Deep Waters: How Grand Resort Bad Ragaz Taps Into The Source Of Life

While Vail is justly beloved for its skiing and snowboarding terrain, there’s much more to this Colorado mountain town than snow sports.

Colombia is expected to achieve “significant growth” in its cruise sector during the 2023-2024 season, according to officials at ProColombia, the country’s tourism promotion agency.

In a country with a staggering amount of vertical angles, the Swiss are practically born on skis. Even the dinkiest hamlet has a ski lift in the Alps, so the question is not so much where you can ski but how. Whether your idea of ski heaven is a remote log chalet or a party-hard resort, virgin or veteran, black run or blue, Switzerland has a slope to suit when the flakes fall in winter. 

Increasing the use of public transport and minimising car dependency are two significant ways to help Europe reach ambition climate and energy-saving targets. At the heart of achieving both is the continent's railways.

Nestled in the southeast corner of France near the Swiss border, the Savoy region has a cuisine that befits its alpine location. Visitors should expect hearty dishes, such as its famous tartiflette, a creamy baked gratin of potatoes, onions, lardons and reblochon cheese; and farcement, a sweet and savoury potato cake that contains both bacon rashers and fruit such a prunes or pears. 

Girl dinner doesn’t have to be basic. And if you know someone who indulges in girl dinner on a regular basis, this gift guide will help them make the most of doing the least, deliciously of course. Whether it’s specialty tinned fish, internationally sourced snacks, gourmet pasta or dishware that make girl dinner feel gourmet, these girl dinner gifts from around the world elevate the humble meal to a truly gift-worthy occasion.

From a luxurious, multi-day adventure through Peru to a short hop across the border from Switzerland to Italy, ­­these rail routes all have one thing in common — towering mountain views.

If you’ve got one European long-distance hike on your bucket list, it’s probably the Tour du Mont Blanc. It was on mine, too.

The Alps tend to tower to mind when you picture skiing in Europe, cutting across France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

The Austrian Alps are known for their visually dramatic walking trails. But equally alluring are the sumptuous spa-hotels where hikers can relax aching limbs in a maze of saunas and steam rooms, all scented with eucalyptus. And no spa is more labyrinthine than the radioactive caves I found myself (naked) in in Bad Gastein.

There’s been a rockslide somewhere in the Maurienne Valley, deep in the French Alps. By the time I’m due to set off on an intricately planned, early autumn European rail trip from London to Athens, nearly a week has passed since the incident. My intended path through France, Italy and then on to Greece via sea had relied on a connection from Lyon to Milan passing directly through this region. Now the route is out of action and it could be months before the railway tracks are dug out from the rubble. Initially, I’m irate. En route to the Eurostar terminal at London’s St Pancras at 6.30am, however, I encourage myself to think differently.

I've spent more than 100 hours on trains in the last two years, from 30-hour overnight rides to quick three-hour journeys.