Iglu Ski Offers Free Euros Football Beer For New Ski Holiday Bookings

To celebrate the upcoming European Football Championship, Iglu Ski will include a case of 24 bottles of beer (or 6 bottles of wine) with new bookings made before June 30th, 2024*.

Therefore it’s the perfect time to confirm a ski booking for next season. Experts Iglu Ski say that it’s particularly important for certain groups to book now, including those looking to secure an entire chalet; large groups of 7 or more; those looking for single rooms, and parties looking for family rooms. Predictably, school holiday periods are in high demand for skiers, and those looking to ski at Christmas, New Year, February Half-Term and Easter should book now. 

Iglu Ski’s top offers all including Free Euros Beer:

• Ski Val d’Isère in December - £1,334 per person. Fly from a good choice of UK airports to Geneva, and head up to Val d’Isère, France for a pre-Christmas ski or snowboard. Iglu Ski offers 7 nights from £1,334 per person, based on two sharing, at the 3* Hotel Ski Lodge, on half board, departing Luton on December 14th, 2024, and including transfers. The Ski Lodge is a good quality hotel in one of France’s chicest resorts. It’s got the look of a traditional chalet, with wood panelling and natural stone, cosy carpets and faux-fur throws. And location-wise, it’s in a quiet spot just off the main street, a 12-minute walk or quick bus ride from the lifts. Regional flight departures +£49 London Gatwick; +£18 Glasgow; +£92 from Manchester; +£60 Edinburgh; +£117 Bristol; +£55 Birmingham; +£119 Belfast; +£55 Liverpool; +£108 Bournemouth. December in France
• All-Inclusive Austria - £1,402 per person. Base yourselves in  Saalbach and enjoy skiing in 270 km of pistes in the area. The Hotel Sonne offers all-inclusive with three meals a day and unlimited drinks, and child-care thrown-in. Iglu Ski offers 7 nights from 1,402 per person based on two sharing at the 4.5* Hotel Sonne, Saalbach, Austria, all-inclusive, departing London Stansted on January 11th, 2025, and including transfers. Beautifully appointed, the  family–run hotel features a modern spa, and excellent cuisine. Located between Saalbach and Hinterglemm the ski bus stops outside and the hotel runs a free shuttle bus. Regional flights +£55 London Gatwick; +£81 Glasgow; +£66 Manchester; +£75 Bristol; +£62 Birmingham; +£122 Belfast; +£179 Liverpool; +£81 Newcastle; +£15 East Midlands; +£118 Luton. Austrian All Inclusive
• Italy with access to Switzerland - £1,523 per person. Cervinia is a good resort for skiers who would like to drop into Switzerland for some skiing to add variety to a week in the mountains. Why not ski for a day in neighbouring Zermatt? Visitors will enjoy exceptional Italian cuisine, in mountain restaurants and in resort, for a perfect week of indulgence. Iglu Ski offers 7 nights at the 4* White Angel Hotel, Cervinia, Italy, from £1,523 per person, half board, departing from Glasgow or London Stansted on February 2nd, 2025 and including transfers. The Hotel White Angel is a luxurious retreat. It simply oozes modern Alpine style, with warm wood, natural stone, and soothing colours everywhere you look. Regional flights, -£10 London Gatwick; +£10 Manchester; +£40 Bristol; -£10 Birmingham; +£20 Belfast; +£139 Newcastle; -£20 East Midlands. Italy plus Switzerland
• Self-Catering in France - from £1,253 per person. Iglu Ski offers 7 nights at the 4* Résidence Les Crets, Méribel-Mottaret, France from £1,253 per person, based on two sharing, self-catering, departing on March 29th, 2025 from Bristol (+£26 London Gatwick; +£6 Glasgow; +£36 London Stansted; +£6 Manchester; +£193 Edinburgh; +£45 Birmingham; +£230 Newcastle) and including transfers. Les Crets apartments offer quality, contemporary accommodation in a quiet ski-in, ski-out location. Apartments are modern, homely and tastefully decorated with wooden interiors. With the 3 Valleys on the doorstep, Le Crets enjoys beautiful panoramic views over la Tueda lake and Méribel. Free beer

Here are some of the best alpine-inspired craft beers from some of the biggest skiing (and football) nations. 

1.France

France are about as serious a footballing nation as Europe offers. They won their second World Cup in 2018 and were inches away from winning it for a third time in 2022 in the final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. They’ve also won the Euros twice - in 1984 and 2000 - and are serious contenders for the trophy this summer.

The country is also home to some of the best skiing in the world, with Val Thorens, Tignes and La Plagne the best-rated resorts among those who ski in France. Brits make up around 10% of ski resort visits each year in France and it has some of the most snow-sure conditions in the world thanks to its altitude.

While there’s undoubtedly a playful rivalry between the French and the British, if you do find yourself watching their matches - against Poland, Netherlands and Austria in the group stage - then you could do worse than sipping on a craft beer from the Brasserie Du Petit St Bernard Brewing Company.

Based in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, just down the road from some fine ski resorts, their top seller is the Free Rider: Session Pilsner. This lager uses ‘traditional Pilsner malts, plenty of Saaz hops and German lager yeast’ which is fermented for up to two months in the low alpine temperatures.

You could also try the Bouquetin: Dry Hopped IPA which has a lovely bright aroma with a ‘slightly sweet finish’. The brewers work hard to avoid ‘overbearing bitterness’ and it comes in at a hefty 5.7%.

2. Austria

One of France’s opponents in the group stage, Austria aren’t anywhere near as good at football - although their skiing offerings are certainly a more even match. Their best footballing achievement was a third-place finish at the 1954 World Cup, while they also came second at the 1936 Olympics.

Austria is the second most popular ski destination for Brits, with big names including St Anton, Solden and Ischgl. If you’re heading here then you can expect traditional Germanic architecture, interesting food - and brilliant skiing.

Austria kick off, ironically, against France on June 18th, so if your skiing allegiances lie with the Austrians, then crack open a Tyroler Zwickl - a classic from the Zillertal Bier Brewery. Located in the Zillertal Valley in the village of Zell am Ziller - just a few train stops away from Mayrhofen - this special beer is made from 100%-Tyrolean barley and has lovely mango and passionfruit aromas.

Alternatively, the Weißbier Dunkel might be more your thing - this one is chestnut-coloured and its long storage time means it has the perfect taste.

3. Italy

English football fans won’t want to dwell for too long on Italy. Rewind a few years back to 2021 at Wembley Stadium and you’ll remember it was finally meant to be the day that football came home.

England were playing Italy in the Euros final, and our lives all peaked when Luke Shaw scored after a couple of minutes… but sadly the Italians equalised and eventually beat us on penalties to lift the trophy - adding to their 1968 Euros success and four World Cups (they are second only to Brazil in the number of World Cups won).

Many English people (perhaps not Scottish or Welsh though!) would rather talk about skiing in Italy than their football - and it is a fine country for it, too. Italy has some of the most beautiful skiing destinations in the world dotted about the spectacular Dolomites mountain range.

One such Dolomite resort is Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is nicknamed Queen of the Dolomites. Host of the 1956 Winter Olympics, it has an absolutely stunning backdrop with jagged rock everywhere you look, while the vibrant town is packed full of pure Italian culture and cuisine.

Other top resorts include snow sure Cervinia, which is nestled under the Matterhorn mountain (the inspiration for Toblerone chocolate and until very recently the logo on its packaging). Courmayeur and Passo Tonale are also fan favourites, among many others.

If you want to channel some Italian luck at the Euros, then make sure you do so with a Bionda Lager from Menabrea. Based in Biella, in ‘the foothills of the Alps’, Menabrea is Italy’s oldest continuously-producing brewery. It was founded in 1846 and used the region’s ‘pure water and cold, fresh air’ to perfect its products.

4. Switzerland

Switzerland, meanwhile, arguably aren’t very good at football - but their skiing makes up for it. The furthest the Swiss have gone in a major tournament was the quarter-finals in the most recent Euros, where they famously knocked out world champions France in an all-time classic match.

The Swiss have also made World Cup quarter-finals, although these were a long time ago - in 1954, 1938 and 1934. Perhaps they started focusing their energy more on the mountains, as Swiss skiing is known for its outstanding resorts which are reliable for snow thanks to their altitude.

Notable mentions go to Zermatt, which is one of the liveliest for apres ski, while Verbier is known for being very up-market. Indeed, much of Switzerland is quite pricey, but you get what you pay for - and that’s some seriously nice skiing holidays.

If you want a nice drink to watch them take on Hungary on 15th June then look no further than the Monsteiner brewery which is based in the Swiss Alps. The company offers a range of drinks, including the tasty-looking Steinbock, which has caramel, malty flavours, or the light Mungga beer, which is inspired by the local marmots.

Beers from the lesser known skiing nations

But don't forget, these countries also have their own cracking skiing (and football) scene.

5. Spain

Spain doesn’t immediately come to mind when Brits think of ski holidays, although it certainly does when someone mentions football. One of the world’s most successful footballing nations, Spain have won the Euros three times - including in 2008 and 2012 - and came third at the most recent. They also won the World Cup in 2010, marking their absolute dominance in that era.

Spanish skiing is more niche however, and focuses mainly on the pretty resort of Baqueira, which boasts a reliable snow forecast and a vast range of slopes - it is a great getaway for beginners and intermediates. Not only that, but you’ll get treated to delicious Spanish food which is a rare but tasty treat on a ski trip.

Spain kick off with a tasty fixture against Croatia on 15th June at 5pm. It starts as soon as work finishes, so take a bottle or three of Biera Aranesa into the office with you to get the full experience. The craft beer is made in the Val D’Aran, Catalonia - the same area that Baqueira is in - and its best drink is the Immortela, a 5.4% type of ale that goes perfectly with pasta, seafood and cheese.

6. Slovenia

If you’re Scottish or Welsh, then there’s a decent chance you might be supporting Slovenia (and Serbia, and Denmark) during this Euros. The teams share a group with England and will be hoping to cause a serious upset - this is only Slovenia’s second European Championship (not counting the Yugoslavian days). In the 2000 edition they got knocked out in the group stage.

For a population of just two million, they’re doing pretty well, though. Another underrated aspect of Slovenia is its skiing. Many people don’t know that it is a serious ski area on the rise, with Kranjska Gora a great choice if you’re in a mixed ability group, and Bled a haven of 42km of pistes overlooking the famous Lake Bled.

The Carniola Brewery is located near Bled, and, while it might be pretty difficult to source some of its drinks for Slovenia’s opening match against Denmark on June 16th, you should definitely pay them a visit if you do end up skiing in Slovenia.

If you’re after a more mainstream Slovenian beer though then look no further than the Lasko brand which comes from Slovenia’s largest brewery.

7. Serbia 

Also in England’s group, Serbia are a footballing nation not known for too much (if you’re not counting the Yugoslavian era). This is the country’s first Euros tournament as just Serbia - although when competing as Serbia and Montenegro they achieved an impressive quarter-final finish in the 2000 Euros.

But pundits say they are an up-and-coming nation - and much the same can be said for Serbia's ski scene. It is a great destination for beginners and families because, while it doesn’t have the breathtaking heights of France or Switzerland, it offers instead a peaceful environment with great ski-in-ski-out accommodation.

Kapaonik is the main resort which has 55km of pistes. While the area doesn’t have its own brewery, those on the hunt for a mountain-inspired beer can get behind Peak - a dry hopped beer by Serbian brewery, Kabinet, which just so happens to be located at the foot of Mount Kosma, just south of capital city, Belgrade. 

8. Slovakia

Since the separation of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia haven’t overperformed at major tournaments - although they have reached the Round of 16 at the 2016 Euros and the 2010 World Cup. Czechoslovakia, meanwhile, were notably champions of the 1976 Euros which were held in Yugoslavia, and came third at the 1980 Euros in Italy.

They will hope to make a mark at this summer’s tournament - in much the same way as skiing in Slovakia is disrupting the market. The up-and-coming destination is known for its low prices, yet still boasts idyllic scenery.

Tatras is the go-to area, consisting of a staggering 27 different resorts, and perfect for mixed-ability groups - advanced skiers can have fun in an extensive off-piste area. Nestled in the Carpathian Mountains which separate Slovakia and Poland, the High Tatras area is also registered as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve because of its diversity of plant and animal life.

If you’re after a Slovakian beer for their match against Belgium on 17th June then try the lager from the Mestiansky Pivovar - a local brewery based in Bratislava.

9. Romania 

Romania have had a couple of good tournaments in their history, with quarter-final finishes at the 1994 USA World Cup, and the 2000 Euros hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands. They will be hoping to have another memorable summer this time around - to add to the recent memorable winters they’ve been having.

Indeed, the ski scene in Romania has historically gone under the radar - but locals are having a great time in the Carpathian mountains. Romanian resorts, such as Poiana Brasov, are excellent for Brits when it comes to value for money. While advanced skiers should probably stick to France and the more well-known countries, Romania is a fine choice for beginners and intermediates.

If you’re looking to cheer them on against Ukraine on the 17th of June then try an Ursus beer, which is a classic for those wanting a refreshing and crisp drink. Reliable for any occasion, it’s got a fairly middle-ground alcohol content, so you won’t get a hangover for work the next day.

REMEMBER

If we’ve got you dreaming of sipping on a cold one in front of the big screen, then you can get a free case of beer (or wine) if you book a ski holiday with Iglu Ski before the 30th June (minimum spend before extras £2,500*). With England (and maybe Scotland) likely to get through to the latter stage of the Euros, they’re going to need your support!

Read more about Alpine-Inspired Beers to Drink for the Euros here: