Ski Facts
- LOCAL AREA: Arosa
- CONNECTED AREA: Lenzerheide
- SEASON START & END: Late November – mid April
- SKI ALTITUDE IN METRES: Arosa 1,775 – 2,511 metres / Vertical drop: 736 metres
- PISTES: Total of 225km of slopes (110km blue/ 87km red / 28km black)
- Local Resort: 70km of slopes
- Connected Area: 155km of slopes
- LIFTS: total: 43 lifts / 7 Carpets (4 Cable cars / 4 Gondolas / 18 Chairlifts / 16 Drag Lifts / 1 rope / 7 Carpets)
- Local Resort: 14 lifts
- Connected Area: 29 lifts
- SNOW: 65% of slopes are serviced by snow machines
- LIFT TICKET PRICES: See Online
- CROSS COUNTRY SKIING: 30km Arosa / 56km Lenzerheide
- LANGUAGE: German
- AIRPORT: Zurich (140km) 2h 15mins
- TRAIN: Zurich (140km), 2:30 hours (change in Chur) / Scenic ride from Chur to Arosa with red train
- Numerous ski-in ski-out accommodations
- With guaranteed snow thanks to state-of-the-art snowmaking facilities
- One of the largest interconnected ski areas in the Swiss Alps
- Urdenbahn (link aerial cableway) between Arosa and Lenzerheide
- More than 40 cosy mountain restaurants and lodges
- Kinderland sites and family pistes
Arosa, the town
Located high in the eastern Swiss canton of Graubünden, the town of Arosa is approached via a dramatic drive through winding alpine roads and steep valley terrain. The final ascent delivers you to a charming mountain village with classic Alpine architecture interspersed with newer Alpine-style buildings, with the Obersee lake in the centre of the town. The other end of town is known as Innerarosa, the older and very charming part of Arosa.
Arosa may not be so well known as some of the more famous Swiss ski resorts, but it is no less special. The town has a cosy atmosphere with a great selection of shops, restaurants and bars. Arosa was not too busy when we visited, with very chilled apres ski, on the mountain and in the town, just as we like it.
We stayed at the four-star Hotel Faern Altein Arosa, originally built as a sanatorium in the early 1900s, and recently renovated in 2022. You can sense the hotel’s history as a sanatorium, with hints of a bygone era here and there. The hotel is a 10-minute walk to the ski lifts.
For dining, one outstanding choice is the restaurant Aifach (which translates to “Simple” in the local Grisons dialect). With a fun 1960s-style interior and panoramic views over the valley, it’s small but carefully crafted Swiss menu uses local produce and has a minimal-waste ethos. Go for lunch or dinner, and don’t skip the cocktails and attentive service.
Arosa certainly won our hearts and has a feel to it like no other ski resort that we know of. We can not wait to return to explore the area even further.
Arosa, the skiing
At a high altitude of 1800 metres and with many east-facing slopes, Arosa is very snow sure, something becoming more and more important with the changing climate. The weather fronts that bring the snow tend to come from the west and northwest.
The setup of the skiing area gives you real flexibility, with the pistes laid out around a vast bowl-shaped valley which tends to shelter Arosa from the worst of alpine weather.
The two main lifts from the town centre are the Tschuggen Ost chair lift and the Weisshorn cable car. From the top of these two ski lifts, there are multiple options of lifts and wide and long pistes, true fun alpine terrain. The resort has a great feel to it, with the steeper terrain located at the top of the mountains, and the pistes tend to become more gentle as they descend down to the valley bottom. Generally, most Black pistes are located at the top, red pistes cover the mid section of the mountain, and all the lower pistes tend to be blue.
As well as the skiing area of Arosa, the Urdenbahn cable car connection to Lenzerheide expands the skiing options significantly, taking the total to 225km of ski pistes.
Tip: A great offer for families is that children aged 17 and under who spend at least two nights in one of the participating hotels during their winter holiday can enjoy a free group lesson.
Keep an eye out for the Arosa Bear Sanctuary up at 2000 metres among the pistes. Set up as a conservation project with Aosa Tourism, it is certainly worth a visit.
Beginners
There are various nursery slopes near the bottom of the valley; there are also many gentle slopes that gradually bring you into the skiing world. These areas also allow you to ski back into town without too much stress.
Intermediates
The red runs dominate here: long, graceful descents, often well groomed, ideal for carving and progression. Many runs stretch across the valley, giving you scenic lines and good mileage. We had a lot of fun, with so much space to carve and let the skis do their thing.
Experts
On the high peaks, you’ll hit more demanding black pistes. One standout is the Black Diamond piste 12, which starts gently and builds to a very steep pitch as it descends. From the top of the Hörnli and Weisshorn mountains, there are black pistes with continuous pitches and variable terrain to keep the advanced skier engaged; check out piste 8a and 9.
Mountain dining is as important as skiing, and here, Arosa does not disappoint. The Tschuggen Hütte is situated in the beginner area and has that classic alpine hut atmosphere. Wood-panelled interior, hearty Swiss fare, warming soups and indulgent desserts; a perfect midday stop with a rustic character.
The Brüggli Stuba features a large glass atrium as well as a more cosy interior. With great service, the environment is bright, modern and comfortable, with traditional Swiss dishes and something of a lounge feel. Ideal for a longer lunch or a break with views.
For more information, visit Arosa
