20 Great Mountain Huts

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for a great mountain lodge to book for you next ski vacation? Something that affords stunning views with limited crowds and great access to the backcountry? Then look no further than this list created by Eric Kendall for The Guardian.

The list is broken down into subcategories, such as “Gourmet/Luxury”, “Easy Access”, and “Glorious Isolation”. There are even suggestions for non-skiers who would still like to play in the snow. The vast majority of these lodges are found in Europe, although Canada and New Zealand are represented as well.

The mountain huts in the luxury category offer all the upscale amenities that you would expect, including gourmet restaurants, hot tubs, and private ski instructors. For example, the Rifugio Fanes in Italy, offers luxury beds, hot showers, and unrivaled skiing in the Dolomites.

On the other end of the spectrum are the lodges that specialize in isolation, which require a little more work to get to, but reward visitors with untouched powder and a hut all to themselves. The Club Alpino, also in Italy, is the perfect example of this type of lodge. It is the highest hut in the Allps, sitting at 4554m (14,940 feet) and requiriing a bit of acclimization before visitors settle in.

Winter is not over yet, and there is still plenty of great skiing to be had. So pack up your gear, wax the skis and head to any one of these great mountain huts to enjoy some of the best skiing on the planet, while relaxing in equally impressive settings.

Beer babe’s favorite European bars

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Katarina Van Derham, the 2009 St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel, doesn’t like to spend all her time in one place. The Slovakia native now lives in Los Angeles and still loves to get out on the road as much as possible. When she’s home, her favorite place to grab a pint is Barney’s Beanery in Santa Monica. She can have a relaxing drink on the patio, which is a prime people-watching spot. Of course, she has favorites on the other side of the Atlantic, as well.

The 2009 St. Pauli Girl spokesmodel‘s European Favorites are:

Morrison Pub (Cannes, France): there’s always live music and a welcoming crowd; Cannes’ “beautiful beaches and relaxed vibe” help

Phanas Pub (Rijeka, Croatia): Phanas is a great party place with rock music piped in; Katarina came here while shooting a music video for a Slovakian band

Mermaid Bar (Ibiza, Spain): this bar caters to an international crowd, has clear water and a great club scene

U Medvédku (Prague, Czech Republic): a house beer and authentic Czech food are served, and you’re only footsteps from the city’s stunning architecture

CK Browar (Krakow, Poland): grab a beer at this bright brewery before shopping at the outdoor street fairs on Saturdays

Salm Bräu (Vienna, Austria): located in a charming old building, this bar is a great stop en route to Slovakia (since Vienna has the nearest international airport)

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Travel sans visa coming for European, Caribbean, Mauritius, and Seychelles nationals

by Brenda Yun on

A mutual agreement allowing Europeans, nationals from four Caribbean countries, and citizens of two island nations in the Indian Ocean is expected to be passed and approved by the end of March, which will allow for hassle-free and smoother travel.

If you hold a passport from any of the following countries, it means you’re that much more free to travel between those listed sans visa: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mauritius, and Seychelles. The maximum continuous stay in any one country will be three months (90 days).

I have a feeling this means we’ll be seeing more speedos and nude women on the beaches of the Caribbean very, very soon.

[via South Florida Caribbean News]

Mozart’s birthday and images of Salzburg

by Jamie Rhein on

If Mozart was alive today, he’d be 253. January 27 was his birthday. I found that out this afternoon when my husband told me Mozart’s Bakery and Piano Cafe, a lovely European-style bakery/restaurant in Columbus was giving out free pastries yesterday in honor of the occasion.

Thinking about Mozart reminded me of my two visits to Salzburg and eating Mozart balls chocolate. Don’t go to Salzburg without trying one. Yesterday, however, I savored pastries in Mozart’s honor and remembered those two days of wandering around his birthplace. Now that I’ve had an elegant sugar feast, here’s a visual and musical feast for you.

The blend of Salzburg’s scenery and sites with Mozart’s music is nicely done in this video. Consider it a taste. The combination captures Salzburg, Austria–as I remember it–breathtaking. Its streets steeped in elegance. If you’re ever in Salzburg, you can take a Mozart tour to see the city similar to how Mozart might have seen it.

Austrian Ski resort kicks off the new year with Europe’s largest snowman

by Scott Carmichael on

To celebrate the start of the new season, and to promote their newest ski resort, the Galtür region in Austria built Europe’s largest snowman. The 53 foot tall snow sculpture is called Emil, and stands at the bottom of their new kiddie slopes. The Ski resort used to be a collection of various challenging slopes, but for 2009, designers divided things into 6 different zones and renamed the area “Silvapark“

Three of these six zones are “kid friendly” and offer beginning skiers a chance to get used to sliding around on their ski’s. The junior slopes even feature traffic lights, as a way to teach kids how to be considerate of other skiers.

Of course, a 53 foot snowman is nothing compared to the 122′ Olympia SnowWoman made in Bethel, Maine in 2008.