Ski holidays tend to require a bit more planning than a lot of other types of vacation, which may just be a case of booking flights and accommodation. On top of your travel and living arrangements you need to consider whether you need to shire ski equipment, what specific ski passes or lift passes you’ll need, the specific facilities the resort you’re intending to stay at offers, and which ski schools are best for your kids. Below is a more specific look into each factor to help make each step of the planning process a little easier.

Resort

Whilst there are many great skiing locations in the world, the resorts in the French Alps are some of the best. Places such as Les Arcs, La Plagne, Tignes and Val D’Isère are fantastic for both beginner and experienced skiers. These resorts also offer great accommodation and facilities for you to relax and kick back after an exhilarating day on the slopes. Each one is a little different, so be sure to do a bit of research into each before choosing which one takes your fancy.

Val D’Isère, France by Andreas Bjärlestam

Accommodation: Communal or self-catered?

Like with any holiday, finding the best accommodation for the best price is half the battle. With ski holidays, the particular resort you’re planning on staying at may dictate the type of accommodation you can book. However most resorts, particularly in the French Alps, have a variety of accommodation types to choose from. Catered accommodation with communal dining may be a great way to meet other families on holiday, and allows you a break from the everyday cooking for your family you do when you’re at home. However self-catered chalets offer a bit more privacy and you may find this suits you a bit more.

Equipment Hire

If this is your first time booking a ski holiday, you won’t likely have your own set of skis. You may however be a seasoned pro, and are planning your kids’ first outing on the slopes. Either way, you’ll want to consider hiring equipment once you’re at the resort. Be sure to do your research into this prior to setting off on your vacation, as once you’re out there you may panic and hire the first set of skis you can find, opening yourself up to a potentially bad deal. Booking this in advance can save you a lot of trouble and give you peace of mind that you don’t need to worry about it once you arrive.

Ski Passes/Lift Passes

So you’ve chosen the resort you like the look of, booked your chalet and organised the hiring of equipment. But you’re not done yet! Don’t forget that if you’re planning on doing any skiing while you’re at the resort, you’ll need ski and lift passes. Do a bit of research into the resort you’re staying at, and make sure you know which areas your passes give you access to.

French Alps by genevieveromier

Ski Schools

Family ski holidays can be great fun, but if you’re a more experienced skier you might get a little bored hanging around the nursery slopes while the kids learn the basics. Some resorts have a few really good ski schools available for kids, where they will enjoy learning on the easier slopes, and can meet other kids their age. More importantly you get the freedom to spread your wings and try your hand at some of the tougher and more exciting slopes in the resort. Again whilst there are some great ski schools out there, not all of them are top class, so be sure to research them, read reviews etc. before committing.

Author Bio
This post was written on behalf of Rental Republic: a ski and snowboard hire company operating in a number of resorts in the French Alps. Their team of experts deliver the ski and snowboard equipment right to your chalet, and also provide free fitting.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by sacratomato_hr

Oberstdorf is the gateway to the five ski areas (Nebelhorn, Söllereck, Fellhorn / Kanzelwand, Ifen, Walmendingerhorn) which together have “only” 50 km of slopes, but this may just be ideal for a long weekend.

Right above the city rises 2224 metres high mountain of Nebelhorn with the skiing season lasting until May. It is a good place for snowboarders and freestyle enthusiasts. On the other side, six kilometers from the city you can get into the main and largest site of Fellhorn / Kanzelwand that overflows to the Austrian valley Kleinwalsertal. It offers a nice mix of shorter and longer rugged trails with modern comfortable lifts.

Söllereck and Ifen offers rather easier descents and are suitable especially for families with children. The smallest of the local centres is Walmendingerhorn primarily offering a unique experience of skiing in deep snow.

Oberstdorf is naturally very attractive, from Nebelhorn you can enjoy amazing views of 400 Alpine peaks.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by BildSpracheundCo.de

Fares are different in each of five centres, e.g. one-day ski pass to Nebelhorn will cost €37.50 for adults and €14 for children. In the centre of Ifen you will pay €32 for adults and €14 for children.

Oberstdorf ski resort offers all kinds of services at the highest level including spa and wellness activities, rich cultural program and great restaurants and bars. Right on the slopes you will find children’s areas, fun parks, several snowboard parks and a range of extreme sports. Practically under each lift you will find parking place, but you can travel by skibus for free. In addition, a resort offers the longest downhill slope in Germany.

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Photo by Zugspitze.de

The resort in the valley of Loisach river offers a completely ideal ski conditions and hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1936, World Cup in downhill skiing in 1978, FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2011 and many others. It is ideal both for lovers of challenging downhill skiing as well as cross-country skiers. In addition, Garmisch-Partenkirchen resort offers a skating track, slopes for alpine skiing and other winter sports.

Popular resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is divided into two areas; Garmisch Classic and Zugspitze.

Garmisch Classic has 40 kilometers of slopes at an altitude ranging from 700m to 2050m and consists of winding slopes leading below the peaks Hausberg, Kreuzjoch and Osterfelderkopf. Here you find both family slopes and killer black slope called Kandahar, which is the most difficult slope of all in the area.

Slopes on the Zugspitze glacier are situated at an altitude ranging from 2050m – 2962m and are mostly red, nicely rugged. The peak of the highest German mountain offers spectacular views over the surrounding Alpine peaks. Since this area is situated on the glacier, it provides a good snow conditions from November to May

Photo by Zugspitze.de

Ski pass prices and opening hours
You can buy Top Snow Card which allows you to use the extended range of up to 87 lifts in 215 km of slopes in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen resort and the wider area. Two-day ticket costs €72,50 for adults and €43,50 for children from 6 to 15 years. Seven-day card costs €218 and €131 for children.

The area also offers a top-level service and luxury hotels and atmosphere of a real mountain resort. You can find here also a ski school, rental equipment and a variety of wellness services.

For further information visit Zugspitze.de.

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One of the best preserved and maintained monuments is a fortress Talao (Torre Talao). It offers a great view of miles of beaches and cliffs.

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In the historical center of town you can see a Norman castle from 11th century, monastery, ruins of Judas tower, Palazzo dei Principi from 13th century, Church of San Nicola in Plateis from the 8th century, Palazzetto Normanno from 12th century, a former prison Cimalonga tower from 15th century and many more.

You can see here a lot of exotic plants. For example, cedar. The whole region was named right after this slow-growing tree as Cedar Riviera. The tree grows up to a height of 40 to 60 meters with a trunk diameter of 80-200 centimetres.

If you don’t find something you are looking for right in Scalea, then go to the neighboring national park – Parco Nazionale del Pollino. Here you can see another amount of plants as well as protected animals, caves and several gorges, such as Argentino River Valley, the gap in Lao or Romito cave with the pre-historic graffiti.

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The history of the city and its monuments
The first mention of the town Bovec dates back to the 11th century. Perhaps the most valuable historical monument in the town of Bovec is the Church of St. Leonard from 15th century, which has recently been renovated. Other sights of the city were extensively damaged during the World War I. As the memory of this period there is a museum dedicated to objects of the World War I, situated right in the city centre.

Sports activities and excursions into the beautiful natural attractions
Bovec is mainly a winter resort but also an important starting point for many hiking trails leading trough the Julian Alps. A ski resort is situated on the slopes of Kanin mountain (2587). Even in summer the local lift is in operation. You shouldn’t miss a tour to the nearby waterfall Boka, which is – with its height of 1000 meters – one of the highest waterfalls in Slovenia. It is located 5.5 km from the town of Bovec. In summer you can additionally try here such as canoeing, rafting on the emerald-green Soča River, skydiving, horseback riding, playing tennis and fishing, or even hang-gliding from the Bovec airport.

Tourist information
There are many accommodation facilities in the town of Bovec. In addition to guest houses and hotels there is also a campsite available. You can use the post office, pharmacy, wellness center and ski services as well.

To Bovec you can get using air transport. The nearest international airport is located in Ljubljana. Another option is by bus or car. Train connections are not possible here.

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Sandy beaches on the southern coast of Cyprus are very popular among tourists already for years. There are lots of young people coming here every summer. Cyprus’ beaches are traditionally evaluated very positively. The coast slowly descends into the warm turquoise water. The crystal clear sea is suitable for the lovers of water sports – here you can try paragliding or riding on water skis, or diving.

Until the late 18th century, the only inhabitants on the island were monks from the local monastery. The monastery was built specifically as a home for sacred icon, which according to legend, should appear to hunters during hunting. Just after almost two centuries, about twenty civilians moved to the area and founded the city, in the middle of which you can find a monastery.

Nature around Ayia Napa is beautiful, there are also many cultural and historical monuments and archaeological sites and beautiful churches.

How to get here
During the summer season you can take a ferry from the Greek island of Rhodes or the city of Piraeus and Turkish Tasuku. It can be reached by air, Ayia Napa is located about 50 kilometers from the airport in Larnaca.

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The area of today’s town was settled by The Livs (Livonians) already in 2000BC. The Livs lived here until the 12th century when they build several wooden forts on the tops of the local hills. At the beginning of the 13th century they were not able to resist against German raids and left. In 1207 the land on the right bank of the river Gauja belonged to the bishop of Riga and the left bank to the Knights of Sword Order. Both sides have built castles Satezele (later destroyed) and Segewald in important places, which should protect them from the opponent. From the name of the second castle – Segewald is probably derived the present name of Sigulda.

In the period from the 16th to 18th century Sigulda underwent a number of wars, but the decline of this medieval city was noticeable already during Livonian Wars. The first one who conquered the castle Segewald was Ivan the Terrible. Sigulda fell to the Swedes in 1601 for a short time, who completely burnt it down during the retreat. Due to constant unrest and fighting Sigulda almost disappeared from the earth’s surface. The life returned back here in 1625 when the whole area fell to the Russians. Great development came up with the construction of the railway Riga – Valka – Pskov in 1889. In 1928 it was registered as a town of Sigulda and increasingly becoming a place where the rich families moved from St. Petersburg and Warsaw.

The recreation potential was not discovered until 1920-1930 – in a time of independent Latvian state. In 1935 there were registered 375 rental vacation homes in Sigulda. During the World War II many monuments and houses were destroyed and burnt. Recovery occurred during the Soviet domination between 1950 and 1962. The city gradually became a regional hub again. Today the town of Sigulda with 11,000 inhabitants is a small spa resort and also an important winter sports center. There is a short ski slopes with ski lifts and groomed trails. The river will satisfy all lovers of water sports, you can try also rafting here.

The main attractions of Sigulda are the ruins of Segewald castle on the northeastern outskirts of the town. From its walls you can enjoy a beautiful view of the other side of the valley, where is located Archbishop’s castle Turaida built of red bricks in 1214.

The nearby Gauja National Park was established in 1973. It covers an area of ​​917 km2 and is divided into five functional zones. Its most valuable parts are the reservations, in which tourists are not allowed. Under high protection is also the Gauja River valley, which together with the valleys of its tributaries, create a very nice landscape feature. Also, from a geological point of view it is a very interesting area.

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The spa is located in a quiet Upper Austrian spa town of Bad Schallerbach, about 45 km from the city of Linz.

Curative treatments and massages
Rare hot spring is used mainly for curative procedures. Bad Schallerbach Spa offers baths with a wide and exclusive range of massages from all around the world in the uniquely decorated relaxation rooms. In addition to the traditional medical massages you can also choose Asian, African or even Australian massages associated with aromatherapy and herbal wraps. Among 17 types of massages from around the world you can find favorite Japanese Shiatsu, Turkish Hamam or African Vunkuwa.

Water World and Aquapark
Eurotherme Bad Schallerbach includes a swimming pool with sea waves, 109 m long wild river, water canyon, high-speed water slide “Kamikaze” or multimedia water enjoyment “Starlight Express”, which unites the world of water, music and colors.

For children under 5 years there is specially adapted mini water park “Aquamundus”.

In the garden area there is available sandy “Happy Park”, with many climbing frames, sandpits and slides. Wonderful water park Aquapulco with the atmosphere of tropical Caribbean offers rich opportunities for children and adults – regardless of the weather.

Area “Relaxium”
Area “Relaxium” combines indoor sauna paradise on 1,500 m2 and outdoor saunas on 3,500 m2, which are designed in the style of mountain villages with thermal lakes. For your relaxation, there is a total number of 20 variously equipped spaces. Whirlpool in the heart of Relaxium, waterfall, hot spring cave “Grotta Mare” with highly salty water like the Dead Sea and relaxation space “Musicarium” with heated beds, headphones with relaxing music and the effect of a starry sky. That’s just few things you can enjoy in this great Spa resort!

Colorama
Absolutely unique is the attraction “Colorama”. This relaxing spa section uses color therapy knowledge, with proven effects of colours on the well-being. Surrounded by slowly alternating colored lights you can relax in the indoor or outdoor pool with massage benches, beds and pavement, or enjoy views of the park area or of the illuminated “Colorama” forest.

Hotel Paradiso
You can stay at comfortable modern four star hotel “Paradiso” which is directly connected to the spa area. Rooms are equipped in accordance with the atmosphere of the spa. The hotel has a restaurant offering culinary specialties and a bar. The hotel is surrounded by rich greenery, floral gardens in the style of the southern sea, alleys and trails for jogging and spaces for gymnastics in nature. The hotel is also equipped with highly modern facilities for seminars and conferences, smaller or even greater range of up to 700 participants.

For further details you can visit official website of Eurothermen Resort Bad Schallerbach.

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