The best places to apres-ski in Europe: from Verbier to Mayrhofen
For ski lovers, winter only means one thing: time to hit the slopes. And while powdery fresh snow, gorgeous views and a hard day of exercise all lure them to top resorts, somewhere with the perfect spot to sit down at a trestle table, beer in hand, and indulge in a bit of après-ski as the sun goes down is a must. In fact for some, it’s the main draw.
Dating right back to the 1800s, when British skiers were lured to the Alps with the promise of drinking by the fireside and a bit of light exercise, après has become a sport in its own right in 2025. And there are many ways to après these days. While resorts such as Chamonix and Val Thorens draw in the punters with their hard-core party atmosphere, celeb hotspot Verbier is a must for those seeking a high-end experience, and Mayrhofen has made a name for itself with its all-season line-up of festivals.
“I love Mayrhofen,” says Ernest Omoako. He runs a skiwear rental company, Blanqo, and has been skiing for 15 years – which has allowed for plenty of time to sample the après on offer around Europe. “I went recently, and I love Val d’Isere and Chamonix, as you can eat straight off the mountain. There's a great variety of different bars you can go to, where there’s a real mix of people. I love places where there’s a big melting pot of skiers!”
For him, Mayrhofen ticks all those boxes, but there are other resorts to suit every vibe. Here are our four favourite places for après-ski: one for each Alpine country.
Verbier, Switzerland
Best for: Glamour-seekers
In a nutshell: Verbier’s sunny slopes are located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais, and it’s the gateway to the world-famous skiing offered by the 4 Vallées ski area (which also includes Thyon, Veysonnaz and Nendaz). Perched on top of a plateau, the village (which is mostly comprised of the iconic wooden chalets) offers both stunning views of the mountains and world-class skiing, thanks to its height (between 1,500 and 3,300 metres). With 412km of runs on offer — including legendary runs like Mont-Fort or Mont-Gelé — it’s no surprise that Verbier attracts a jet-setting, flashy crowd, including plenty of famous faces; think royals, movie stars (Leonardo Dicaprio, Jude Law) and even politicians like Barack Obama.
Where to go
Up on the slopes: Many skiers here rise early to get those precious hours on the slopes, and there’s plenty of places for them to fuel up. One of the best is Chez Dany, a tiny chalet-style restaurant located in the tiny nearby hamlet of Clambin. The menu is prepared daily from local ingredients, and yes, includes all the classics: cheese-laden croûtes galore alongside fondue (chezdany.ch).
Higher up the slopes awaits Le Mouton Noir, a restaurant and iconic après-ski location at the top of the Medran lift with a panoramic terrace where magnums of rosé wine are served alongside post-ski snacks like burgers (kvhotels.com). For something a little closer to base, Bar 1936 is located at the last fork in the pistes on the run back into town. You can’t miss it: look for two yurts bunched together, surrounded by skis; appropriately, they also do Mongolian fondue evenings. It’s also a perfect place to sip a hot wine and watched the sun go down.
Back in town: From there, it’s time to party, so head Bar Le Rouge, where things kick off at 3pm sharp. Situated on the outskirts of Verbier, on the home run to Brunet, it has a roof terrace, and comes with a fully-stocked wine cellar for those who fancy a change from all the vin chaud. Bookings are essential (lerouge-verbier.com/apres-ski) and the vibe feels distinctly carnival-esque.
Once back in Verbier proper, head to Le Farinet Après. Located just off the Place Centrale, there’s a retractable roof and live music from a revolving line-up of bands. With beer on tap, table-top dancing and ‘ski shots’ (aka: shot glasses served stacked on skis), it’s the place to be once the lifts have closed (hotelfarinet.com). Or, if you’re really feeling flush, then end things at the Farm Club, a true institution (it’s been going since 1971) that has welcomed everybody from Ed Sheeran to Sarah Ferguson through its doors. Located in the centre of town, on the Route de Verbier Station, its decor is elegant (think wood panelling and low lighting) but the mood is bachanalian: DJs play while the champagne flows well into the night (farm-club.com).
Chamonix, France
Best for: Ski hard, play hard
In a nutshell: The rugged Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley is located just an hour from Geneva, in France. Tucked beneath some of the highest mountains in the alps (as well as the famous Mont Blanc glacier), its steep slopes and deep snow make it an excellent place for free-riding. This is a place where experts come to play — on the 22km Vallée Blanche route, which is one of the most famous off-piste runs in the world, as well as Les Grands Montets, a mountain which has excellent snow and tough, steep slopes — but fortunately, there are gentler runs here too, as well as a thriving nightlife scene.
Where to go
Up on the slopes: Whether you want to rest your feet or grab some food, Brev’Bar is always a good option. Small and cosy (most of the seating is outside), it offers excellent views of Mont Blanc and a decent pizza menu, while its location, 200m from the Planpraz cable car, make it easily accessible on foot, too (maisondesdrus.com).
Heading back downhill, try the Kitsch Inn at the foot of the Bellevue cable car. It bills itself as the ‘only retro bar’ in the local area, which essentially means it’s been decked out with some old posters, light-up pineapple lamps and plays disco music once the sun dips below the edge of the mountains. It’s a decent spot to grab a drink: the local Savoie wine is a must-try (kitschinn.fr).
Back in town: At Chamonix, most of the partying happens back in town, with options to suit all tastes. Of course, there’s La Folie Douce: situated at the base of the Savoy lift, this iconic temple to après (which features a massive outdoor terrace) is the perfect place to enjoy a post-ski drink — or to stay, as you can book a room in this Folie Douce Hotel. “It’s not for a night out, but for starting the night, I love a Folie Douce,” says Amoako. “It has a cult vibe: people dance on tables and there's always a great DJ playing.” (en.lafoliedoucehotels.com)
But it’s not just about La Folie Douce. Marmottons’ wide terrace is the place to be for the party atmosphere, as is Chambre Neuf, which turns from a classy French brasserie (their homemade burgers are excellent) into a bustling local hotspot after dark. Located within the Hotel Gustavia in central, it’s a great early doors option to start the night off, especially given their line-up of great local bands and their 2 for 1 cocktail menu, which can prove rather lethal (seechamonix.com).
On the other hand, if you’d rather go all-in for beers, then Micro Brasserie de Chamonix (MBC) is the place to be. Yes, it’s hip: so hip that all their beers are brewed with fresh Chamonix spring water and the bar space is dominated by the massive kegs plonked behind the bar. Head there to try their Blonde de Chamonix pilsner and Granite Pale Ale: the perfect antidote to a day of skiing (mbchx.com/beers).
Once doors shut, then finish things off at L’Amnesia, the resort’s mega-club that gives the punters DJ performances and dancing until late. No classy cocktails here: this is where nationalities of all types (mostly French, Scandinavians and Brits) mingle in an industrial-chic space under red and blue lighting (instagram.com/amnesiaclubchamonix).
Livigno, Italy
Best for: Living la dolce vita
In a nutshell: Laid-back and relaxed, Livigno been dubbed ‘Little Tibet’ by the locals because it’s so remote: tucked away between the Engadine and Upper Valtellina at the top of Italy, meaning it’s a trek to get there. Those who do make it will be rewarded with some great beginner-friendly skiing and 115km of pistes, as well as some great places to free-ride. With high altitudes, regular snowfall and sun-catching slopes, it’s no wonder that the area has been selected as the location for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Plus, it’s a great places to do tax-free shopping (due to a quirk of Italian law, everything here is still duty-free).
Where to go
Up on the slopes: Nobody does après — or aperitivi — quite like the Italians, and Livigno is proof. On the slopes, the far and away winner is Tea Borch Rifugio, which is located at the bottom of the Carosello 3000 black run. The walls are decorated on the inside with old ski gear, which hang over rickety wooden tables, and the whole thing boasts panoramic views of the slopes (as well as free ski shuttle service back into town). It’s also the home of the Mountain Feast, which is held on Tuesdays and usually sees fleets of people head up the mountain after dark on Skidoos to enjoy masses of food after the sun sets (livignosport3000.it/en/mountain-hut-tea-borch).
Nearby is Stalet, a popular circus-themed hotspot that boasts live music, a retractable roof (which comes out when the sun goes in) and, oddly, people in gorilla costumes who come out to play once the night properly kicks off (carosello3000.com/en/winter/entertainment/stalet-apres-ski).
Back in town: In town, the party ramps up. Miky’s Aperitivo Bar in the town centre is a local favourite for a reason: once a small barn, it’s today been converted into a kitsch party heaven. Guests enter via a giant copper slide (there are also stairs, don’t worry) and once the party gets going, the walls of the bar lift up to reveal the disco floor. What’s not to love, especially when you factor in the cow-print decorated walls and the on-tap Aperol Spritz? (mikysdiscoclub.com/en)
Mayrhofen, Austria
Best for: Traditionalists and festival lovers
In a nutshell: You can’t go wrong with Mayrhofen. Set between two different mountains, its gentler slopes and abundance of blue and red runs make it a playground for intermediate skiers. “It's a slightly different vibe to the French alps. The skiing is amazing in Mayrhofen, it’s got some glaciers which are snowy all year round,” says Amoako. “It's really got some great runs for all abilities of skiers.” That includes the steepest in Austria, the Harakiri, and then Penken snow park, which offers some world-class freestyle runs. And for the adventurous, there’s always the option to use the ski bus on offer and head up to the Hintertux glacier for some more challenging black runs.
These days, Mayrhofen is also home to an ever-growing lineup of festivals that make a visit here a must-do. Try Snowbombing Festival (snowbombing.com) — a week-long chance to party, ski and see some massive musical acts — in April, or comedy festival, Altitude (altitudefestival.com) in March.
Where to go
Up on the slopes: The Pilzbar reigns supreme, which is where many an après session starts. Conveniently situated at the top of the Penkenbahn gondola, it’s a cheerful wooden chalet with a massive outdoor area overlooking the valley. The circular outside bar (with a retractable roof) is also a great place to have a cold beer, if you can stand the throbbing Europop that reigns until 5pm, when the lifts close (pilzbar.at). Nearby is competitor Elchbar, which is massive: there are multiple floors, indoor and outdoor spaces and a cool modern-day chalet vibe: think lots and lots of wood (bergrast.at/elchbar-apre-ski).
Back in town: Down in the resort, Butcher Hans is the place to go for a deli sandwich, post ski (gasserspeck.at). The fare is simple (cured meats and cheeses) but it’s popular: so popular that we’d advise getting there early to avoid queues.
Belly full, there’s partying to do. First up is the The Ice Bar, located in the heart of town next to the Penken lift. It’s cheap and cheerful: think sticky floors and DJs, and while it closes at 10pm each night, that’s still plenty of time for things to get lairy: case in point, the dancing polar bear that comes out each night to party with the revellers. And with local wine to drink for sub-5 Euro a glass, the value isn’t bad either (hotelstrass.com/apres-ski-mayrhofen).
For late night fun, the exceptionally cute Mo’s turns from a café into a bar once the sun sets and serves hot food (mostly pizzas and burgers) alongside an array of colourful cocktails (mos-cafe.com).
Once things get late, the Speakeasy Arena is easily one of the most popular spots in town. Located underground in the basement of the Hotel Strass, the bar offers an eclectic mix of music, including dubstep, drum’n’bass and a head-spinning combination of both British and Austrian dance music, all served underneath a canopy of laser lights (hotelstrass.com).
