Skiing Destinations in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is littered with a plethora of skiing havens from the peaceful resorts in the Czech Republic to Slovakia’s off-piste backdrop, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the sheer number of options at your disposal. Here are a few examples of what this part of the world has to offer in terms of skiing canvas.

1) Jahorina, Bosnia

Jahorina is famous for the brutal war that ensued within its perimeter but that’s not all it’s known for as it was also the center stage for the 1984 edition of the Winter Olympics where Dean and Trovill scooped the number one prize at the competition. Cast aside about 30 km from the capital, Mount Jahorina stands a magnificent 1,916m and has also played host to alpine skiing women competitions.

The region’s second highest mountain is a joy for intermediate skiers thanks to the vast 20 km stretch of unencumbered piste. There are also other lift accessed off-piste areas where advanced snowboarders and skiers can be put to the test against a landscape of dense tree runs. Jahorina is perfect for party lovers as the winter Ski Sarajevo offers various packages featuring party stops in Dubrovnik, Mostar and Sarajevo. It is also the ideal destination for history lovers.

A six-day lift pass will set you back £65 while seven night’s worth of accommodation is £1 shy of £300. Snowboard hire or a six-day ski will cost you £6o.

2) Poiana Brasov, Romania

The “Sunny Glade”- translated loosely from the native language- is the pride of Romania and is famous for beautiful conifer forests complimented gorgeously by majestic peaks. Poiana Brasov sits in the Postavaru massif and while the plateau its cast upon isn’t extremely steep or big, its pistes are excellent for intermediate and novice skiers.

A skating rink, two ski-jumps spanning more than 80m and a warm English-fluent ski school make up the little treasures that the region has to offer not to mention the intriguing Bran Castle- which formed a strong base for Bram Stoker’s book- just a stone’s throw away.

£110 is the cost of a six-day lift pass and you’ll need to top up £108 to that sum for seven night’s accommodation. A snowboard hire is priced at £58 while a six-day ski hire is £5 less. Poiana Brasov is beautiful in every sense of the word and therefore perfect for nature lovers.

3) Popova Sapka, Macedonia

The Dinaric Mountains are the most towering in all of Eastern Europe’s resorts with is its highest point reaching altitudes of 2,747m. These mountains are home to Popova Sapka which is Macedonia’s main resort that is blessed with moon-esque and rounded contours that are great for long runs due to the reduced threat of avalanches.

For beginners, the limited lift-accessed terrain is a good place to start however advanced and intermediate skiers and snowboarders should find Europe’s maid snowcat operation dubbed the “Eskimo Freeride” exhilarating. They boast an enthralling 4,000 m vertical drop with runs numbering between 5 and 10 daily.

Seven nights’ accommodation, snowboard or six-day ski hire and a six-day lift pass cost £179, £96 and £150 respectively.

That’s it for our list but that’s not all Eastern Europe has to offer. Many other destinations worth checking out include Jasná in Slovakia, Borovets in Bulgaria (both excellent for those starting out), Poland’s Zakopane (which has an abundance of cultural delight) and Janské Lázne in the Czech Republic that is perfect for children.