Forget Austria and Switzerland, this is the secret winter sports spot

The winter sports holiday is one of the most expensive trips you can book. And once you hit the slopes, you spend half the day waiting in line for lifts, weaving through hordes of people and dodging falling children. If you think, ‘this must be able to be different?’ then I have very good news for you, because that's true. You just have to look further than your nose is long, then you'll find the most beautiful gems. Not many people have discovered this place yet…

It's so much cheaper than any other ski area

Since ‘Who is the mole’ Georgia has become a bit more well-known as a holiday destination. But did you also know that you can ski wonderfully there in winter? The nature in the Caucasus is a dream, and there are also a number of super cute villages to be found, with a lot of history. In the Caucasus, you will find the Svaneti area, which is located in a valley. The capital of Svaneti (Mestia) is 19 km from the ski area, Tenuldi. Here you can make as many descents as you want for €17 per day, from December to May. Especially for beginner and intermediate skiers, it is really enjoyable here; the blue and red slopes are well represented, but the black slope is also just present.

The inhabitants of this secret area were cut off from the outside world for centuries

Around Mestia, there are several other small villages. Svaneti is a former principality and was cut off from the outside world for centuries. The reason for this is very simple: there were simply no good roads to and from this area. The Svans, the original inhabitants of this area, still speak a completely own language. You also see many special buildings there. There are still many koski’s: these are the watchtowers that were used for defense when an attack occurred. In summer, it is also beautiful here for hiking, with a visit to the Shdugra waterfall and the Chalaadi glacier, nature is breathtakingly beautiful 365 days a year.