Europe: winter sports for all!

Great routes for cross-country skiing

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Switzerland: Goms. If in the north-eastern Valais skiers are in the landscape, they probably can not decide between the many cross-country trails: Sonnenloipe? Forest trail? There is even a canine and a night trail here, in the valley between Rhône-Quelle and Grengiols, between snowy larch forests and hamlets (Goms Tourismus, Furkastr., CH-3984 Fiesch, Tel. 00 41/27/970 10 70, Fax 970 10 75, www.goms.ch).

Germany: Resin. For North Germans a great alternative to the Alps and the Black Forest: Sankt Andreasberg, the highest mountain town in the north (600 to 900 meters) with seven cross-country trails in different levels of difficulty and one exclusively for skating. 44 kilometers in white (spa and bath St. Andreasberg, Am Kurpark 9, 37444 St. Andreasberg, Tel. 055 82/803 36, Fax 803 39, www.sankt-andreasberg.de).



Poland: Jakuszyce. No wonder if there is enough snow in Jakuszyce. Because he belongs to the Polish winter sports capital Szklarska Poreba. There, in the Giant Mountains, the white blanket is safe until spring. There are trails for everyone, from beginners to advanced skiers. Total distance: 100 kilometers (tourist information Szklarska Poreba, ul. Jednosci Narodowej 1a, PL-58580 Szklarska Poreba, tel. 00 48 75/75/477 40, fax 477 42, www.szklarskaporeba.pl).

Slovenia: Pokljuka. Those who want to experience a winter wonderland are right on the Pokljuka Plateau: dense fir forests, covered in snow and surrounded by the Julian Alps. , , The plateau (1300 meters) in north-western Slovenia is known for its beauty - and for some years also for biathlon competitions. The best way to reach it is from Bled, a 5,500-seater village by a lake (Bled Tourist Office, Cesta svobode 10, SI-4260 Bled, Tel. 00 38 64/574 11 22, Fax 574 15 55, www.bled. si).

Estonia: Otepää. The 2,500-inhabitant town is known as Estensteins as the "winter capital", the area in the south of the country as "Switzerland of the Baltic". The reason: the Große Eierberg, with 318 meters the highest elevation in the three Baltic States. The forest, lakes and hills are ideal for cross-country skiing and hiking (Otepää Visitor Center, Tartu mnt 1, Otepää, EE-67404, Tel. 003 72/766 12 00, www.otepaa.ee or www.visitestonia.com).



The most beautiful scenery for snowshoeing

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Finland: Bear round.If you want to hike through the Oulanka National Park on snowshoes, you should be fit. About 50 kilometers long, the route is divided into frozen lakes and white powder areas, divided into five stages, with overnight stays in huts without running water and electricity. Luggage and provisions are used by huskies in Pulkas. Dates in March and April. One week incl. VP, transfers, guide, seven overnight stays from 990 Euro per person (Nordland Touristik, Scheibenstraße 3, 87435 Kempten, Tel. 08 31/521 59 28, www.nordlandtouristik.de).

Austria: Tannheim valley.A classic for beginners with a marvelous alpine panorama: Between alpine pastures and woodland, it goes over two intermediate peaks on the Schönkahler (from Zöblen on the road towards Einstein run and on serpentines up to Oberhalde). Continue to Wieseler Berg (1465 meters), over the plateau of the old court to the north back of the Pirschling with a detour to its summit (1634 meters). Finally, the final spurt on the Schönkahler peak (1688 meters). Detailed description and further routes in the book "light snowshoe tours between the Allgäu and Kitzbühel Alps" (Bruckmann Verlag, 19,90 Euro).





The best places for winter hiking

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Germany: Oberstdorf. Man does not build the most beautiful ice palaces, but nature: The river Breitach rushes thundering into the depths, spraying water droplets that adhere to the rock walls. Together with rivulets they freeze to bizarre ice formations and transform the Breitachklamm into an open-air castle. Open daily from 9am to 4pm, admission adults 3 Euro, children 1,50 Euro (Tel. 083 22/48 87, www.breitachklamm.com).

Italy: Meraner Land. In the Nordic Walking Park near Schenna there are routes in different levels of difficulty, three are walkable in winter, the lightest is just under four, the toughest almost ten kilometers long. Attractions along the way: Round church of St. Georgen with beautiful frescoes, the castles Goyen and Vernau, inns to stop. Tours with coach through the tourist office (Archduke Johann Platz 1 / D, I-39017 Schenna, Tel. 00 39/04 73/94 56 69, Fax 94 55 81, www.schenna.com).

Germany: Schwangau.Anyone who wants to see deer must be quiet and punctual: from mid-December to the end of March, hundreds of animals are fed on a clearing on Vogelberg.In order for the red deer to venture out of the thicket to the apple, hay and beet heap, perfect rest must prevail. To be experienced daily at 15 o'clock, one should be there until 14.30 o'clock (Tourist Information, Münchener Str. 2, 87645 Schwangau, Tel. 083 62/819 80, Fax 81 98 25, www.schwangau.de).

Switzerland: Bernese Oberland. First, you pack all the ingredients for a cheese fondue in the backpacks in the dairy Schönried, then it is first sweat: on the fondue trail. The cable car takes you to the Rellerligrat, from the mountain station on easy hiking trails via the Hugeligrat to the idyllic Fonduehüttli, where the feast is prepared (Dairy Schönried, CH-3778 Schönried, Tel. 00 41/33/744 12 82, Fax 744 89 83, www.fondueweg.ch).

The most beautiful areas for ice skating in the city

Above the roofs of Vienna. Ice skating is a tradition in the district of Hernals, on a flat department store roof in Austria's capital. Because the oldest open-air ice rink will be celebrating its 100th birthday in 2009. Even skating world champions trained on the surface with a view, but it is usually the people in the area who turn their rounds in the winter (day ticket from 6.50 euros, Syringgasse 6-8, www.engelmann.co.at). Noble Alternative: Schlossterrasse Wilhelminenberg (Savoyenstrasse 2, Tel. 00 43/1/48 58 50 30, www.austria-trend.at/Hotel-Schloss-Wilhelminenberg).

On the city lake of Budapest. In winter, the lake in the Budapest City Park is not only for Sunday strollers, but especially for the skaters. As early as 1869, the first skating rink of the metropolis was opened here, later European championships were held there. No wonder with this fairytale backdrop in front of Vajdahunyad Castle. Open daily, get up early on the weekend: big crowd! (Budapest Tourism Bureau, Március 15. tér 7, 1056 Budapest, 00 36/1/438 80 80, www.budapestinfo.hu).

In the winter city Eindhoven. The coolest city in the Netherlands is definitely Eindhoven. At least from 4 December 2009 to 3 January 2010, when the Festival "Winterstadt Eindhoven" (www.eindhovenwinterstad.nl) will once again take place in the festively lit center. There is not only an ice skating rink, but also a Christmas market, a ramp for snowboarders and lots of glittering works of art: ice sculptures by artists from all over the world.

At the foot of the Tower of London. The British are always said to be stiff, but they are actually quite agile, seen from about mid-November, when they whiz over the numerous ice rinks in the City of London. And often in front of a famous backdrop: for example on the site of the Palace of King Henry VIII (www.hamptoncourticerink.com), in the magnificent gardens of the Natural History Museum (www.nhm.ac.uk) and even in the moat of the Tower of London (www.toweroflondonicerink.com). Further skating rinks, also in many other British cities, under www.visitengland.de.

Winter sports in perfect focus | Sports photographer Mine Kasapoğlu (March 2024).



Winter sports, Alps, Snowshoeing, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Black Forest, Giant Mountains, snow, winter