Storlien

The Swedish Royal family’s winter chalet is in Storlien village, a charming little ski resort. A welcome change from some of the bigger, more commercial and glitzy ski resorts found across Europe, Storlien offers a genuine traditional ambience and friendly atmosphere. This small Swedish village is located just three km from the border with Norway. Most of the buildings are attractive, traditional wooden chalets and bigger timber-framed buildings that serve as both residences and shops. The accommodation here is also mostly in traditional timber framed houses though some modern hotels do exist. Its pristine landscape and breathtaking views make it a wonderful ski vacation destination for the family.

Storlien offers twenty ski slopes of varying degrees of difficulty (four green, two blue, eight red and three black runs), and has a longest slope of 1.5km. A system of eight lifts, five T-bars and three platters connects the resort’s runs. In addition to the downhill pistes, Storlien offers 32km of groomed cross-country trails, and numerous off-piste routes. Snowboarders will also find plenty to thrill them and the resort has an excellent ski school for both skiers and snowboarders.

Non-ski activities at Storlien include snowshoeing, snowmobiling, mountaineering, dog-sledding, ice-fishing, reindeer sleigh rides, indoor swimming and saunas. Après-ski is mostly centered on the events at the town’s main hotel, where there are live orchestra performances and a range of entertainment programs. Storlien also has several restaurants, cafes, bars and discos that provide additional après-ski amusement.

Include sightseeing in Norway as part of your winter vacation and appreciate the scenic beauty and excellent day trips it offers. Trondheim is a short train journey away, and boasts plenty of recreational and cultural events. Nature lovers will also appreciate the Trondheim fjord, the Nidelva River and densely forested hills, all within easy reach. The ski season at Storlien runs from late November to early May and the rates vary throughout the season. Storlien is most easily accessed by taking a plane flight to Trondheim and a train to the village.