For a fantastic winter break, why not consider a skiing holiday in one of Europe’s top destinations? Most mountain resorts offer beautiful landscapes and superb apres ski fun. European ski resorts are notoriously expensive, and even budget skiing holidays are hard to come by. Rather than going for the conventional package deal, try booking the holiday yourself. Here are five suggestions to help you get started:

1. Search for an ‘alternative’ ski resort – The French alps and Austria are popular European destinations, so it can be worth investigating other areas of Europe. Try Scotland, Bosnia, Slovakia or even Poland. These alternatives will almost certainly offer better value for money deals.

2. Think outside the box – You will need to think laterally if you are going to save money on your ski break. Try using the internet but whatever you do don’t go for the companies on the first few pages on your search engine. They will most likely to be the major tour operators and are best avoided. Instead search for independent accommodation lists and directories such as holiday home rentals. Once you have found a holiday home rental list find the properties that are in the ski resort of your choice and of course the closer to the centre of the resort the better. If you book through sites like this you could potentially save hundreds.

3. Reconsider your transport – Most people automatically assume the only way to get to to your ski resort is by traveling by plane (and then probably a lengthy coach journey from the airport). If you are already located in Europe consider taking your journey by train. The Eurostar Ski Train takes you to many European ski resorts and the normal Eurostar route will also take you to many European cities. From these cities it’s possible to catch local trains and/or a scheduled coaches to the resort of your choice. Another alternative is to hire a taxi. If there are five or more of you, it can often works out cheaper to book a taxi.

4. Find the cheapest journey time – By thoroughly researching travelling times you could save a lot of money. If you can manage your journey at unsociable times these are nearly always the cheapest times to go. Although before booking your transport you will need to make sure you can get into your accommodation if you arrive very early. You will also need to find out when you need to check out. Another option is to stay at a cheap airport or train station hotel the night before to ensure you can catch your early transport (and often save lots of money!)

Most flights and train operators base their prices on the level of demand. Prices will rise as soon as the availability goes down. To get the best deal get in there quick and take a gamble. If you think you have found a good price always book it as soon as possible!

5. Find ways to save money on ski equipment – Skiing equipment is one of the biggest costs of the trip, so get your kit sorted as wisely as you can. Shop around online before you go, as buying at the resort will always cost you more. Better still, buy your ski gear in the sales the year before you go for great discounts! Be sure to get your lift passes online before you leave, to avoid higher costs and queues at the resort.

Follow these tips and you could save yourself hundreds per person on your European skiing break – even in exclusive resorts such as the French Alps. Have a fantastic time!

Find out more great travelling tips to top destinations on Becky Padmore’s website www.globalgrasshopper.com including a useful guide to getting around Paris in a day