Rediscover the joy of winter

"The Leutasch Valley is one of my favourite places to spend the winter, having both drama and tradition – it is framed by the towering Zugspitze Mountains and scattered with hamlets of pretty frescoed houses and onion-domed churches. If you stay at the Hotel Kristall, at the midpoint of the valley, you are also perfectly positioned to take advantage of the fantastic array of winter walking and cross-country skiing trails on offer. Guests have always praised the attentive service of the Pfeffel family, who run this 4-star superior hotel, but their recent renovations – think state-of-the-art rooftop spa with panoramic mountain views – have taken the Kristall to a whole new level."

More about our winter holiday at the Hotel Kristall >
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Rebecca Bruce: Inntravel's snow expert grew up enjoying family ski holidays, and although she still loves whooshing down a slope at pace, she is also a convert to the slower form of winter break, be that cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or relaxing at a traditional mountain inn with a Glühwein in hand.

"In 2018 my husband and I chose a week of cross-country skiing in Lapland. It was an exhilarating experience, swooshing across a gently undulating landscape peppered with snow-laden pine trees. After a day on the trails we retreated to our cosy log cabin at the Hotel Ylläshumina before enjoying the Finnish fare from their delicious buffet. We returned to Ylläs the following year for more skiing, winter walking and relaxation (Inntravel also offer activity-led packages which include reindeer safaris, snowmobiling and dog-sledding). This is a place to breathe pure Arctic air and gasp at the emerald green swirls of the Northern Lights. It’s an Inntravel favourite that’s now one of ours."

More about our cross-country skiing holiday at Hotel Ylläshumina >
View all our winter snow breaks in Finnish Lapland >

Trish Burgess: Travel blogger, Trish, has enjoyed many an Inntravel holiday – she's walked in Austria's Lake District, skied through Arctic Finland, and explored Portugal's beautiful Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. To read more of her travel tales, why not take a look at her own blog, Mum's Gone To...?

"I once had a disastrous brush with downhill skiing at a dry ski slope and convinced myself that snow holidays were sadly not for me. However, many years later I was persuaded to travel to Guarda, in eastern Switzerland, where a door was opened (cliché alert) to a whole new world – the world of winter walking. These trails were well marked and the surface, while compacted, was not at all slippery. Kitted out in my trusty walking boots, T-shirt, favourite fleece, walking trousers and walking poles (the only new investments were a pair of sunglasses and thermal socks), I strolled through snowy mountains with incredible vistas of even higher mountains. To my amazement, I remained upright for the whole day. Make that the whole week, in fact. Guarda and winter walking were a revelation."

More about our winter walking holiday in Guarda >
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Alison García Hall: Anyone who knows Inntravel's holiday-maker-in-chief will confirm that her favourite destination is Spain. Perhaps followed by Greece, for Alison loves the sunshine. So to hear her enthusing about the wonders of a winter holiday in Guarda should tell you everything you need to know...

"Touching down for the first time in Norway in winter I was stunned by the vast whiteness unfolding in every direction. But once on cross-country skis, moving at one with the elements through the landscape, l realised the diversity of the forest, farmland and rolling uplands surrounding Hindsæter. This classic farmstead-turned-hotel has layers of history wrapped around the kernel of its antique dining room, heated by a corner fireplace typical of the region. And the panoramic views from the cosy sitting room, complete with binoculars for wildlife-spotting from the comfort of my armchair, made a snowstorm a pleasure. With the sun breaking through once more, there was only one thing to do: head out on snowshoes to the frozen falls of the Sjoa canyon, to explore the sparkling cliffs of ice which form each winter."

More about our Nordic winter experience at Hindsæter Hotel >
View all our winter snow breaks in Norway >

Eric Kendall: A Switzerland-based ski expert, Eric has also helped to put together many of our summer walking holidays – from the Welsh mountains to Arctic Norway. His wife, Penny, is a wonderful photographer, and you can find out about her work on her website, pennykendall.com.

"Travel restrictions meant that no one was able to enjoy our new holiday in the unspoiled Ahrn Valley last year, but a real treat awaits those who make their way to northern Italy this winter. Set within the protected haven of the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, our hotel offers spectacular views and easy access to the area’s many enticing walking trails, but what really drew me to it was its delicious cuisine and strong sense of place – it is increasingly rare for ‘snow’ hotels to attract a local crowd, but the Moosmair remains very much the beating heart of Ahornach. The hotel is run by the Ebenkofler family, who have farmed the Ahrn Valley for over 500 years and are passionate about local, organic produce: at breakfast time, you will enjoy homemade jams and bread baked from flour milled in the village, while meats and dairy products come fresh from the family farm."

More about our winter holiday at the Naturhotel Moosmair >
View all our winter walking & snowshoeing holidays >