lillehammer, and the places where the whole family can stay close to the slopes.
Experiences
Polar bear signs at the edge of town, glaciers calving into the sea and a sky that stays dark for months or bright all night. The best experiences in Svalbard, and where to stay in Longyearbyen.
Without a cabin of your own, a mountain hotel is the next best thing. We have picked six from Rondane to Sirdal, all close to the ski trails and to the Norwegian Easter rituals of oranges in the sun and crime novels by the fire. Further down are two sunny hotels for those who have had enough of winter.
The links to the hotels are partner links. If you book through them, Picolo may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You choose your own dates and room on the hotel page.
Rondane Høyfjellshotell
Views over Rondane in winter light.
Rondane Høyfjellshotell is at Mysuseter on the edge of Rondane, Norway's first national park. The ski trails lead straight into the mountains, with views of Rondeslottet and Smiubelgen.
Breakfast, wifi and parking are included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Rondane Høyfjellshotell
Thon Hotel Skeikampen
The fireside lounge at Thon Hotel Skeikampen.
Skeikampen in Gausdal has both downhill slopes and a large network of cross-country trails, and the hotel is right by them. It is one of the most family-friendly Easter mountains in eastern Norway.
Breakfast, wifi and parking are included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Thon Hotel Skeikampen
Scandic Valdres
Scandic Valdres in the snow.
Scandic Valdres is in Fagernes, a good base for skiing across the Valdres region. The hotel sits by the lake, surrounded by mountains.
Guests praise the staff, and there is a restaurant on site.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Scandic Valdres
Norefjell Ski & Spa
The outdoor tubs at Norefjell Ski & Spa.
Norefjell Ski & Spa sits right by Norefjell ski resort, one of the closest mountain areas to Oslo. After a day on the slopes there is a spa, an indoor pool and outdoor tubs with mountain views.
Guests praise the facilities, and wifi is included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Norefjell Ski & Spa
Kvitåvatn Fjellhytter
Kvitåvatn in the snow near Gausta.
Kvitåvatn sits at the foot of Gaustatoppen in Telemark, with timber cabins and easy access to Gausta ski resort. A good choice if you want the Norwegian cabin experience.
Wifi and parking are included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Kvitåvatn Fjellhytter
Sirdal Høyfjellshotell
Sirdal Høyfjellshotell on a winter day.
Sirdal Høyfjellshotell is by Fidjelandsvatnet lake, the Easter mountain of choice for many in southern Norway. The trails lead straight out onto the plateau.
The hotel hosts an evening social hour, and wifi and parking are included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Sirdal Høyfjellshotell
Sunshine at Easter means heading a fair way south this early in spring. The Canary Islands and Madeira are mild all year round, and spring is one of the best times to visit Seville and Málaga. See also where is hot in March and where is hot in April for more ideas.
For a comfortable stay, these are the two sunny hotels we would book for Easter.
Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort
The pools at Princesa Yaiza.
Lanzarote is mild in late March, with sunshine almost every day. Princesa Yaiza is in Playa Blanca, a few minutes from Marina Rubicón, with large pool areas for families.
Breakfast, wifi and parking are included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort
Royal Mansour Marrakech
The pool at Royal Mansour.
Marrakech is pleasantly warm in late March, and the Atlas Mountains still have snow on their peaks. Royal Mansour is a few minutes from the Koutoubia Mosque, and guests stay in their own riads.
Breakfast is included.
Book the hotel: See available rooms at Royal Mansour Marrakech
Hotels
Madeira is the island of eternal spring, with flowers, levada walks and 20 degrees in January. These are the hotels we would choose, from the classic Reid's in Funchal to clifftop stays on the north coast.
Hotels
Andalusia is Spain at its most sensual, with orange trees, flamenco and tapas late into the night. These are the hotels we would choose in Seville and Málaga, plus one on the Costa del Sol.
Hotels
March is when winter feels longest. These are the places that are hot in March, from Dubai and Oman to Cape Verde, Sri Lanka and Goa, with one hotel we would check into in each.
With an extra week, Easter can be the start of a long-haul trip. Late March and early April is cherry blossom season in Japan. Closer to home, the Azores and Madeira are green and great for spring walks, and on Tenerife you can take the cable car up towards Teide.
Spring further afield
Pink petals drift down over the river, and under the trees friends sit on blue tarpaulins with sake and bento boxes. How to plan a trip to see the cherry blossom in Japan.
Experiences
Green craters, thermal pools and whales just off the coast. How to experience the Azores, and where to stay on São Miguel.
Experiences
Narrow paths along old water channels, through laurel forest and tunnels to waterfalls. How to walk the levadas of Madeira, and where to stay in Funchal.
Experiences
A volcanic landscape above the clouds, a cable car towards the summit and some of the best stargazing in Europe. How to visit Mount Teide, and where to stay in the national park and by the sea.
Ski holidays in the Alps: book before Christmas if you can. Hotels and apartments close to the lifts go first.
Norwegian mountains: cabins and hotels in the big resorts fill up early, often in the autumn.
Easter sun: flights south are full in Easter week, so book the flight first and the hotel straight after.
Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027. Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March, both bank holidays in England and Wales. School Easter holidays vary by area, so check your local term dates before you book.
Choose a high-altitude resort. Val Thorens, Tignes, Zermatt, Cervinia and Saas-Fee have high slopes and glaciers that keep the snow good at Easter. In Norway, Hemsedal, Trysil and Hafjell are the Easter classics, and Svalbard is an adventure for those who want to go far north.
With Easter Sunday on 28 March, Easter 2027 is early, and it is normally still winter in the highest Alpine resorts. Lower resorts can have spring snow on the bottom runs, so check the snow report and pick a resort with high slopes.
The Canary Islands, Madeira and Cape Verde are mild through winter and spring. Southern Spain is pleasant in early spring, but the sea is still cold. For beach weather in late March, look at the Red Sea, the Caribbean or Southeast Asia.
Book Alpine ski trips and cabins in Norwegian resorts as early as possible, ideally before Christmas. Flights in Easter week fill up quickly, so secure the flight first. The mountain hotels we recommend above also fill up early, so book them in January if you can.
Norefjell, Skeikampen and Valdres are among the closest mountain areas to Oslo, all within a couple of hours by car.
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