Seasonal

Berlin, Germany
Germany may be dotted with traditional Christmas markets but one of the capital’s hippest retail enclaves, contained in the 1950s Bikinihaus, has reinvented festive shopping with a contemporary Christmas market.

Kronplatz is one of Italy’s larger ski regions with more than a dozen towns and villages linked on to the huge Plan de Corones ski mountain. Plan de Corones/Kronplatz popularity in Europe is hard to ignore, thanks in large part to its astonishingly impressive facilities, including more than 20 gondola lifts, one of only a few resorts in the world to have so many of these fast, comfortable all-weather lifts.

Alpe di Siusi/Seiseralm, located right next door to Val Gardena/Gröden, has positioned itself as a winter wonderland for families, beginners, and anyone looking for a more relaxed winter holiday experience.  The largest high mountain plateau in Europe is also one of the most peaceful , safe and environmentally friendly, as cars have bee banned from the area and instead the ski lifts and gondolas form all necessary transport links.

South Tyrol, Italy’s most northernly region, plays host to the jaw-dropping beautiful mountains of the Dolomites.  And that’s not just our opinion.  The range was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2009.  The area boasts some of the best ski and snowsport runs in the world, as well 300 days of sunshine every year and a snow guarantee that runs from December to April.  This is clearly the place to be for discerning snow enthusiasts.

Not many of us are able to take our holidays during the summer months for whatever reason.  Taking a short break in autumn to get some of the summer sun is another option.  We have found five places in Europe and elsewhere that offers excellent autumn sunshine at some of the hotest hotels and resorts.  Whether its luxury, relaxation, party or sports these locations offers it.

While some ski resorts in the Alps have to wait for the peak of the winter season to offer the good white stuff others are already in full swing.  So if you want to take an early ski break this winter, why wait when you can be on the pistes  before the madness of the height of the season.  We have found five resorts located above 2000m that have what you want for an early ski break.

Each winter skiers and snowboarders are faced the options of deciding which ski resort to go, where they will have a good time and guarantee snow.  We have found eight destinations in Europe and America that will give you a winter break to remember. The is the slow, busy, traditional, modern and old depending on your taste and how you want to spend your winter break.

Nestled on the border between France and Spain, Andorra is an excellent ski destination, whether you are a pro or a first-timer, party animal or just want to take it easy on the slopes.  Whatever you want from your ski holiday, you’ll find it in Andorra.

HOTEL FARINET, VERBIER SWITZERLAND
Despite its exclusive reputation and sky-high prices, Verbier is still one of Switzerland’s most animated resorts.  Although it will never be cheap, these days it’s no longer all about paying 200CHF for bottles of vodka in over-rated nightclubs.  The main après-ski focus is at Hotel Farinent in a prime location close to the lifts.

FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDING CAMP WHISTLER, CANADA
If you want to ramp up your tricks and nail some extreme moves in one week, Core Snowboard Camps in Whistler are a pretty slick bet.  The Nintendo Terrain Park offers six parks of different levels, a superpipe and a snowcross track, and if that tops, hip jumps, spines, rails and fun boxes are your bag, Core's pro snowboarder coaches will show you the ropes. Groups are no bigger than four, and instructors use video analysis - as well as a degree of good-natured ribbing to show you the way.