It doesn’t have to be all about skiing when visiting the Alps in winter. Yes, the area is renowned for some of the best slopes in the world. However, the Alps are also filled with snowy, wintry delights away from the skis and snowboards, from relaxing in the middle of quiet forests to exhilarating experiences across frozen lakes and powdery paths. For every non-skier and person who needs a break off the piste or from the après ski scene, these experiences uncover a new, often hidden world of magic that appears when exploring the Alps differently during winter.
1. Snowshoeing Through Silent Forests and Frozen Valleys
Snowshoeing is one of the calmest ways to experience the winter landscape. Geneva to Megève private transfers make it easy for travelers to reach serene trail networks around Megève, where quiet forests and untouched meadows await just beyond the resort bustle. With wide, cushioned footsteps and natural movements, snowshoeing takes travelers across undiscovered meadows, still forests, and snowy ridgelines well away from crowded ski resorts. Many of the great Alpine regions boast marked trails perfect for family-oriented adventures think Val d’Anniviers, Switzerland, or the Alpbach Valley in Austria with well-defined paths through magical scenes of winter wonder.
The best part? The silence. Snowflakes muffle sound and create an incredibly peaceful experience with snowshoe trails. One can traverse for hours listening to nothing but the crunch of their feet and the soft breath of the wind. It’s meditative, easy to navigate for those with beginners’ snowshoes, and perfect for slow travel ideal situations.
2. Winter Hiking on Groomed Alpine Trails
If you’d prefer not to strap on snowshoes, winter hiking is another option. Many Alpine villages boast winter-hiking trails – a designated path that’s either cleared or packed down just for walkers. These paths are often through forests, follow rivers, or head uphill to viewpoints where you can get amazing panoramas without needing technical gear.
Seefeld, Austria, or Grindelwald, Switzerland, boast particularly successful extended scenic winter hiking paths, which allow you to travel at your own pace with plenty of opportunities to stop for hot chocolate or observe the late-afternoon sun bring a glow to the mountaintops. Many towns have winter cafés open where you can sit and enjoy a warming beverage while soaking in the view.
3. Ice Skating on Natural or Outdoor Rinks
Having open-air ice skating rinks amidst the snowy mountains is a classic experience for any winter traveler to the Alps. Many villages have maintained ice rinks in their town centers while some have frozen lakes that grow a naturally made surface once the cold sets in – Lake Joux in Switzerland or Weissensee in Austria boast lakes that freeze and become spectacular sheets of ice for all to explore.
Skating is a lovely afternoon endeavor accompanied often by hot drinks and festive music and lights, creating a unique experience not meant for speed but fun. It’s perfect for families, couples, and anyone who loves winter magic without the seriousness of downhill sports.
4. Tobogganing and Sledding on Long Scenic Runs
Some of the longest toboggan runs in Europe reside in the Alps. Tobogganing adventures boast tunnels, slopes, curves and plenty of exciting downhill moments for a pure, joyful experience of togetherness and fun. Resorts like Grindelwald and Davos in Switzerland and Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis in Austria feature tobogganing tracks specifically made for this thrilling ride, spanning miles in length.
There’s no need to be an experienced tobogganer – just hop on and go while laughing the whole way down! If you’re tobogganing at night under the stars, with lanterns lighting the way, your experience will be even more incredible.
5. Visiting Thermal Baths Surrounded by Snowy Peaks
There’s nothing like soaking in warm, mineral-rich waters while snowflakes fall. Wherever you are in the Alps – from Leukerbad, Switzerland, to Terme di Pré-Saint-Didier, Italy and Aqua Dome in Austria – you’ll discover luxurious thermal baths with steaming therapeutic waters against glaciers and snow-filled forests.
After a day of hiking or a day on the slopes (or both), there’s nothing more relaxing for your muscles and mental health than soaking in these outdoor/spa features. Many offer saunas and steam rooms and panoramic terraces make this a luxurious winter wellness getaway for skiers and non-skiers alike.
6. Exploring Ice Caves and Frozen Waterfalls
There’s something magical about wandering through walls of ice, caves twinkling as they capture the light of the sun. The Alps features some of the most beautiful ice caves in the world, found in places like Dachstein, Austria or the region around Rhône Glacier in Switzerland, where guided tours will take you safely through the cool tunnels of blue ice and glimmering formations.
Enjoying frozen waterfalls like La Cascade de Glace in Chamonix is just as breathtaking as ice climbing them if you’ve got the right guide for the job. Whether your exploration is on foot or with climbing gear, the beauty of these formations is something to remember for winters to come.
7. Panoramic Train Travel Through the Wintery Landscape
Winter is the season for panoramic train travel. The Bernina Express, Glacier Express, and Mont Blanc Express wind through snowy forests, craggy cliffs and white-tipped towns.
With expansive windows and a slower pace, the picturesque scenery becomes an ever-changing postcard. You can sit inside with your coffee and keep warm without lifting a finger as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world carries you through romantic wintery landscapes.
8. Dog Sledding Across Snowy Expanse
Dog sledding is the most intimate experience you can have with winter’s wilderness. Gripping the reins behind a team of eager huskies, dashing across snowy valleys with barely any friction between the sled and snow is an exhilarating yet calm experience.
Val Ferret in Italy, the Engadin Valley in Switzerland and several spots throughout Austria offer guided sledding expeditions with expert mushers at your helm. You’ll learn a bit about dog sledding, meet the dogs, and discover just how fast a sled can glide across new-fallen snow.
It’s heartwarming, majestic and an unforgettable way to truly appreciate winter in the Alps.
9. A Culinary Walk Between Mountain Huts In The Snow
You don’t even need to touch a ski pole to enjoy winter as a foodie, either. Culinary walks are multi-course meals in which one enjoys courses at various mountain huts.
This is especially popular in Austria, Switzerland, and South Tyrol as mountain hut culinary walks are great ways to combine gentle winter hiking with regional specialties to encompass flavors from forest to summit.
Start with soup in one hut, venture on to a second for your main dish and then head to the final destination for dessert – with perhaps a glorious panoramic view or ambient mountainside glow to help encourage such a rich endeavor.
This journey is a deliciously inspired invitation to slow down in the Alps where time can sometimes be engulfed by ski runs instead.
10. Go on a Winter Photography or Wildlife Tour
The Alps, in winter, become a photographer’s dream, from snow-stuffed chalets to frozen lakes to the golden light of winter sunrises. Many areas offer photography tours for guided experiences that bring you to the most photogenic places at just the right times.
If wildlife is more your scene, snow-tracking walks allow you to see the footprints of ibex, chamois, deer – or even the rare lynx – making winter wildlife observation a beautiful addition to any excursion. Either option helps you connect to the quietest, most magical season of the year in the Alps.
11. Ride in a Horse-Drawn Sleigh
Villages blanketed in snow are best explored in a horse-drawn sleigh. It’s like something out of a winter fairytale; bundled in blankets, you’ll glide past wooden chalets, frosted forests, and lanterns shining in the nighttime glow as the beat of horse hooves echo softly through the crisp air.
Seefeld, St. Moritz and the Dolomites offer quintessential horse-drawn sleigh rides, and it’s part of the tradition with little effort required on behalf of the traveler. This slow-paced atmosphere allows you to experience winter on a calmer scale where you notice things you wouldn’t notice zooming by, like the chimney smoke wafting up into the cold atmosphere or moonlight refracting upon fresh snow.
It’s romantic and nostalgic and great for travelers who want to experience winter magic in perfect tranquility.
12. Christmas Markets
Finally, one of the best things to do in the Alps in winter is visiting Christmas markets in lovely villages and towns, surrounded by snow-dusted peaks. Innsbruck is home to one of the most festive Christmas markets of Europe. Others include Salzburg, Montreux and Bolzano.
The atmosphere is good enough to convince you to go; medieval squares lit up with glowing lights and above them, soft, real falling snow. The scent of mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and gingerbread fills the night air as you stroll through handmade crafts and ornaments unique to their region.
Stopping for live music or a warm cup of hot chocolate under the stars will boost your spirits – it’s an easy travel memory to make during this winter wonderland experience.
13. Relaxing in Alpine Wellness Retreats
As the mountains are covered in snow, and it’s freezing outside, winter is a time for relaxation. Wellness retreats abound in the Alps – especially Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol – and they’re known for their incredible spas, saunas, heated outdoor pools, and treatments based on natural resources of the Alps: pine, herbs, glacial waters.
Picture this: an infinity pool on the edge of a mountain, warm and inviting with snow-capped peaks above. You step out of a sauna, inhale the icy air and rub the warmth back into your body before entering an expansive relaxation lounge to behold these views. This is slow and mindful living at its best. For non-skiers, this is an ideal way to enjoy winter in the Alps with a renewal and restorative energy that connects the guest to the rhythms of the mountains in a uniquely intimate way.
Conclusion
The Alps in winter is a phenomenon of endless wonder – even for those who never set foot on a slope. When snow covers the land and transforms the destination into a mystical setting unlike any other, it becomes a playground for those who want to engage with this season in their own special way. Whether for rejuvenation, adventure, wellness or cultural moments, non-ski experiences abound to showcase the wonders of winter.
Take a stroll through magical snow-covered forests where silence reigns supreme; observe incredible ice caves created from glacial activity or traverse frozen lakes under vast mountain ranges. Dog sledding will blow guests away with speed and excitement while thermal baths create magical indoor oases where snowflakes melt off their skin while relaxing in the warm water. Sleigh rides through postcard-worthy settings, Christmas markets, and panoramic train experiences only enhance what’s possible during this magical time.
From exhilarating jaunts to calm, restorative moments, the winter Alps are magical beyond belief even if guests don’t ski – with proof that one doesn’t even need to ski to fall in love with the region.