When you hit slopes around the world you expect vistas daubed in snow, but the pistes of Sierra Nevada boast panoramas far more unusual – the shimmering expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. Andalucían rays beam down on Europe’s southernmost ski slopes most days of the year, making it the ideal place to go if you’re torn between sun and snow.
As the ski season slips into spring, the days get warmer and the sparkling blue begs you to swap your boots and poles for togs and a towel. Make for the shore, known as Costa Tropica, just 100 kilometres away.
Those who detour this island thinking it’s all beach resorts and sunburned English backpackers getting lagered on cheap beers are missing out. Sure, both of these things do exist, but you can avoid them with ease – or at least find a former not overrun by the latter – while getting a culture and history hit to rival anywhere else in the Mediterranean.
Of course, Cyprus has a bit of tumultuous past, and the island is still split into two ‘halves’, with Turkish Cypriots living in the north and Greek Cypriots in the south. The division is easiest seen in the capital Nicosia/Lefkosia. It’s a city that embraces the past with its ancient walls, narrow streets and numerous museums, as well as the present in a vibing scene of cool cafes and bars. Thankfully, the checkpoint between the Turkish and Greek parts of the city is now open 24 hours a day.
For those with an interest in times past, a visit to the Paphos Archaeological Site, on the southwest coast, is a must. Originally established by the Ptolemies in the late fourth century BC, the city changed hands many times in the years following. It is still being excavated, but there are sites dating from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages on show, including a necropolis known as the Tombs of the Kings.
Of course, you’ll want to head to the beach at some point. Paramali is known for its excellent kite-surfing conditions, and Nissi Beach at Ayia Napa is gorgeous but often very crowded. Instead, hire a 4WD and head to Lara Bay on the Akamas Peninsula for a wide sweep of sand, spectacular views and few tourists, except for the flippered kind – loggerhead and green turtles come here to lay their eggs in summer.
The thought of walking into an igloo in a bathing suit is enough to make anyone shiver. But Engelberg Iglu-Dorf has its own in-igloo spa and sauna equipped with a heating system to fend off the cold. The igloo village it resides in is built from scratch every year, and the spa igloo accommodates up to six guests within its icy walls, which are adorned with Inuit art carvings. It’s a constant –5°C inside, but the 38°C jacuzzi will make you forget the chill.
If you’ve done enough tropical dives to have found Nemo 50 times over, it’s time for a new adventure. Grab the thickest possible drysuit, check the water is clear from floating chunks of ice and roll into Greenland’s Disko Bay.
The thick-skinned take off from Ilulissat, where 20 million tonnes of ice fall per day, for a hit of iceberg diving. The ocean temperature hovers around freezing point, but exploring the shifting and sighing underwater world of icebergs is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Some activities are best left to the experts, and being dragged behind a bolting horse is one of them. Skijoring is kind of like harness racing, minus the two-wheeled sulky, and Switzerland is where the best in the business compete in this hair-raising sport. ‘Riders’ on skis are pulled behind a horse galloping at up to 50 kilometres an hour for line honours.
The White Turf meet is held on the frozen St Moritz Lake every February and features regular horse racing, jumps, trots and the skijoring showstopper. Imagine the Melbourne Cup with snow and fleeces instead of saddles and fascinators.
It started as a TV gimmick almost 20 years ago to give Germany’s B-listers amusing airtime. Today, wok racing has its own dedicated championships attracting, celebrity competitors and Olympians, including the Jamaican bobsled team. Competitors fly down an Olympic bobsled track on a large, modified wok, heating the bottom with a blowtorch before launch for extra slip and speed. Pilots can either go solo or compete in a four-person ‘woksled’.
The 2015 world championships were held in the former Winter Olympics site in Innsbruck, Austria. Here, visitors can also enjoy a piloted zip down the 1.2-kilometre bobsled track. Wok or sled? You decide.
Did someone spill a giant bottle of Blue Loo in here? Iceland’s Crystal Caves will have you wondering just that as you descend into an otherworldly realm. Pull on the contents of your wardrobe (and then some) and follow glacier expert Throstur Thor Agustsson on a caving adventure unlike any other. On the outside the Vatnajökull glacier’s white crust is UV-bleached and scuffed. On the inside it is transformed into a striking, glassy-blue cathedral, thanks to the tremendous weight of ancient ice pushing air bubbles out.
Come summer the caves melt and buckle, and in autumn Agustsson sets out in search of new hidden chambers to explore. Their impermanence makes Iceland’s caves all the more magical.
Climb aboard an Inuit sled and let the huskies do the work on a paw-powered expedition across East Greenland’s desolate hinterland with Pirhuk Greenland Expedition Specialists. The Tunu region, meaning ‘land at the back,’ lives up to its reputation as an area of extreme isolation. There are thousands of kilometres of pristine terrain to explore, against a backdrop of dramatic fjords and glacier-encrusted mountains.
Put your woollies on, give your four-legged friends the command and set off across the frozen sea. Explore glaciers, cut through powder-white plains and discover remote settlements. Spend your evenings curled up by the heater – yes, there’s one in your tent – and enjoy a front-row view of the northern lights.
Most people think of waterfalls as a refreshing spot to splash around in come summer. But for some, waterfalls are a winter playground to be conquered. Arm yourself with an axe and a rope and scurry up frozen falls, glimpsing water rushing beneath the ice as you climb.
There’s no better place to give ice climbing a go than the Norwegian town of Rjukan. Often considered Europe’s climbing capital, Rjukan heaves with climbers from December to March. Here you’ll find more than 190 waterfalls to poke your axe into, and are guaranteed to discover a wall of frozen water to suit any skill level.
Feel your guts lurch and your body throb with pure adrenaline as you hurtle down a bobsled track in the Latvian town of Sigulda. Used by the Olympic team to train, this run is one of just 17 tracks around the world (only a handful of them are open to the public). Strap on a crash helmet, jump into a four-person sled with an Olympic athlete at the helm and whip through 16 turns, smashing speeds up to 110 kilometres an hour over 1,420 metres of ice.
You’ll be at the mercy of gravity and your driver as you hit 5 G-force on ‘the wall’, the track’s final corner. Once you’ve experienced the Olympic treatment, finish with a victory lap on the tourist bob to help your heartbeat return to normal.
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