Sports

Looking towards the north face of the Bec de Rosses, a fabled mountain in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier, I ask a friend whether the extreme skiers and boarders zoom down the left - or right-hand side of the mountains. "Neither," she replies, "they go down the middle".

'Simply not possible' is the first term that springs to mind. How anyone could navigate a slope that's so steep and so strewn with jagged rocks and cliffs, that it looks more suited to rock climbing than skiing or boarding, is beyond me.

Pristine snow-capped peaks spread out on all sides as the ski lift takes us higher and higher up into the French Alps. The mountains are grand, stunning and peaceful all at once, but stunning and peaceful all at once, but their impressive size is making me feel like a tiny ant beneath the Eiffel Tower. After all, these are some of the highest in Europe with 80 per cent of the ski area above 1800m.

I'm sitting outside a restaurant in France, 700ft up a mountainside and the winter sun is out.  Not so strange really, considering that this particular region of the Catalan Pyrenees receives over 300 days of sunshine every year.  It is, however, a region that has remained under wraps for years, enjoyed in the most part only by French and Spanish locals.

Winter sports heaven 

Font-Romeu and its sister resort, Les Angles, provide some spectacular winter sports activities at prices well below those of their more illustrious neighbours.

New Zealand is a country which thrives on adventure. Rugged mountain landscapes become off-piste playgrounds, sky-reflecting lakes turn into jet-boat race trackers while ice-blue glaciers open up for exhilarating exploration.  The Kiwis have made it possible to jump, drive, slide, roll, fly or hike through pretty much any part of the country's terrain - making it a wonderland for adrenaline seekers.

Do you dream of blissful beaches of white sand and lazy days spent stand-up paddle boarding in the surf? Perhaps you'd rather be sipping sundowners at a celebrity beach spot or shopping ' til you drop? Whether you want to tee off on a glamorous golf course or spot turtles on a snorkelling adventure, you can do it all in Florida.  It begins with the dazzling coastline, all 825 miles of it. You can take your pick from the beach towns, oh-so-cool cities and stretches of powdery sands.

Malaga. The coastline of Andalucía stretches for some 945 kilometres, from the border with Murcia on the Mediterranean to Portugal on the Atlantic. That's nearly 600 miles of spectacular sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, rocky coves and flat marshlands. Not all beaches are the same, though, and southern Spain certainly has variety.

The Canadian province of Alberta becomes a snow-filled wonderland when winter swings around.  Therefore, for an epic, picturesque and action-packed winter break that’s a little more far-flung than the same old haunts in the Alps, a trip out west to Canada is just the tonic for the snow-loving holidaymaker. Whether you live for the pistes, love a taste of après culture or just fancy warming your toes in front of the fire after a day out soaking up mountain air and the dramatic sights of the Canadian Rockies, the province of Alberta is a great place to do this.

Where are you having dinner tonight? Instead of trudging home to eat a takeaway in front of the TV, you could be enjoying a four-course meal in your cosy chalet in the French Alps with free-flowing wine (and no washing up after).  After a day on the slopes, you'll have worked up an appetite, so there is nothing more welcoming than a home-cooked meal along with some great conversation to get you in the mood to party.

It’s no coincidence that multiple films – including the star wars Han Solo spin-off, have been filmed on the Canary Islands. The Atlantic archipelago’s incredible landscapes are thanks to their volcanic heritage, which are still making waves 60 million years after emerging from the depths of the ocean. In fact, to this day, the most exciting activities across these islands of fire – from lava hikes to black sand beaches and Europe’s highest vineyards – are all volcanically inspired.

Upon first inspection, Dubai lives up to its reputation as a millionaires’ playground; it is chock-full of business folk impeccably turned out in Arab thawbs or designer labels, driving huge cars from one gleaming, gargantuan mall to the next. But while this futuristic city in the middle of the desert is great fun for those with money, it is also ideally set up for kids.