Resort height: 380m
The mountains
Are reminded everyone of its skiing credentials recently, by hosting the 2007 Alpine skiing World Championships. These were held on Areskutan, the peak which dominates the resort, and offers an 895m vertical drop, from its summit down to the shore of Lake Aresjon. Neither the men's nor the women's downhill courses are especially steep in Are, and most confident intermediates will be able to ski or snowboard them by the end of a week - though probably not at the 120kph speeds reached by the competitors in the Championships.
Elsewhere, the best of the terrain in Are is to be found in the easy, tree-lined pistes spread along the lake. This is where the best snow is too - protected from the wind. Competent intermediates who aren't yet ready to try off-piste skiing will be happy in Are, as will beginners. Almost everyone's English is good here, and they enjoy using it, so there's no chance of you feeling left out in ski or snowboard school.
One other group who will like Are are the terrain-park addicts. There's a strong freestyle culture in Sweden and when you get to here you can understand why: it's home to three parks, a half-pipe and a skier-cross course.
Getting there
From the UK, one tour operator, Neilson, operates a direct charter flight from Heathrow to Ostersund, which is an hour from Are. Everyone else tends to change planes in Sweden.
Rating: 
7/10
Après-ski
The Swedish like a drink or two, and at the weekend (when Stockholmers fly in for some fun), Are has a buzz that's close to the best Alpine resorts. Wersens in the town square is the key bar, and Bygget, a ten minute walk from the centre, the best club. Swedes make great chefs, and there's a wide choice of restaurants in town, ranging from the gastronomic (at Marmite), to the novel (reindeer steaks at Villa Tottebo).
Rating: 
8/10
Non-skiers
As with all Scandinavian resorts, there's plenty to do in Are besides skiing, including dog-sledding, cross-country skiing and snow-kiting on the frozen lake.
Rating: 
6/10
Cost of living
Sweden used to have a reputation as one of the world's most expensive countries. That's a little out of date, but a beer will still cost £3.50 for a half-litre. Accommodation in Are needn't be expensive (especially if you stay in a self-catering apartment) and tends to be more spacious and of a higher standard than you'll find in the Alps.
Rating: 6/10
Attractiveness of the resort
It's not the Alps. But all the same, the frozen lake, wooded slopes and sense of being somewhere properly remote appeals to many. One of the Are's strengths is its long, late season, and it offers a much cuter base for a spring skiing holiday than the forbidding, high-altitude resorts of the Alps.
