Seasonal

Christmas markets are big business in Switzerland.  Almost all major and smaller cities start setting up festive stalls towards mid-November to bring locals and tourists alike into the much-needed Christmas spirit.  Whether you opt for a smaller or longer Christmas market, they are held mainly between mid-November and 24 December.  Some are open for weeks, some just for a couple of days.

Set between the bustling city of Frankfurt on the Main river and the peaceful hilltops of the Taunus, is the charming spa town of Bad Hamburg.  The area has a lot to offer in addition to its ideal location, is the perfect balance between tradition and modern.  Exhibitions and live concerts lure the culture enthusiasts while the town’s famous casino Bad Hamburg - since 1841, turns night into day for many.  You can enjoy its beautiful parks, visit Bad Hamburg’s historical Royal Day Spa, or you can go shopping in its many independent shops.

Each year on the fourth Monday of November, Switzerland’s capital city of Bern holds the Bern’s Zibelemärit (Onion Market), a very special folk festival.  The event draws farmers from the surrounding areas brining more than 50 tonnes of onions to Bern for this famous Zibelemärit.  From about 5am visitors, farmers and hundreds of stalls line the picturesque Old Town selling everything to do with onions and garlic.

Alberta’s skiing scene aside, there are plenty of other reasons to add a winter break to this Canadian province to your bucket list. From delicious food, nightlife and culture to other outdoor pursuits, there’s plenty on offer to make sure a holiday to here is one to remember – and we’ve rounded up just a few of our favourites. 

Keep your cool on an ice walk

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.

Experience Macedonia's Pristine Powder
Skiers looking for perfect powder, that fluffy, untouched stuff of dreams and snow that's all but guaranteed love Popova Sapka in northwest Macedonia, which one reviewer called "the Balkans' St Moritz".  Set at 1,700m up in the rounded peaks of the Dinaric Mountains, Popova is higher than most of its Eastern European competitors meaning good cover is pretty much a given from January to March (the town's simple, effective slogan is: 'We have snow').  No wonder, then that it's hosted both the European and Balkan Ski Championships along with the Sarplaninski Cup, which was launched at Popova in 1947.  Wide, open runs combined with plenty of incredible off-piste terrai and great value accommodation mean Popova is one of Eastern Europe's best kept ski destinations.

Yes, it’s that time of the year again when we fish out our furry boots and become amateur meteorologists in the hope there will be a decent covering of the white stuff, because one thing sure to ruin a wintery holiday is no snow.  One place where you don’t need to worry about snowfall, during winter and that is; The Kitzbuhel ski area in Tyrol, Austria.  This place is as powdery as it will ever gets, with an average 180 days of snow a year, making it the country’s first non-glacial ski area.

Tired of going to same place each and every Christmas?  Well we have found five destinations that you might like and enjoy. Whether you want to be in Europe, the States or down South, one of these will fit  your budget.  You can sleep in a hotel with a difference with the opportunity to see the Northern Lights or join an expedition down in Antarctica to learn more about penguin and do some Whale watching.

With the winter ski season coming, the craving for that soft white powdery piste is starting to kick in, and you might be thinking, where should I go? With so many options where can you go to get this year's fix  of adrenaline rush and the feeling of that fresh scripts wintery wind in your face as you ski down chosen run: blue, red or black. For this season we want you to set your sights beyond Val d’Isere, because we have a list of some weird and wonderful mountains from which to hurl yourself.

If you can’t wait to breathe in some clear, fresh mountain air, to marvel at the sun glistening off the snowy Alpine peaks and for that exhilarating thrill as you start to descend a perfect powdery piste...then don’t wait. Instead, head to Austria’s SalzburgerLand – renowned for its 2,500 kilometres of slopes – as the ski season is about to kick off with the largest winter opening party weekend in the Alps.