Northern Hemisphere Resort Guide

Two distinct base areas to choose from. Canyons Village (the newer, modern side) services around 4,000 acres of perfectly groomed blues across multiple aspects - Tombstone, Iron Mountain, and the dedicated learning zone are ideal for intermediates. Park City Mountain Village (the historic side) drops you straight into Main Street via the Town Lift. Expert riders should head to Jupiter Bowl, Ninety-Nine 90, and the McConkey's Bowl hike-to terrain. The longest run, Homerun, is 3.5 miles top to bottom. Six terrain parks plus the 18-foot superpipe where US Ski Team athletes train. Average snowfall is 355 inches of Utah's famous Greatest Snow on Earth.

• 01
  High West Distillery & Saloon (base of Town Lift)The world's only ski-in/ski-out gastro-distillery. Utah's first legal distillery since 1870, housed in a historic livery stable at the base of the Quittin' Time run. Award-winning whiskey, contemporary Western fare, and the famous Dead Man's Boots cocktail. 21+ only.
• 02
  Lookout CabinOn-mountain sit-down lunch with sweeping Wasatch Range views. Table service (rare on a ski hill), not cafeteria food. Reservations recommended.
• 03
  Mid-Mountain LodgeA 120-year-old miner's boarding house transformed into a signature dining experience. Chef-driven menu, craft cocktails, a deck for sunny days.
• 04
  Riverhorse on MainPark City's most awarded restaurant (Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond). Macadamia-crusted halibut, local game, live entertainment from 7pm. The special-occasion spot.

• 01
  No Name Saloon (Main Street)The bar that made Park City famous. Buffalo burgers, taxidermy, shuffleboard, and a heated rooftop patio with Main Street views. A 1905 building with a properly storied history. Loud, lively, non-negotiable.
• 02
  The Spur Bar & Grill (Main Street)Live music every night, locals' choice, family-friendly downstairs and proper saloon energy upstairs. Best wings in town.
• 03
  Umbrella Bar (Canyons Village)Yurt-style structure with 360° panoramic glass walls. Fire pits, cornhole, live music, and the best sunset view in the village.

The Aerial Tram (locally just "the Tram") takes you 4,139ft up to Rendezvous Mountain in nine minutes - and from the top, it's all downhill and almost all expert. Rendezvous Bowl, Hobacks, and Cheyenne Bowl are where serious riders disappear for hours. Intermediates should head to Apres Vous and Casper Mountain - long, beautifully groomed runs with Teton views that don't quit. The Bridger Gondola is the smart way up for anyone not ready to commit to expert terrain straight away.

• 01
  Corbet's Cabin (top of the Tram)Famous waffles at 10,450ft. Cheap, simple, served on the deck with views down Corbet's Couloir. The most photographed waffle in skiing.
• 02
  Piste Mountain BistroMid-mountain, top of the Bridger Gondola at 9,095ft. Floor-to-ceiling windows, alpine-inspired plates, and a fireplace big enough to walk into. Lunch only for the 2025-26 season - book through Resy.
• 03
  Persephone Bakery (Jackson town)The breakfast you make time for. Croissants that would make a French baker weep, hot chocolate, and the kind of café energy that gets you ready for a big day.
• 04
  Snake River GrillJackson's special-occasion spot. Wood-fired everything, James Beard nominations, an absurd whiskey list. Worth the cab into town from Teton Village.

• 01
  Mangy MooseThe Teton Village institution. Live music nightly, antlers on every wall, pitchers of beer, and the energy of every cult ski film you've ever watched. Non-negotiable first stop.
• 02
  Million Dollar Cowboy Bar (Jackson)Saddle stools instead of bar stools. Yes, really. Old-school Wyoming saloon energy, live country music, and the photo every American sends home.
• 03
  Stagecoach Bar (Wilson)Sunday's "Stagecoach Band" is a Jackson Hole tradition - the locals' actual local. Twenty minutes from the mountain, worth the Uber.

The trail map is overwhelming on day one - find a friend and let them guide you. Andesite Mountain is intermediate paradise (Ramcharger 8, the eight-seater bubble chair, is the smart way up). The Lone Peak Tram accesses some of the most demanding in-bounds terrain on the continent - Big Couloir, Marx, and the Headwaters are properly steep, properly chunky, and properly serious. Moonlight Basin (now part of Big Sky) gives intermediates massive open bowls without the crowds. Powder Seeker chair is everyone's favourite secret.

• 01
  Everett's 8800Mid-mountain at 8,800ft, accessed by the Ramcharger 8 lift. Floor-to-ceiling glass looking out over Lone Peak. New for 2025-26: fixed-price tasting menus only (4-course or 6-course, lunch and dinner Wed-Sat). Live DJ sets Friday to Sunday. Reservations open 30 days ahead and fill fast.
• 02
  Lotus Pad (Mountain Village)Asian-fusion, fresh, lively - the antidote to a week of mountain comfort food. The miso black cod is a religious experience.
• 03
  Buck's T-4 (Gallatin Canyon)Twenty minutes' drive down the canyon, and worth every mile. Old roadside lodge serving wild game and Montana classics since 1947. Order the elk.
• 04
  Hungry Moose MarketThe local breakfast burrito stop. Cash-only line outside on big days. Eat it on the chair.

• 01
  Scissorbills SaloonSlope-side base camp. Cold beer, bigger burgers, live music on weekends, and the only place at Big Sky that genuinely fills up. Stay through golden hour.
• 02
  Carabiner Lounge (Summit Hotel)When you want something more polished. Cocktails, fire pits on the deck, cowhide bar stools, and Lone Peak straight out the window. Live music most afternoons. Stay for one. You'll stay for three.
• 03
  Whiskey Jack BarThe Huntley Lodge classic. Live music three nights a week, big leather couches, a deep whiskey list, and the most reliable post-ski crowd in town.

Whistler Mountain leans intermediate-cruiser - long, scenic, perfectly groomed runs like Saddle, Pony Trail, and Pig Alley. Blackcomb leans steeper and more technical - 7th Heaven for sun-soaked groomers, Spanky's Ladder and the Blackcomb Glacier for proper backcountry access. The Peak 2 Peak gondola lets you bounce between mountains in under a minute. Symphony Bowl (Whistler) and Crystal Ridge (Blackcomb) are the powder hideouts. Whistler Bowl after a fresh dump is one of the great experiences in skiing.

• 01
  Christine's on BlackcombTop of the Blackcomb Gondola in the Rendezvous Lodge at 1,860m. White-tablecloth, ski-in lunch only, full-height windows onto the Coast Mountains. The kind of place you book a real long lunch and don't ski again.
• 02
  Araxi (Whistler village)Pacific Northwest dining at its best. Oyster bar, regional wine list, Wagyu, and the kind of room that feels grown-up after a day of mountain noise. Bookings essential.
• 03
  Sushi VillageThe Whistler institution. Sake bombs, hot saki, hand rolls, and a queue out the door from 5pm. Worth it. Always.
• 04
  PurebreadWhistler's pastry obsession. The cinnamon scrolls, the lemon poppyseed loaf, the dark chocolate flourless. Pack one onto the chair.

• 01
  Longhorn Saloon & GrillSlope-side at the bottom of the Whistler Village Gondola. The first stop. Live music, packed deck, Caesars (Canada's bloody Mary - with clamato, somehow brilliant). Set your day around it.
• 02
  GLC (Garibaldi Lift Co.)Cousin to the Longhorn, opposite the Whistler Gondola. Decent food, big deck, and the Aussie crew's reliable second base camp.
• 03
  Bearfoot Bistro Champagne & Vodka RoomSabre-open champagne with a Napoleonic sword, then descend into the world's coldest ice room (-32°C) for vodka tastings in fur jackets. Yes, really. Yes, it's spectacular.
• 04
  Dubh Linn GateWhistler's Irish pub. Live music nightly, proper Guinness, late-night energy when the slopes go quiet.

Top to bottom is 5,620 vertical feet - the longest lift-served run in North America. The Stoke chair accesses Greely Bowl (untracked for hours if you're patient), Sub-Peak Bowl, and the long boot-pack up Sub-Peak Ridge for some of the most rewarding off-piste lines in BC. Intermediates will love the Ripper area and the long, perfectly pitched groomers off Stellar. Tree skiing is exceptional on snowy days - North Bowl glades and Pitch Black are legendary. Cat skiing through Selkirk Tangiers (based at the resort) gives you the next level above lift access.

• 01
  Mackenzie Common Tavern (Revy town)Modern BC pub with a serious kitchen. Slow-cooked lamb shoulder, BC oysters, an extensive local beer list. The most consistently brilliant room in town.
• 02
  Quartermaster EateryCasual brunch and lunch in town - the best breakfast burrito in Revelstoke and quietly the best coffee. Fuel here before driving up the mountain.
• 03
  Rockford Wok Bar & Grill (slope-side)At the base of the Revelation Gondola. Stir-fry made fast, beers cold, and you eat it on the deck watching people ski in.
• 04
  The Taco ClubCult-favourite tacos in a tiny room downtown. The fish tacos, especially. Cash and credit, no bookings - just queue.

• 01
  Rockford Bar (resort base)Slope-side, no-nonsense, the on-mountain après that wins by default. Get out of your boots, get a beer, then head into town.
• 02
  The Village Idiot (Revy town)The town's anchor pub. Wood interior, live music most nights, big BC beer selection, and the locals you'll meet on the chair tomorrow.
• 03
  Mt Begbie Brewing Tap RoomRevelstoke's local craft brewery, walking distance from town. Big group tables, taps that rotate, and the brewery dog is usually under your feet.

Lake Louise is enormous - 4,200 acres across four faces of one mountain. Intermediates will live on the front side: Wiwaxy and Cameron run from the top of the Top of the World Express in a 6km cruise to the base. Advanced riders, head over the back to Paradise Bowl, Whitehorn II area, and the West Bowl glades. The Larch area sits between the front and back faces - perfectly pitched, often quieter, and has its own café. The view from the top of any chair on a bluebird day will stop you mid-conversation.

• 01
  Whitehorn Bistro (mid-mountain)Glass walls, soaring ceiling, and a view of the Continental Divide while you eat. Bison short rib, Alberta beef, sharable mountain plates. Book a window table.
• 02
  Walliser Stube (Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise)Swiss fondue and raclette in the grand old hotel by the lake. Wood-panelled, candle-lit, and slightly absurd in the best way. Long-trip dinner of choice.
• 03
  Lake Louise Station RestaurantAn old CP Railway station-turned-restaurant in Lake Louise village. Pacific Northwest plates, Alberta beef, and the kind of quiet, romantic dining room that's a good break from mountain noise.
• 04
  Trailhead CaféIn the Samson Mall, ground zero for breakfast burritos, hot chocolate, and packed lunches for the mountain. Cash-only line, but moves fast.

• 01
  Kuma Yama (Lake Louise base)The slope-side base lodge bar. Cold beer, sun deck, no fuss. The 4pm meet-up spot.
• 02
  Glacier Saloon (Fairmont Chateau)Live entertainment most nights, big leather couches, cocktails that take themselves seriously, and the Fairmont's old-world grandeur in the background. One drink turns into three.
• 03
  Drive into Banff (45 min)For real nightlife, drive to Banff. The St James's Gate Irish pub, Park Distillery, and the Bow Valley Brewery have you covered for everything from quiet rounds to late nights.

Niseko's terrain is best understood through the gates - the resort opens "side country" gates each morning depending on conditions, and behind them is some of the most accessible powder skiing in the world. Grand Hirafu is the biggest, busiest side - great for intermediates and the social scene. Hanazono is the quietest, with the best tree skiing and the longest groomer. Niseko Village is the mid-mountain Hilton crowd. Annupuri is the locals' favourite - traditional, quiet, with the best long top-to-bottom groomers. Night skiing runs until 8:30pm at Hirafu.

• 01
  KITCHEN by Yuichi KamimuraAfter 18 years, the Michelin-starred KAMIMURA closed in 2025 - and Chef Yuichi Kamimura now runs KITCHEN at the Chatrium hotel in Hirafu. Same chef, same Hokkaido-meets-French sensibility, more relaxed room. Adults only. Book ahead - it's still the headline reservation in Niseko.
• 02
  Bang BangThe yakitori spot every regular eats at once a trip. Skewers, sake, smoke, and the kind of small room that ends up rowdy by 9pm. Get there early or wait it out.
• 03
  Niseko PizzaA Hokkaido oddity that absolutely works. Wood-fired pizza done by Japanese chefs who took it seriously. Book ahead - it fills up nightly.
• 04
  Boyo-So Café (Hanazono base)Mountain ramen done properly - rich, salty, restorative. The on-mountain bowl you go back for the next day.

• 01
  Bar Gyu+ (The Fridge Door Bar)You enter through what looks like an old Coke fridge in a tiny Hirafu side street. Inside: candlelight, jazz, ten seats, the best cocktails in Hokkaido. The Niseko institution.
• 02
  Wild Bill'sAussie-run, loud, late, and the most reliable place for a big night. The 1am crowd is the 9am crowd - just sweatier.
• 03
  Pow Pow BarStand-up, sake-and-shochu, late-night street bar in the alleys behind Hirafu. Two drinks, then keep walking.

Happo-One is the Olympic centrepiece and the biggest resort - long groomers, properly steep upper terrain, and views across the valley to Hakuba Yari. Hakuba 47 and Goryu are joined at the top and have the valley's best park scene plus excellent intermediate skiing. Cortina is the side trip everyone talks about - smaller, off-piste-friendly (the only Hakuba resort that permits tree skiing in-bounds, with a properly enforced gate system), and a German-themed lodge at the base. Tsugaike Kogen is for families and beginners. The one pass covers everything; the free shuttle takes you between resorts.

• 01
  AkitsuyaHakuba's tonkatsu institution. Crispy, perfect pork cutlet, miso soup, rice that's been done a thousand times right. Family-run, twenty seats, lunchtime queue.
• 02
  Maru CaféBest coffee and best brunch in the valley. Run by an Aussie family who imported a proper Synesso espresso machine and never looked back.
• 03
  Hakuba Brewing CompanyLocal craft brewery and gastropub on the main strip in Echoland. Big share platters, rotating taps, and a fire that goes hard from 5pm.
• 04
  Hummingbird (Wadano)Family-friendly izakaya with English menus - the safe-and-brilliant intro to Japanese small plates. Sashimi, tempura, yakitori, big sake list.

• 01
  Tracks Bar (Wadano)The classic Hakuba après bar - dark wood, big fire, cold Sapporo, and the soundtrack to most evenings in the village. Stay one. Stay six.
• 02
  Highball Bar (Echoland)Whisky-focused little spot in the main strip. Twenty Japanese whiskys, a few imports, and the kind of room where you talk to strangers.
• 03
  Hideaway (Echoland)Late-night, dance-floor, big crowd. The night ends here.

1,085 vertical metres - more than most Hakuba resorts and double Niseko's biggest single-mountain vertical. The main intermediate playground is the Yamabiko zone at the top - long, wide, perfectly pitched groomers like the Skyline Course (10km top to bottom on a good snow day) and the Karasawa Bowl. Schneider is for advanced riders - properly steep, mogully, and named after Hannes Schneider who came here from Austria in the 1930s. Tree skiing is technically not permitted (in classic Japanese style) but the resort has now opened proper "tree run zones" through Yamabiko that are well-managed and stash powder for days.

• 01
  LibushiA tiny stand-up sushi bar tucked in a side street, run by a chef who buys from Tokyo's Toyosu market three times a week. Eight seats. Twenty courses. Worth the queue.
• 02
  Haus St AntonAn Austrian restaurant in a Japanese mountain village - and oddly it works. Schnitzel, goulash, glühwein, big tile fireplace, and Bavarian decor that makes the snow outside feel correct. Most lovely accidental Europe-in-Japan moment of the trip.
• 03
  Stay CaféPre-ski breakfast and great post-ski lunch. Run by a young chef cooking everything from miso eggs Benedict to Japanese curry. The locals' breakfast.
• 04
  Foot Onsen + OgamaThe free street-side foot bath next to Ogama (the boiling-water shrine the village still uses to cook eggs and pickle vegetables). Sit, soak your feet, watch grannies cook eggs in 90°C spring water. The entire village's character in five minutes.

• 01
  Stay BarLate-evening cocktail spot in the centre of the village. Whisky list, sake selection, and the kind of warm room you settle into and forget about dinner.
• 02
  Tanuki BarTiny, smoke-filled (in a charming way), open very late. The end-of-night place where you meet the locals and accidentally close it down.
• 03
  Soaking in O-yu (free public bath)The grandest of the 13 public onsens, right in the centre of the village. A full ten-minute soak after skiing is the most restorative après there is. Free. Open until 11pm.

Five separate ski areas covered by the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass. Grands Montets (above Argentière) is the steep one - serious freeride, accessible off-piste, big mountain feel. Brévent-Flégère is the picture-perfect one with bluebird views straight across to Mont Blanc - perfect intermediate cruising. Les Houches is the family/forested area with the only proper World Cup downhill course in the valley. Le Tour is the quiet local favourite with mellower terrain. And the Aiguille du Midi cable car (3,842m) is the gateway to the Vallée Blanche - the iconic 20km off-piste glacier descent that every advanced skier puts on the list at some point.

• 01
  La CalècheTraditional Savoyard in the centre of town - fondue, raclette, tartiflette, all under low beams and copper pans. The fondue savoyarde here is the benchmark. Book ahead, especially for groups.
• 02
  MunchieModern brasserie with a creative kitchen and a serious wine list. The duck breast, the seared tuna, and the cocktail list mark this out as Chamonix's grown-up dinner spot.
• 03
  Le Cap-HornSushi and French in a beautiful big old chalet at the foot of Aiguille du Midi. The sashimi platter is the surprise winner of the trip - and the sake list is enormous.
• 04
  Pâtisserie de la PlaceThe croissant queue every morning. The almond croissants, in particular, are a religious experience. Grab one for the chair.

• 01
  Chambre Neuf (Hôtel Gustavia)The Chamonix après institution. Live music daily, sun deck packed by 4pm, glühwein and Heineken in equal measure, and the kind of room where the cover band ends up being good. Iconic.
• 02
  Elevation 1904The slick wine and cocktail bar across the road from the train station. Big terrace, good cheese boards, late-night DJ sets. Slightly more elegant than Chambre Neuf, slightly less chaos.
• 03
  Monkey BarLate-night, dance floor, the place the bartenders go after work. The end-of-night final destination.

Espace Killy has 300km of pistes, two glaciers, and lift-served terrain up to 3,456m. The Bellevarde area is the iconic Val side - Olympic downhill heritage, fast steep groomers, the famous OK World Cup piste. Solaise gives you the longest cruisers in the resort with a fantastic sun aspect. The Pissaillas Glacier delivers the highest, most reliable late-season skiing. Cross over to Tignes and you've got another full day's worth of terrain - including the off-piste-friendly Grande Motte glacier. Powder hounds: head to the Tour de Charvet route or hire a guide for the Manchet valley.

• 01
  L'Atelier d'Edmond (Le Fornet)Two Michelin stars in a tiny mountain hamlet ten minutes from Val. Run by Benoît Vidal, all wood and candlelight, properly Savoyard fine dining. The bucket-list dinner of the trip. Reserve months ahead.
• 02
  La Fruitière (mid-mountain, La Daille)In an old fromagerie at the top of the La Daille cable car. Hearty Savoyard with a sense of humour - cheese-pulling raclette, gargantuan tarte Tatin, all wood and old farming equipment. The single best on-mountain lunch in the Alps.
• 03
  Le Bistrot d'AntoineBistro in the heart of the village run by a former Michelin chef who wanted somewhere simpler. The plat du jour board changes daily, the wine list is brilliant, and you'll have the best veal blanquette of your life.
• 04
  Pâtisserie Le ChevallotThe local croissant pilgrimage. The pain au chocolat is criminally good, and they do a tarte au citron that will end conversations.

• 01
  La Folie Douce (top of La Daille gondola)The original La Folie Douce. Champagne on a mountain top, cabaret, dancing on tables in ski boots, DJs from Paris - it's a phenomenon. From 1pm to 5pm only - ski down before the lifts close. The most French après possible.
• 02
  Coco RicoSlope-side classic at the bottom of the Solaise area. Cold rosé, big terrace, live music after 4pm. The post-ski meet-up.
• 03
  Le Petit DanoisThe Brit-loved pub in town. Beer, sports on big screens, and pints that go down too quickly. Late-night, no pretension.
• 04
  DoudouneGlitzy nightclub for when you've definitely peaked. Champagne table service, EDM, sticky carpets by 3am. Iconic but proceed with caution.

Méribel sits in the middle of the Three Valleys, which means you can ski from your doorstep into Courchevel one way or Val Thorens the other. The Saulire summit (2,738m) is the connection point - take the Saulire Express, ski down the back into Courchevel for lunch, then make your way back. The Mont Vallon area on the Méribel side is a quieter, advanced playground with proper off-piste lines. Intermediates will love the long groomers off the Tougnète lifts. The Tueda nature reserve at the back of Méribel-Mottaret is the peaceful side trip - dense forest, mellow runs, no crowds.

• 01
  Le Refuge (Méribel village)Traditional Savoyard in a wood-and-stone room - the kind of place that does fondue and tartiflette and pierrade exactly as they should be done. Book the corner table.
• 02
  Lodge du Village (mid-mountain)Mountain restaurant with a vast sun terrace and one of the best mid-mountain wine lists in the Alps. Long lunches happen here by default.
• 03
  Le Chardon BleuTucked behind the centre of Méribel - modern Savoyard with a real chef. The seared scallops with smoked lardo are unexpectedly memorable in a region known for cheese.
• 04
  Bistrot de l'OréeModern French in a serene room with very good wine pairings. The dinner you book to mark a special occasion (or just because it's Tuesday and you can).

• 01
  La Folie Douce Méribel-CourchevelTop of the Saulire gondola, between Méribel and Courchevel - cabaret, DJs, table dancing, champagne fountains. The Three Valleys after-ski headquarters. Ski down to wherever you're staying before the lifts close.
• 02
  Le Rond Point ("The Ronnie")Mid-station Méribel après spot. Famous shots, dancing in ski boots, and the most chaotic mid-mountain bar in the Trois Vallées. The next stop after La Folie Douce.
• 03
  Jack's Bar (Méribel village)Quintessential Méribel pub. Brit-run, sports on the screens, decent food, plenty of beer, and the natural meet-up point for English-speaking groups.

Cortina is spread across three separate ski areas connected by bus (the Skibus is free with the lift pass). Tofana is the big one - long descents, the Olympic women's downhill course, and one of the most spectacular ridge runs in the Alps (the Lagazuoi/Hidden Valley). Faloria-Cristallo on the other side of the valley has steeper terrain and the Forcella Staunies couloir for advanced riders. Cinque Torri is smaller, sunnier, and home to some of the best rifugi on the mountain - it's the lunch-focused day. The 2026 Olympics will be hosted across these areas, so expect refreshed lift infrastructure.

• 01
  Rifugio Averau (Cinque Torri)Mid-mountain mountain refuge run by the Majoni family - the lard plate (lardo di Colonnata on warm bread) and the homemade casunziei (beetroot ravioli with poppy seeds) are bucket-list moments. Sun terrace looking at Le Tofane. Book ahead.
• 02
  SanBriteOne Michelin star, three minutes' drive from town. Riccardo Gaspari grows the vegetables, raises the meat, and forages the herbs - hyper-local Dolomite cooking with absolute precision. The mountain dinner of a lifetime.
• 03
  TivoliModern fine dining at the edge of town, one Michelin star, a serious wine list, and a wood-and-glass dining room overlooking the valley. The civilised counterpart to SanBrite.
• 04
  Pasticceria Embassy (Corso Italia)Cortina's central pastry institution. The strudel di mele, the small espressos, and the people-watching down Corso Italia. The afternoon ritual.

• 01
  Hotel de la Poste (Corso Italia)The grand old Cortina hotel - if you have one Aperol Spritz at one terrace in your life, have it here, in the late afternoon, watching all of Cortina walk past. Iconic.
• 02
  LP26 (Corso Italia)Modern Italian wine bar with a small-plates kitchen and a list as deep as you'd expect from a town this serious. Standing room, electric energy after dark.
• 03
  VIP ClubCortina's late-night classic - dance floor, table service, big nights. Where the season ends most evenings.

Val Gardena has 175km of its own pistes plus access to the entire Sellaronda circuit and 500+km of Dolomiti Superski. The Ciampinoi side has the famous Saslong World Cup downhill - genuinely steep, fast, technical. Seceda gives you the most jaw-dropping ridge run in skiing - 2,500m elevation, panoramic views of the Odle peaks, and a glide down through alpine meadows. The Sellaronda itself takes 4-5 hours to ski (orange direction is more scenic, green is more direct) and it's a bucket-list day. Beginners and intermediates will live on the Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm) plateau - Europe's largest high-alpine meadow, miles of easy cruising.

• 01
  Mastlè (mid-mountain, Seceda)A glass-walled mountain hut at 2,194m with the most outrageous panorama in the Dolomites - the Odle group rising up in front of you while you eat. South Tyrolean classics (canederli, schlutzkrapfen, speck plates) done with care. Sun terrace is the prize.
• 02
  Sofie Hütte (Seceda)Family-run mountain hut, traditional Tyrolean, and the legendary Kaiserschmarrn (caramelised sweet pancake) - the dessert worth booking the table around.
• 03
  Cucca (Ortisei)Modern South Tyrolean dining in town - inventive tasting menu, serious wine list (lots of Alto Adige whites), and a calm room that's a perfect break from on-mountain noise.
• 04
  Pizzeria Ramoser (Selva)The local pizza institution. Wood-fired, properly thin, big crowd of guides and ski instructors eating fast and leaving the table to you.

• 01
  La Stua (Selva base)The mid-afternoon Aperol stop, ski-off-the-piste and find a deck chair. Sun terrace, fire pits in the early evening, and the music that's actually good.
• 02
  Goalie's (Selva)Sport-themed bar, big screens, Aperol Spritz served cold, and the kind of energy that lasts until midnight. Good food, surprising wine list.
• 03
  Cocoon Lounge (Ortisei)Cocktail bar in Ortisei's main square - the slightly elegant evening option. Tyrolean schnapps tasting and a deep amaro list.

130km of pistes plus full Sellaronda access. Alta Badia leans intermediate-cruiser - long, beautifully groomed, perfectly pitched runs with sun aspect through most of the day. The Gran Risa World Cup giant slalom course is the steep one in La Villa. The Piz La Ila/Pralongià plateau is sun-soaked, wide open, and arguably the most relaxing skiing in the Dolomites. The First World War Ski Tour (a marked off-piste route through old WWI positions on Lagazuoi) is the cultural day. Sellaronda access via the Boè cable car puts the full 26km circuit on your doorstep.

• 01
  St. Hubertus (Hotel Rosa Alpina, San Cassiano)Three Michelin stars from Norbert Niederkofler. "Cook the Mountain" philosophy - hyperlocal, foraged, seasonal, deeply Tyrolean. The most ambitious dinner in the Alps. Book months ahead.
• 02
  La Stüa de Michil (Hotel La Perla, Corvara)One Michelin star, fabulous wine cellar (15,000 bottles), and the most romantic small dining room in Alta Badia. The kind of dinner that becomes a family story.
• 03
  Maso Runch (Pedraces)Traditional Ladin farmhouse dinner in a 700-year-old wooden farmhouse. Eight courses, no menu - just whatever the farm and forest gave them this week. Drive out, settle in, stay for hours.
• 04
  Rifugio Pralongià (mid-mountain)The classic Sellaronda lunch stop. Sun terrace, big share plates, polenta with venison ragù, and the Aperol Spritz served at altitude.

• 01
  Club Moritzino (top of Piz La Ila)Mid-mountain bar/restaurant/dance floor at 2,100m. Sun terrace, DJs from 2pm, and the wildest mountain-top après in the Dolomites. Ski down before the lifts close.
• 02
  L'Murin (Corvara)Wine bar in a converted mill, slick, modern, big Italian list. The civilised counterweight to Moritzino's chaos.
• 03
  Bar Stüa (Hotel La Perla)The grand-hotel cocktail bar - leather couches, fire, Negronis, and the room you settle in until dinner. A class apart.

Galzig and Valluga are the main two mountains above St. Anton - Galzig is the warm-up zone (long, beautifully shaped intermediate cruisers off the Vallugabahn lifts), and Valluga is the serious mountain (3,000+ vertical metres of skiing accessed by the legendary Valluga II cable car, which only takes skiers with mountain guides). Kapall is the local's quiet powder hide. The link to Lech via the Flexenbahn gondola opens up another massive day. Off-piste is everywhere - the Schindlerkar, the Steissbachtal, and the legendary Run of Fame (a 65km circuit covering the whole Arlberg in one day).

• 01
  Verwallstube (top of Galzig)Hotel-restaurant on the mountain at 2,085m - the upscale, white-tablecloth alpine option. Game, fish, Austrian wines, a sun terrace with Arlberg views. Long lunch headquarters.
• 02
  Hospiz Alm (St. Christoph)The legendary mid-mountain restaurant in a former pilgrim hospice from 1386. Wood-panelled, antler-decorated, and the wine cellar is one of the largest in Austria. The Wiener Schnitzel is the benchmark.
• 03
  Museum RestaurantIn the centre of St. Anton in the historic Carl Schuler Villa - dark wood, candlelight, the kind of warmth you only get in old Austrian buildings. Hearty Tyrolean classics with serious skill in the kitchen.
• 04
  FlorianiModern Austrian with a creative menu, in a calm small room. The change-of-pace dinner away from beer and schnitzel. Excellent wine selection.

• 01
  MooserWirtOfficially the rowdiest après in the world. Open from 3pm to 8pm only. DJ from a converted boat, tables to dance on, the loudest Schlager music in Austria, and the kind of energy that makes Aussies feel right at home. The non-negotiable first stop.
• 02
  Krazy KanguruhSt. Anton's Australian-themed bar (and not without reason - serious Aussie ski crew loyalty here for decades). Above MooserWirt on the same hill. Skis on, ski down to dinner. Iconic.
• 03
  HeustadlThe locals' après - a wooden barn at the bottom of the mountain, less mayhem, slightly more dignity, equally loud after dark.
• 04
  PostkellerUnderground late-night bar/club in the centre of town. The post-MooserWirt destination from 11pm onwards.

Penken is the main playground - the Penkenbahn gondola gets you up fast, and once you're there you've got 90+km of pistes mostly graded blue and red. The Eggalm and Horberg areas are quieter and have the best snow longer into the season. The infamous Harakiri is a single black piste at 78% gradient - it's groomed nightly, terrifying to look at, and skiable if you're confident on steep runs (the trick is committing to the first turn). Ahorn is the family-friendly side with the longest beginner area in Austria. Twenty minutes' drive away is the Hintertux Glacier - skiable year-round.

• 01
  Wedelhütte (top of Wedelexpress)Mid-mountain at 2,350m - architect-designed wood-and-glass restaurant, white-tablecloth, Austrian-with-creative-edge cooking. The most spectacular mid-mountain dining in the Zillertal. Book ahead, especially for sunset menus.
• 02
  Mo's BurgerMayrhofen's local burger institution - decent beers, ridiculous burgers, big share plates. The pre-everything dinner.
• 03
  Eder'sCosy traditional Tyrolean in the centre - schnitzel, Käsespätzle, schweinsbraten, big wine list. The textbook ski-trip dinner.
• 04
  Hans im GlückVegetarian-friendly burger place, fast and reliable for a light dinner before a big après night.

• 01
  Ice Bar (Hotel Rose)The Mayrhofen après legend. Open-air, slope-side at the base of the Penkenbahn, ski-off-the-piste, schnapps and beer, live music, the loudest 3-7pm in the village. The first stop.
• 02
  Niki's Schirmbar (Penken)Mid-mountain umbrella bar - sun deck, DJs, beer poured cold, and a 4pm crowd. Ski down to town when you've had enough.
• 03
  Bruck'n StadlA wooden barn at the edge of town, live Austrian folk and Schlager music, dancing on tables, and the most Austrian night out you'll have. The 9pm pivot from après to proper night.
• 04
  Mo's BarLate-night cocktail bar, decent music, the post-Bruck'n Stadl destination when you've still got energy.

The White Ring (Der Weisse Ring) is Lech's signature day - a 22km circular ski route on the lift system that you ski as a loop, visiting Lech, Zürs, Oberlech, and back. Take the slow route and stop at the rifugi along the way; it's a perfect long day for confident intermediates. Rüfikopf above Lech has the best on-piste skiing, Madloch-Joch (linking Lech to Zürs) is the off-piste-friendly side with proper powder runs into the back valley, and Mohnenfluh is the local's secret powder mountain. Plus full Arlberg lift pass connectivity through to St. Anton if you want a big day out.

• 01
  Hotel Post LechThe grand old Lech institution. Wiener schnitzel served by waiters in full traditional dress, dining room straight out of the 1920s, and a wine list that runs to genuine rarities. The dinner you book to mark the trip.
• 02
  SchneggareiModern mountain restaurant on the piste with wood-fired pizza, share plates, and the best deck in Lech. Open through the day - long lunch friendly.
• 03
  Rud-Alpe (mid-mountain)A 400-year-old alm beautifully preserved as a mountain hut. Open fire, traditional Käsknöpfle, and the most photographed mountain restaurant in the Arlberg. Walnut cake is the move.
• 04
  Hagen's DorfmetzgereiThe village butcher's deli - extraordinary picnic supplies, big sausage plates, hot suppe at lunchtime. The locals' midday stop.

• 01
  Tannbergerhof EisbarThe legendary outdoor ice bar in the centre of Lech. Open from 3pm, glühwein and champagne in equal measure, fire pits, and DJs in the evening. The single best after-ski spot in Austria.
• 02
  s'PfefferkorndlWine bar with a more grown-up vibe - serious Austrian wine list, small plates, and a roaring fire. The civilised dinner-prep round.
• 03
  KlapperkastenLate-night bar in the basement of the Hotel Krone. The Lech after-dark headquarters. Dancing, cocktails, and the place you accidentally close down.

200km of pistes across three connected sectors - Gornergrat (the high-altitude side with the famous railway), Sunnegga-Rothorn (the sunniest, with the best long descents), and Klein Matterhorn (the highest, glacier skiing, and the gateway to Italy). The Klein Matterhorn cable car takes you to 3,883m, the highest lift-served point in Europe. The Stockhorn and Triftji area is the off-piste gold for advanced riders. Cross over to Cervinia (Breuil-Cervinia) for an Italian lunch and ski back - you've now skied in two countries on one pass. Bring your passport (technically required, rarely checked).

• 01
  Chez Vrony (Findeln)Mid-mountain hamlet of Findeln, ski-in only - one of the most famous mountain restaurants in the world. Family-run, hyper-local, the rösti and the Cordon Bleu are the legends. Sun terrace with the Matterhorn directly in your eyeline. Book ahead. Always.
• 02
  Findlerhof (Findeln)Just down the lane from Chez Vrony, and equally extraordinary. Apple strudel that ruins all other apple strudel. Tiny dining room, big-name regulars, family run for fifty years.
• 03
  Schäferstube (Hotel Julen)Family-run Swiss-Alpine in the village. Famous for the lamb (the Julen family raise their own black-nose sheep). Old wooden room, copper pans, and the most loved dinner in Zermatt.
• 04
  Bayard MetzgereiThe village butcher who fires up the outdoor sausage grill at 11am every day. Cervelas, bratwurst, glühwein - eat standing up on the street watching the Matterhorn. Authentic, unfussy, perfect.

• 01
  Hennu StallThe Zermatt institution at the bottom of the Sunnegga piste. Ski-in only, picnic tables in the snow, Schlager music at full volume, schnapps in plastic cups. From 3pm. Boots stay on. You'll know how to yodel by 4pm.
• 02
  Snowboat (riverside, village)Yes, it's a boat in the snow. Mediterranean menu, decent cocktails, big terrace right on the river. The civilised counterpart to Hennu Stall.
• 03
  Papperla PubThe village pub - dark wood, big beer list, the most reliable Wednesday night out. Where the seasonaires are.

Mont Fort at 3,330m is the high point and accesses the steepest in-bounds skiing - the off-piste from the top of Mont Fort down to Tortin is the test piece. Mont Gelé is off-piste-only - you take the lift up and pick a line, no pisted runs at all. La Chaux is the intermediate playground. The lift system links four valleys (hence 4 Vallées) and you can ski to Nendaz, Veysonnaz, and Thyon on the same pass - some of the best long-distance ski tours in the Alps. Advanced riders should hire a guide for the Stairway to Heaven or the Vallon d'Arbi - both legendary.

• 01
  Le Mouton NoirThe Verbier institution. Modern Alpine cooking, candle-lit room, serious wine list, and a quiet kind of luxury. The dinner that everyone in Verbier eventually books.
• 02
  Chez Dany (mid-mountain, Clambin)Walking-only access through the forest, or skin up on touring skis. Wood-fired food, no menu - whatever they're making that day. The most secret restaurant lunch in Verbier.
• 03
  La Marlénaz (skin up for fondue)A half-hour skin uphill from the village at sunset, fondue in a 17th-century mountain hut, then a torchlit ski down. Romantic in the way only Switzerland manages to be.
• 04
  La Marmotte (Lac des Vaux)Mid-mountain classic, sun terrace, rösti and big bowls of pasta. Decent wine list, friendly service, and the kind of crowd that lingers for two hours.

• 01
  Le Rouge (sun deck)The Verbier après - massive sun terrace, DJs from 2pm, magnum-of-rosé energy, and the post-ski headquarters from January to April. Iconic.
• 02
  Pub Mont FortBritish-style pub - sticky carpets, sports on the screens, dirt-cheap beers, and the after-Rouge stop. Where the seasonaires actually live.
• 03
  Farinet (Place Centrale)Verbier's après-then-club institution. Live music in the lounge, big after-party in the basement Casbah, and the most reliable Saturday night in the Alps. Stay too long. You always do.
• 04
  Farm ClubThe late-late nightclub - 1am to 6am, full table-service, and the kind of room where European royalty might be at the next table. Or not. Hard to tell.

Three ski areas linked by lifts and cogwheel trains. Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg is the connecting area between Grindelwald and Wengen - long, scenic intermediate cruisers with the Eiger out the window the whole way. Wengen's First side is the family-friendly, sunny one. The Lauberhorn piste from Kleine Scheidegg down to Wengen is the longest groomed descent in the Alps when conditions allow - confident intermediates can manage the full thing. Eigergletscher is the high-altitude option. Advanced riders should head to the off-piste through the White Hare and the Black Rock (with a guide).

• 01
  Berghaus Bort (mid-mountain, Grindelwald)Family-run mountain restaurant on the First side, with a sun deck looking straight at the Eiger. The rösti is the test, and they pass it. Long lunch friendly.
• 02
  Hotel Wetterhorn (Grindelwald)Family-run since 1909, dining room straight out of the Belle Époque, and a kitchen that takes the Swiss classics extremely seriously. Order the fondue moitié-moitié.
• 03
  Brandegg (mid-mountain, Grindelwald)On the Wengernalp railway line between Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg. Famous for the apple strudel - the train stops directly outside, and people get on and off just for cake.
• 04
  Café 3692 (Grindelwald)Modern Swiss with a creative kitchen - the brunch and the cake-and-coffee crowd's go-to. Excellent espresso, very Instagrammable, and the kind of room that takes itself seriously.

• 01
  Mary's Café (Wengen)Wengen's reliably brilliant après spot - small, warm, the cake counter alone is worth a visit, and the post-ski rosé crowd settles in by 4pm and stays for hours.
• 02
  Tipi-Bar (Kleine Scheidegg)Outdoor wigwam bar at the train interchange between the two villages. Glühwein, schnapps, brass band soundtrack, and the most ridiculously photogenic après in the Jungfrau region.
• 03
  Espresso Bar (Hotel Eiger, Grindelwald)Modern hotel bar with cocktails that take themselves seriously, a strong amaro list, and the most reliable Saturday night in Grindelwald. The civilised end of the spectrum.