Snow Time!

Emma Lewis and family head to Slovakia for skiing and a whole lot more

- Emma Lewis

‘We don’t ever want to leave here!’ chorus my daughters to the camera as I video them at the bottom of yet another sledge run down the ski-school slope under the floodlights after dinner one evening. We’re in Jasná, Slovakia’s largest ski area, in the Low Tatras mountains (about halfway along the top of the map of the country, which sits just to the east of Austria).

Lured by rumours of cheap prices and great skiing, we’d just had to give it a go, and we’re very glad we did. While we had some bemused looks from UK friends beforehand as Slovakia’s not a mainstream destination for Brits yet (the big tour ops don’t go here at the mo), we aren’t exactly pioneers, it turns out. Hungarian airline Wizz Air started flying from London Luton to nearby Poprad Tatry airport a couple of years ago, and the place has been rapidly on the up in recent years (including newly added and upgraded lifts, runs and snowmaking facilities, plus accommodation) with all the ingredients for a great holiday in place. Although, admittedly, there are still not too many Brits in amongst the Poles and other eastern-European skiers.

GREAT WEATHER

The resort – pronounced ‘Yasnah’ – sits at just over 1,000m altitude and has 49km of pistes and 30 lifts, with an amazing patrolled free ride section slap bang in the middle of the area. Well, so we heard, but sadly snow conditions aren’t in our favour the week we’re there. Such is life as a skier!