Latest posts for the topic "Long Weekend"

Long Weekend

Thu, 8 Oct 2015 15:00:50 GMT

I don't have time this year for a full week away but am still determined to get on the snow.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the best places for a long weekend skiing

Re:Long Weekend

Thu, 8 Oct 2015 15:50:03 GMT

Can't think of anywhere better than Engelberg. Lots of hotels that are not governed by Saturday to Saturday bookings. Easy access by rail and road, particularly from Zurich airport (lots of flights with BA and Swiss), more than enough skiing, at high altitude and lots of it tough, to keep you entertained. Only drawback has been the weekend queues at the main gondola. This may be eased by the new lift installed for the coming season.

Re:Long Weekend

Thu, 8 Oct 2015 18:00:09 GMT

I would suggest easy access from Geneva as a top criteria.
Depending on how early you can get away on Friday there are a good number of flight options and then a short transfer - reverse (and possibly more important), late flights on Sunday.
The further from the main London airports you have to travel from the harder this gets. Would you be allowed the Friday off to make it three days or even add the Monday for 4???
My sister and niece went to Courmayeur a couple of years ago - happy with the prices and enough for a few days.
They are returning to the same place next year, again due to work pressure.
They use an agent to book - may be worth seeing what some travel agents are suggesting and then decide if to go independent or use one of the "packages" ??
Good luck.

Re:Long Weekend

Thu, 8 Oct 2015 20:03:45 GMT

The plan was Thursday to Monday. Looking at Austria or Italy

Re:Long Weekend

Thu, 8 Oct 2015 23:10:19 GMT

Paul, where can you easily fly to. Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck?

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 06:58:26 GMT

Hi Dave

Munich and Innsbruck are ok Salzburg I can't seem to find flights

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 08:18:00 GMT

Engelberg (Zurich and train)
Chamonix (Geneva 1hr shared transfer)

Both offer good onpiste and offpiste and plenty of accommodation at all levels (~60 Euro B&B will be possible).
A lot depends on time of year, if is December I would only look at Cervinia which is only an hrs transfer but longer flight.
If you are thinking of January then so there many ski resort within 1hr of Geneva, you cannot beat somewhere like St Gervais in early season and much cheaper than a major resort.

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 16:45:51 GMT

Munich has plenty of flight choices early out from UK and late back.

Doing 4 day sthis year only and going into Munich and heading to Wetendorf. Done it before to same area, Kirchberg, and was on slope that day by 1pm.

Hire car not too expensive between a few of you and leaves you fluid on timings as well, but would get 3.5 days that way quite easily.

Last flight out I am using is 21:45 to Heathrow with Lufthansa, GBP140.....

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 16:57:17 GMT

How easy is the drive between Munich and Austria?

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 17:06:12 GMT

Motorway most of the way so easy driving and I have a satnav I take with me and trust (don't need to pay the extortionate rental costs), just does what it says really.

No border checks or anything like that, in fact you don't realise you are in Austria until it dawns that you need a vingette (about 8 Euros for 10 days I think), so pull into the nearest petrol station and get one!

That's about the most important thing so you don't get hit with a huge fine for not spending 8 Euros.

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 17:23:31 GMT

Is there snow on the roads? What happens about snow chains and winter tyres.

We're looking at with Seefeld or Mayrhofen

Re:Long Weekend

Fri, 9 Oct 2015 17:58:54 GMT

Snow tyres should be fitted as standard and not needed anything else, generally not got the climbs on the road you find in France for example. wherever I have been the resorts have been not far from main roads so kept fairly clear and with snow tyres not an issue.

Took my own Xtrail 1 year and had several feet of snow on all weather tyres and didn't get the chains out once

Re:Long Weekend

Sat, 10 Oct 2015 09:34:31 GMT

how about Obertuern or Zell am see ..the flights are to Salzburg but their winter schedule isn't out yet you can look it up here
http://www.salzburg-airport.com/en/passengers-visitors/flight-info/season-schedule/

and it is only 1hour away from the airport

Re:Long Weekend

Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:04:32 GMT

Thanks Daved do you know when the schedules are being released?

Re:Long Weekend

Sat, 10 Oct 2015 17:36:32 GMT

if you look on the link it will give you a pdf of the winter schedules ...then work backwood to choose the right departure airport and then go the the airlines ...It does say that they will operate from the 25th Oct

Re:Long Weekend

Mon, 12 Oct 2015 15:41:33 GMT

Paul

If you are confined to a long weekend, then here are a few pointers that I would offer:

1. As you want to maximize ski time, choose a late flight out or alternatively very early (to allow skiing from lunchtime) and a late flight back to allow a full days skiing before heading to airport.

2. As time is precious, try to pick a resort that is close to airport - 3 hour transfers are not good. For example, you can comfortably get from Munich airport to Soll in 90 minutes.

3. Because you are only going for a few days, you do not need a huge resort so smaller resorts that would not keep you entertained for a full week come into their own.

4. If at all possible, try to avoid spanning two weeks as this will make accommodation very difficult to find.

5. Go low season, as this will make accommodation easier to get.

6. Use carhire for transfers. This will be much more efficient timewise.

We have done this several years. A few years out to Soll via Munich on early morning flight. This has allowed us a couple of hours skiing on arrival day. Leave on a late evening flight allowing us to ski most of last day. So, for example you could get 3.5 days skiing for 3 nights away and 2 days off work. We have done a similar trips to St Anton,Ischgl and Laax via Zurich.

Re:Long Weekend

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:23:07 GMT

Bit late to the party on this one(story of my life). Have done a few short breaks to Obertauern, usually flying into Salzburg and this works really well. Did a long weekend last Easter flying into Munich and lost a bit of slope time but not so much to put me off doing it again. Good resort for a weekend- great snow record, ski in ski out and great apres.