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| Picture Postcard Ski Resorts |
Where are the world’s best top ten picture postcard ski resorts? Well here are the one’s we think rank in the top ten.
Kitzbuhel, Austria
A most charming walled, medieval town in the Tyrol, painted with delicate frescoes and set against the magnificent backdrop of the Wilder Kaiser mountain range.
The pedestrianised precinct within the town walls is lined with boutiques. You can ride to the top of the Hahnenkamm by gondola for lunch. The resort also has an excellent swimming pool complex.
Bad Gastein, Austria
Bad Gastein houses a casino and a collection of once-grand hotels painted mostly in the imperial yellow of Vienna’s Schonbrunn Palace. Johann Strauss and Franz Schubert both composed here.
Some 23 million litres of hot water bubble up each day from 17 natural springs and are piped into all the main hotels.
Cortina d’Amprezzo, Italy
This smart little town in the Dolomites merits a place on the podium for Worlds Most Attractive Ski Resort. At sunset the craggy rock faces of Monte Cristallo turn a delicate shade of pink.
You can skate, shop, bobsleigh and visit the worlds only Co-op with marble floors and designer clothes.
Levi, Finland
The ski resort of Levi lies in the Artic Circle, a two-hour drive from the Lapp capital of Rovaniemi. It is a magical place for a winter snow holiday. From November to January the sun fails to make an appearance above the horizon, and the day passes in gentle twilight. By contrast, spring days last much of the 24 hours.
There are 230 km of cross-country trails, reindeer and dog-sledding, ice-fishing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. You might even see the Northern Lights.
Wengen, Switzerland
Wengen, together with the neighbouring Murren and Grindelwald, is the Edwardian birthplace of ski tourism. It is also car-free.
Gaze up at the majestic peaks of the Eiger, Monsch, and Jungfrau. You can take the train to Kleine Scheidegg for lunch. There are plenty of scenic walks, a skating rink, and a 4km toboggan-run back to the village from Wengernalp.
Courmayeur, Italy
The heart of the old village below the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel is a maze of cobbled alleyways. It is largely traffic-free and lined with fashion boutiques, delicatessens and antique shops.
There is plenty of scenic cross-country skiing at Val Ferret. Take the cable car to Plan Checrouit for lunch. Practice your golf on snow at the driving range which is at the first stage of the Mont Blanc cable car.
Saas Fee, Switzerland
A delightfully unspoilt ski resort set against one of the most dramatic glacial backdrops. Its narrow streets are lined with modern hotels interspersed with ancient barns and chalets.
Take a trip up the worlds highest underground funicular, the Metro Alpin, and with the top lift at 3600m, snow cover is virtually guaranteed throughout the year. If time permits, why not visit the ice museum inside a crevasse.
St-Martin-de-Belleville, France
This ancient cheese-making village in the Trois Vallees is an attractive contrast to Val Thorens and Les Menuires, its purpose-built neighbours. You can still buy fresh milk and cheese from the farmhouse door.
Go for long walks and absorb the rural atmosphere of this superb ski resort. Val Thorens has an indoor tennis arena, and an ice-driving circuit.
Alpbach, Austria
Alpbach is an attractive, traditional ski resort on a steep hillside in the heart of the Tyrol. It dates back to the 10th century. In recent years, new buildings have been kept to such an absolute minimum that only Alta in Utah can match it for retro-chic.
Enjoy long walks, toboggan rides and sleigh rides from the village, and have lunch at the Hornboden.
Telluride, Colorado, U.S.
Butch Cassidy brought fame to this old mining town in Colorado when he robbed his first bank here in 1889. During the gold-rush, it was home to 5,000 prospectors. The town has a speed limit of 10 m.p.h., and cars give way to pedestrians!
Browse the shops and explore the historic buildings. Ride the gondola to the modern mountain village, indulge in spa treatments at Peaks Resort.
(By Peter Hardy, Daily Mail)
So if you are looking to hire a ski chalet or apartment this winter, try looking at what this selection of picture postcard ski resorts have to offer
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