Dust off your ski boots, clean your goggles and dig out your warmest gloves; alpine season is officially underway.
Each year, around 1.2million Brits swap the office for a week or two on the slopes.
And while by its nature, skiing can be very chilly, there are many resorts that offer plenty of sunshine and blue skies.
It comes as travel experts at Hoppa have named Europe’s sunniest ski resorts for 2026.
The experts analysed climate data to uncover the ski resorts with the highest levels of sunshine
Italy’s Madonna di Campiglio tops the ranking with just under 2,800 hours of sunshine a year, providing more sunshine than anywhere else on the continent.
Located in the Dolomites, the resort is famous for its long, scenic runs, family-friendly areas, lively après-ski scene and reliable snowfall with an average of 324cm of snow.
The best news is that we’ve found return flights to the closest airport, Verona, as low as £44.
Madonna di Campiglio is known as the ‘Pearl of the Dolomites’ and is one of Italy’s most fashionable and high-altitude resorts
Madonna di Campiglio tops the ranking with just under 2,800 hours of sunshine a year, providing more sunshine than anywhere else on the continent
On the Expedia website, there are return Ryanair flights from Gatwick to Verona in February for £44.
Alternatively, you can fly with easyJet from Gatwick to Milan, which has a slightly longer transfer time, in December for £29 one way.
The ski resort, dubbed the Pearl of the Dolomites, is popular on weekends with the rich and famous from Milan and Verona.
Among its first holidaymakers were the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Empress ‘Sissi’ Elisabeth.
More recently, it has attracted the likes of Naomi Campbell, Chiara Ferragni, and Valentino Ross
The area also boasts beautiful hiking trails which lead to sights like the Cascate di Vallesinella waterfalls or the scenic Lago Nambino and Lago Ritorto lakes.
The Dolomites have shot to popularity in recent months and each year, approximately 34million people visit.
The town of Bansko in Bulgaria took the second-place title in the ranking of Europe’s sunniest ski resorts for 2026.
Passo Groste ski slopes of Madonna di Campiglio are pictured. The resort has more than 150km of interconnected slopes suitable for all skill levels
Pictured: The streets of Madonna di Campiglio, a village and a ski resort in northeast Italy
Europe’s Sunniest Ski Resorts
1. Madonna di Campiglio, Italy – 2,796 annual sunshine hours
2. Bansko, Bulgaria – 2,744 annual sunshine hours
3. Grandvalira, Andorra – 2,704 annual sunshine hours
4. Val Gardena (Dolomiti Superski), Italy – 2,692 annual sunshine hours
5. Alpe d’Huez, France -2,671 annual sunshine hours
6. Les Arcs (Paradiski), France – 2,667 annual sunshine hours
7. Méribel, France – 2,600 annual sunshine hours
8. Kitzbühel, Austria – 2,532 annual sunshine hours
9. Baqueira-Bere, Spain – 2,494 annual sunshine hours
10. Chamonix, France – 2,460 annual sunshine hours
Source: Hoppa
It has an average annual sunshine of 2,744 hours, narrowly missing out on first place.
Bansko’s popularity has surged in recent years thanks to its unbeaten affordability and bustling nightlife.
Finalising the top three is Andorra’s Grandvalira resort at 2,704 hours of sun.
As the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, Grandvalira offers great experiences for both beginners and more experienced skiers alike, providing something for everyone.
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Europe’s sunniest ski resort for 2026 revealed – with return flights from £44
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