WINTER TRIP TO SWITZERLAND WITH SMALL CHILDREN

Many people are wondering how to organize a holiday in the mountains with small children this season.

Popular family trips with training for the youngest to Italy will not take place.

Trips to the Polish mountains are not for everyone.

The only Alpine country where you can normally practice winter sports is Switzerland.

There is no need to convince anyone that Switzerland is a mecca for winter sports.

Renowned resorts such as St. Moritz, Davos, Arosa, and Laax, hundreds of kilometers of perfectly groomed trails, modern cable cars and lifts, cross-country skiing trails, toboggan runs, and swimming pools await guests every year.

We checked what it's like to vacation with small children in Switzerland.

• Trip

This season, the only reliable way to get there is by car. We all know how tiring a long car journey can be for both children and adults. Therefore, the best solution is to drive at night. Depending on your location, the journey to the Swiss mountains takes 11 to 14 hours. Of course, on such a trip, you'll have to take turns driving at night. But the children are asleep, making the journey easier for everyone.

At the moment (end of February 2021) there are no required tests for entry into Switzerland or transit through Germany and Austria.

• Accommodation

In Switzerland, restaurants operate a takeaway system, and only some hotels offer evening meals for guests. Therefore, apartments or hotel rooms with kitchenettes are a convenient option. That's why we chose the tried-and-true B&B River Inn in St. Moritz, described in a previous article. Hotels usually charge no fees for children under 4.

• Lifts

When booking a hotel in St. Moritz, adults pay CHF 45 per day for a lift pass, regardless of the number of days. Children under 6 are free.

• Training

We did not find any snowboarding training offers for small children up to 6 years old.

Luckily, everyone at Fun Wind is an instructor, so our Gaja had Grandpa Paweł and Dad Piotrek at her disposal :)

Ski schools, however, offer ski training even for children as young as 3 years old.

• Routes

Long, beautifully groomed, and currently covered in thick natural snow. Plus, fast, modern lifts and cable cars. And, crucially, for those working with children, there are FEW PEOPLE on the slopes. Furthermore, skiing skills and culture in Switzerland are at a very high level. In a word, SAFE.

• Additional attractions

The Engadin region is famous for its cross-country skiing trails, including those on the frozen lakes of Silvaplana and Maloja. An hour of cross-country skiing after a day on the slopes is a great way to recharge your batteries and enjoy the fresh air with your children.

We had a Thule trailer with skids that served its purpose perfectly for transport.

There are many ice rinks in the area on cleared sections of frozen lakes.

Older people can try the popular local activities of curling or snowkiting.

In the town of Muragl, near St. Moritz, there's a toboggan run over 4 km long, accessible by rail. It's a real thrill for kids and adults alike.

To sum up, we recommend such a trip to everyone.

There's no point in losing the season just because things are a little different than they used to be.

For a small child, every trip and every day on the snow is a big progress in riding and new adventures and experiences.

We will be happy to share our experiences with you personally.

Drop by Fun Wind or write to us.

And in the second half of March you will definitely meet us on the slopes of Corvatscha and on the cross-country trails in the Engadin region

Useful links:

https://funwind.com.pl/pages/wypozyczalnia-snowboard rental or purchase of equipment and clothing

www.corvatsch.chski region

www.riverinn.chhotel with kitchenettes

https://www.laudinella.ch/en/hotel with meals

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home.htmlepidemic situation

https://www.polyclinic.ch/covid-19-test-en/ tests performed on site if required when returning to the country by public transport