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Winning tip: make tracks for northern Sweden
Waking up to a pink Arctic sunrise over endless fir trees from my bunk on the overnight train from Stockholm to Abisko was the perfect start to a winter adventure. The STF Abisko Turiststation served as our base for every snow-related activity that you can imagine: I tried snowshoeing, husky sled driving and cross-country skiing. Equally enjoyable was warming up by one of the many fireplaces and gazing out at the beautiful frozen lake. And, due to the location where a climate phenomenon results in some of the clearest skies in Europe, it was also a wonderful place to watch the northern lights. Scandinavia is famously expensive but staying in the clean, comfortable dorm and cooking in the well-equipped kitchen helped with the costs.
Pippa
A budget ski break in Andorra
Last year, due to rising costs and a smaller budget, we decided to forgo the Alps for our annual week of skiing and hit the slopes of the Pyrenees in Andorra instead. We stayed in El Pas de la Casa, a lively ski resort with access to the wider Grandvalira ski area. The town was more concrete than chocolate-box, but the mountains were just as pretty, and we had more than 210km (130 miles) of runs to explore with modern lifts and minimal queues. The best part? The holiday cost almost half as much as the Alps.
Elliot Armstrong
Hot springs of the Cerdagne valley
North-west of Perpignan is the Cerdagne valley and Capcir, where you can find open-air hot spring baths from €6 per person. These are just a 20-minute drive from the various ski slopes, so you can work those quads in the morning, and then relax in the very healing warm waters in the afternoon. Bains de Dorres is a fabulous place. Also Bains de St Thomas, and Bains de Llo. There are also cheese farms for cow’s, goat’s and ewe’s cheese, as well as a great food culture in the local shops. For a place to stay try Camping l’Enclave, which has warm cabins in winter. You’ll need a good car with winter tyres and those things you put on the wheels in the snow/ice.
Magali
Snorkelling in an Icelandic marvel
Last winter I travelled to Iceland to snorkel in a deep fissure in Silfra, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates parted. With unbelievably clear water, the visibility is superb and it feels like floating through a narrow canyon. At around 2C (35F), it’s certainly nippy, but the dive companies provide all the equipment, including dry suits and safety gear. I didn’t want to get out, but having a hot tub back at the hostel was the perfect way to warm up afterwards.
Paula
Slovenia’s unspoilt scenery
Slovenia in winter is a wonderland of unspoilt mountainous scenery. We took the train all the way from Cornwall a few years ago, arriving at Lake Bohinj and the tiny ski resort of Vogel. On one of the few days we didn’t ski, we took a day trip to Lake Bled. The castle on an island in the middle of the lake was adorned with picturesque snow and backed by the local peaks. Bled felt like a mix of touristy hotels and cafes, and a place where locals spend their weekends relaxing after a week of commuting to Ljubljana. A walk around the lake is recommended, as is a trip to the local ice rink, where we were lucky enough to catch an impressive game of ice hockey expertly played by the local teenagers.
Layla
A magical Val d’Isère Christmas
Val d’Isère has long been our favourite ski holiday resort. The pretty village lights up magically in the evening after a day on the slopes. At a sunny cafe-bar we rewarded ourselves with oysters and prosecco. We also sipped the local génépi firewater while the kids snowboarded. An unforgettable light show was put on one evening when the instructors zigzagged their way down into the village. The fireflies in the distance became real people joining in the fun as Santa arrived.
David
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Trekking through Dracula country
Trekking on foot in Transylvania – with its Carpathian mountains backdrop, gothic castles, Saxon villages and horse-drawn carts – was a brilliant activity for my family last December. This is Dracula country, and the medieval city of Sighișoara is a must-visit. It is perched on top of a 200ft-high rock, with imposing towers and fairytale turrets, enhancing the wintertime vampire vibe. Try a night at the Hotel of Ice at Lake Balea, and keep some garlic at hand – just in case.
Yasmin
Stargazing in Hella
A winter trip to Iceland last year treated me to remote plains, ice-crisp air, clear skies and a surreal celestial experience. A local tipped me off about Hella. It is, my companion claimed, the best place to see the northern lights and star formations. They were right. Hella’s crystalline skies were perfect for a week of stargazing. The Rangá Observatory astronomers gave me a guided tour across the cosmos for £10 a night as they traced stars, planets and the mystical ribbons of green light dancing across the dark wintery skies. I finished my winter week there with a few sessions in the hot tub at the Hotel Rangá.
Nigel
A sub-zero Swedish wonderland
It’s worth breaking the bank to stay overnight in Sweden’s Icehotel. We transferred from Kiruna airport to Jukkasjärvi sat astride a low sled being pulled by 20 vociferous racing huskies. The excellent dinner in the main hotel included Arctic char and finished with iced desserts served on ice plates. Fortified by the Icebar, we wiggled into thick sleeping bags and a bed covered in reindeer skin. Each suite is uniquely carved, and ours had an ice telephone box. Despite the -5C (23F) temperature we slept well, until we were woken with hot lingonberry juice. An unforgettable experience.
Helen Jackson