There’s nothing wrong with wanting to lounge on a sandy beach for your vacation. It’s certainly relaxing, and many people consider it ideal. Also, at first thought, the idea of leaving one cold climate for another, or rushing to winter for your holiday, doesn’t seem very appealing.
That said, snowy adventures can be some of the best you ever go on. It can be exciting and also a paradise-like experience, especially if you decide to engage in some snow sport, such as snowboarding, while you’re there. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned veteran, there are destinations all over the world to quench your skiing thirst. Canada is a good example of cheap places to go snowboarding as a student.
Forbidding prices
Ask any skier or snowboarder, and they’ll tell you that the thing most capable of dampening a good trip is the cost. A lift pass lasting a week in the vast majority of European resorts can easily cross 300 Euros. Some of them easily surpass that. Now add the food, drinks, and accommodation and it’s not hard to see why snowboarding trips don’t quite appeal to students.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. It really is possible to pack your bags, get a homework helper for hire (if you have a lot of homework for this period), and go for a snowboarding adventure on a budget. I’ve been to some pretty great places on the continent, with great ski areas, 6-day lift passes worth less than 200 Euros (or even more if you go to Canada), and lots of affordable but great food, drinks, and accommodation, all coupled with a large serving of delightful culture. In this article, we shall look at the 3 best snowboarding destinations for those on a budget.
Best Snowboarding Destinations on a Student Budget
Vogel, Slovenia
The Vogel Ski Resort can be found under Mt. Triglav in Slovenia, which is a legendary mountain believed to be the abode of a three headed god. Here you will find 22 kilometers of blue pistes for beginners and red pistes for those who are more trusting of their own skills. It’s not the largest ski resort in Europe, or even one of the largest, but it is an incredible bargain, and offers some of the most breathtaking views you will ever get of the Julian Alps.
Some of the guesthouses don’t open during the winter, but you will find cheap accommodation downhill from the ski lifts in Ukanc. Transport is also free if the guesthouse you booked has signed up to the bus scheme for Bohinj Valley. There are free beauty spots like the Lakes Bled and Bohinj, which look even prettier in the snow. High season lift pass costs 153 Euros, while getting there is as easy as a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Ljubljana Airport. You can make it even cheaper if you take the train to Bohinjska Bistrica.
Borovets, Bulgaria
Borovets has been a great winter resort since late in the 1800s. It is in the middle of an evergreen forest with 5 kilometers of both blue and red pistes which weave below Mt. Musala, the tallest peak in Bulgaria. While the mountain stands at a height of 2925 meters, the runs themselves easily reach heights of up to 2560 meters.
Borovets is pretty popular for bachelor parties who love to go on the runs before ending the evenings at basement clubs. As a result, there is plenty of cheap beer to be found here. There is also budget accommodation in the local hotels. High season lift pass is 153 Euros for 6 days while the resort can easily be reached in an hour and a half from Sofia, the capital city. Airport transfers start at 12 Euros with no extra charge for ski carriage.
Sauze d’Oulx, Italy
The Via Lattea, or Milky Way, ski resort can be found sprawling across the border between France and Italy. It’s pretty large at 440 kilometers, with sheltered runs lined with trees. Most of it lies on the Italian side, and can easily be reached from Sauze d’Oulx.
Most of the listed areas at the Milky Way are rated red, so this ski resort is best for intermediate and advanced skiers. That said, at such a large size, it’s possible to find something for everyone.
The Sauze d’Oulx village is quite charming, with lots of trattories, offering deep fried veggies, rabbit, and Piedmont wine, as well as other Italian delicacies. The best value can be found at self-catering apartments, with week-long stays costing 600 Euros near the Clotes chair lift. High season pass is 196 Euros for 6 days on the Italian side, while getting there is as easy as a 38 Euro bus transfer from Turin Airport to Sauze d’Oulx. If you take a bus to Porta Nuova and then a train to the Oulx station, the cost is reduced by half.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a few options out there for snowboarding on a student’s budget. The above three are my favorite, though a little digging can easily reveal other great spots.
Author Bio
Joshua Robinson is a writer, editor, and proofreader. He enjoys writing about sports, technology, and holiday destinations. When not writing, he enjoys traveling to the places he writes so passionately about.
