5 best ski resorts in Europe

Whether you live in or outside of Europe, finding a ski resort that suits you can be overwhelming. Perhaps you want guaranteed snow, decent variety of accommodation and chalets, or getting the right mix of skiing, relaxation and partying. Is it family-friendly, are the pistes challenging or for beginners? Well, we’ve put together our top 5 ski resorts in Europe to help.

Most reliable

There is nothing more disappointing than heading to a ski resort and finding that there’s not enough snow. Val d’Isere, situated in the French alps is well known for being one of the most reliable resorts in Europe for snow cover. With its two glaciers, Val d‘Isere is any skier’s paradise and has a vast array of cruising pistes which cover almost 25 acres.

Although skiing is the focus of this European ski resort, the Folie Douce will bring you a fantastic après ski experience, so there are plenty of places to play hard too.

Best for scenery

If you’re looking for stunning views Zermatt in Switzerland definitely wins the award for being the most scenic, for it’s view of the famous Matterhorn mountain. What makes it really unique, is its ban on cars, meaning you can escape the traffic and pollution and really appreciate the fresh alpine air and quietness.

During the winter months, Zermatt provides 220 miles of slopes, which is enough to ski to Italy if you wanted, as the area is linked to Breuil-Cervinia across the border.

Best apres-ski vibe

For many, selecting a European skiing destination is more about the après-ski parties than the skiing itself. These days, many ski resorts in Europe during the winter months can be as crazy as Ibiza is in the summer!

If you fancy knocking back a load of Jägermeister, while dancing in your ski boots with your fellow skiers, then head to St. Anton, Austria. Due to its well-deserved reputation for after parties, St. Anton usually attracts a younger crowd and has a large variety of bars to choose from, both in the village itself and on the slopes, where music blares over the mountains.

And if you ever manage to actually get your skis on, St. Anton has over 160 miles of slopes, with plenty of variety for beginners, as well as for the more advanced skiers, so you won’t be disappointed.

Best choice of pistes

Les Trois Vallees in France is one of the largest skiing areas in the world and consists of three different ski resorts: Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens. It consists of 600 kilometres of piste, 293 runs, two snowboard parks and 185 ski lifts, and the best time to go is earlier in the season to avoid queues!

If you’re looking for a family-friendly resort, Meribel is the place to go. It has been voted the best family resort in the Wold Ski Awards!

Best day trip resort

For those living in Europe and looking for a day trip, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is only an hour’s drive from Munich, Germany. The town is perfect for day visits, as it’s both very easily accessible and reasonably priced. The train from Munich provides fantastic deals on tickets to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and ski pass prices are also relatively inexpensive, so it’s not a problem if you’d like to return for another day.

Skiers and snowboarders of every ability can count on 15 miles of freshly groomed slopes.

source: aluxurytravelblog.com

5 tips to Summer enjoy the Fiji Islands with kids - Geotrips

5 tips to enjoy the Fiji Islands with kids

Deciding whether to ‘go island’ or stay on the mainland was probably our hardest decision when planning a trip to Fiji Island with kids.

Part of me wanted a “stranded on a deserted island” kind of holiday but the other part of me knew that I could quickly go a bit mad just staring at the coral all day.

In the end, we decided to stick to the mainland and do some day trips out to the Fiji islands. Our reasons for sticking to the shore were many and varied, but included:

1. Arriving in Fiji after a plane trip with three kids we were quite sure we wouldn’t fancy hopping straight on a boat, no matter the destination.
2.  The idea of spending a night on the mainland and then heading out was appealing, but we wanted to arrive and be settled, not enjoy ourselves for a night and turn around and pack again in the morning. 
3. As much as a ‘do nothing’ beach holiday appealed, the idea of being stuck in a resort, even a luxury one, for over a week did not.

Our choice to stay on Denarau Island was the right one for us and we really made the most of it.
Here are some of the highlights of what we got up to.

1. Resort hopping

There are lots of signs saying “hotel guests only”, but we still had a ball catching the Bula Bus around the 7 resorts it stopped at and jumping in the hotel pool.

To feel less guilty, we made sure we enjoyed morning tea or lunch or afternoon tea (and even dinner one night at the Westin) while we were there. A top tip if you’re planning a little Bula Bus pool hopping is to take your own towels to Fiji so you don’t stick out with the wrong hotel towel.


Incidentally, the most family friendly pools on Denarau were the Sofitel or Blu Raddison.

The only trouble with both of them was line-of-sight: there were a lot of crevices to lose a kid in at both of these pools so you need to be on high alert at all times.

For a ‘relax in your armchair and see the whole pool’ experience – definitely my preference when you have young kids in tow – the Hilton is far preferable.

2. Mud bathing

The Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool is a very family-bonding sort of experience.

The kids loved getting coated in the thermal mud and we parents loved the hot baths to wash it off in. It’s a very basic set up, but it’s so relaxing once you get into the hot bath that you quickly forget you’re basically swimming in a mud hole in the middle of nowhere.

We swam in the baths for a good couple of hours and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Incidentally, a visit to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant was really worth a side trip – it’s not far from the mud pool.

3. Kava drinking

You can take an organised tour to an ‘authentic Fijian village’ to participate in a kava ceremony, or you can become friends with some of the staff at your resort and be invited home to their village to meet their chief.

We managed the latter and we had an immersive afternoon buying kava at the local markets to take as a gift to the chief and then driving out to get to know the friendly people who live in the village of Nawaka, just outside of Nadi.

4. Island dreaming

We took two day trips from Denarau Marina to two very different islands.

The first was a trip out to Savala Island on the Oolala Cruise by Storck Cruises. Savala is a deserted island with just a shade structure and amenities for visitors who snorkel, paddle board, canoe and swim in the pristine waters for the day.

I opted for a massage in an open-air hut and it was such a delightful experience with the lapping of waves almost drowning out my children calling, “Mum, MUUUUM, where’s Mum?” every five minutes. Ah, kids, huh?

Though the day spent on the island was blissful, the best bit about the Oolala cruise was the trip in the boat there and back. The cruise is staffed with the chirpiest fellows you can imagine who are just fantastic with a song and their guitars.

I couldn’t imagine a nicer way to spend an afternoon than zipping along the Fijian waters belting out “Wichita Linesman” with a glass of not-too-bad wine in my hand – it’s true these guys are slightly obsessed with American country music, but you can’t have everything.

Our second island trip was with South Sea Cruises to Treasure Island.

It was a complete contrast to Savala as the ship was large and so was the island. Treasure Island resort which hosted us for the day was quite run down, but set in paradise nonetheless.

The snorkelling around the island is unbelievable and my son was very taken with the resident turtles and water trampoline. Still, I was very glad we hadn’t opted to stay here for an entire week as there just wasn’t enough to do.

5. City walking

I’m sure many people would be happy to laze at their beautiful Fijian resort for a week or more and I honestly wish I was one of them (I’m quite sure my family wishes I was too!), but I’m not.

I love to relax as much as the next person, but I’m far too curious to stay put for long. Which is why I dragged the family around the markets and streets of Nadi, meeting the locals, taking pictures and generally trying to soak up what life in Fiji is really like.

Nadi is a bustling, friendly sort of city but it would be a real eye-opener for many Aussie children and mine were no different.

We had many interesting, philosophical discussions about the nature of wealth and what it is in life that makes us truly rich people.

The kids were very quick to note how happy the Fijian kids were, even though they didn’t seem to have much.

“They’re rich with piles of friendship instead of money,” my daughter pointed out. I’d say that’s the sign of a very good holiday indeed.

Do you have any tips for travel to the Fiji Islands with kids? So contact us via Phone: 0121 238 3333 or Email:  info@geotrips.co.uk

source: ytravelblog.com/fiji-islands-for-families

The most beautiful beaches in Europe enjoy with Geotrips

Are you ready to discover the most beautiful beaches in Europe? Here is a selection of the best beaches for relaxing, partying or simply walking. Discover the top beaches in Europe. Take a look at our selection of the most beautiful beaches of the European coastline. Pack your bathing suits, your sunglasses, do not forget the sunscreen, and discover those heavenly beaches.

  

Virgin Island's Creek

Brittany - France

With its Mediterranean beach-like setting and maritime pines, the natural cove of Île Vierge (Virgin Island), also known as Point of Saint Hernot, is a surprising and unusual place in Brittany. Come and discover all of the aspects of this unique natural gem by boat, kayak, on foot via the GR34 trail or with flippers/mask/snorkel. Right from the start, it's completely worth it! Be careful, the entrance to the beach is a little steep. 

Egremni beach

Madeira - Portugal

Egremni is a remote beach located on the south-western coast of the Ionian island of Lefkada, north-western Greece. Since the creation of a sealed road during the mid-1990s, this remote beach has become one of the premier tourist destinations on the island, and in Europe as a whole. Book your stay at Lefkada at the best price guaranteed as well as your best activities in Greece.

Scopello beach

Sicily

Elegant beaches with bathing establishments alternate with cliffs, luxuriant maquis and ancient watchtowers. The coast of Scopello surprises us with the amazing shapes of its cliffs and the rugged nature that announces the nearby Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro.

Cala Macarelleta

Menorca - Spain

Menorca is the werstern island of the balearic archipel. This is the second island in term of surface after Mallorca. In 1993, Menorca was given by the UNESCO the distinction of "Reserve of Biosphere". Menorca is wonderfull island, with emeralds beaches, and an always blue sky (more than 300 days of sunshine per year). Book your hotel, guesthouse, B&B, at the best price guaranteed in Menorca as well as your best activities as a 2-hour sunset boat trip. 

Sarakiniko beach

Milos Island - Greece

Sarakiniko beach is exceptional. Travellers will be amazed by this unique beach in the world. It can be reached by sea or road. The place is crowded but if you walk a few metres ahead you will discover nice quiet spots. Come enjoy a dream holiday in an incredible setting and book your hotel, guesthouse, B&B at the best price on Milos island. You would like to spend the night on the spot? Book a Tours at "Luxury Travel" the Travel services are bright and modern.

source: europeanbestdestinations.com