Vaňkův kopec ski resort

Vaňkův kopec is a tiny local hill in the Czech Republic's Moravian-Silesian Region, suited only to absolute beginners, families with very young children, or those seeking a novelty visit to Eastern Europe's smallest ski areas. With just 0.6 km of piste, 94 m of vertical, and a day pass at CZK 1200 - an eye-watering price for the terrain on offer - this is not a destination resort by any stretch. The hill's three easy runs and two intermediate options are barely enough for a single morning's skiing.

The critical weakness is snow reliability, rated at just 15/100, meaning you'll frequently find yourself on a bare hillside in the Moravian-Silesian lowlands. Off-piste skiing is non-existent (1/5 rating). The six lifts suggest decent infrastructure for the size, but there's no escaping the fundamental truth: this is a practice slope masquerading as a ski resort. The typical December-to-March season window is standard, but variable snow conditions make even that window unreliable.

We'd only recommend Vaňkův kopec if you're a Czech local seeking a quick fix, or if you're collecting ski areas as a hobby. For anyone else, the CZK 1200 day pass represents shockingly poor value. Spend the money on a flight to the Alps instead.