Les Balcons de la Chapelle in Meribel, France.

Europe’s ski resorts are showing signs of recovery, according to the new Ski Resort Property Index from Knight Frank.

The index indicates prices are stabilizing in many resorts and small increases have been seen across the French Alps.

“Demand for property is proving less seasonal in many of the world’s luxury ski resorts,” says Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank.

“Summer tourism, often involving hiking and climbing, particularly in The Alps, has helped to increase rental incomes for many second home owners. The Alps are now host to a number of summer festivals, concerts and sporting events attracting visitors all year round.”

The Ski Resort Property Index highlights that 2010/2011 sales activity in French alpine resorts has been strong in areas such as Courchevel, Méribel, Megève and Val d’Isere.

At one of the best ranked ski resorts, Meribel, in the middle of Les Trois Vallées, luxury development Les Balcons de la Chapelle has performed well.

French eco-friendly property developer Terresens is responsible for Les Balcons de la Chapelle in Meribel.

With incredible views out over the French Alps, the development is a short walk from the ski lifts, shops and restaurants.

The developer is offering 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments and chalets at Les Balcons de la Chapelle.

These luxury resort properties, priced from €560,000, come fully furnished to individual specification.

Image courtesy of Terresens.

Looking for an active travel company?  Then check out Headwater, a leading walking, cycling and canoeing operator.

The company offers independent and guided holiday options worldwide.  Some 120  Headwater itineraries are featured in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Here are 10  walking holidays:

1. Valley and Volcanoes Walk, France

2. Contrasts of Chile

3. Highlights of Peru

4. Heart of Portugal Walk

5. Contrast of the Cape, South Africa

6. The Imperial Cities, Morocco

7. Heart of Sardinia Walk

8. Delights of the Dalmatian Coast, Croatia

9. Highlights of Slovenia

10. Costa Rica Wildlife Walk

For more info, visit Headwater.com.

Images courtesy of Headwater.

Have you dreamed of adventure in Spitsbergen?  Wild at heart, every year, the Arctic destination attracts travelers in their La Sportiva boots and The North Face jackets.

Adventure travel company World Expeditions is now offering a special  on its 11-day Around Spitsbergen adventure.

Departing on August 17, 2010,  the company’s Spitsbergen trip special includes a 10 per cent discount.  Established in 1975, World Expeditions specializes in small group trekking and adventure holidays.

Says World Expeditions:

“This circumnavigation of Spitsbergen (meaning ‘pointed mountains’) makes landings in the areas where these expeditions roamed around, allowing you to see – in addition to the polar bears – reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, whales, seabirds and tundra birds.”

For more info, visit WorldExpeditions online.

Image courtesy of World Expeditions.

Will you be traveling to Italy’s Dolomites for the first time?  This mountainous region, south of the Alps, is 90,000 acres of quaint villages, rolling green pastures and steep mountain trails.

Traveling to the Dolomites can be overwhelming for first time travelers because of its size, says travel company Dolomite Mountains. It recommends five Dolomite experiences that should not be missed.

Here are  the Top 5 Things To Do In The Dolomites:

1.Walk a via ferrata. “In English via ferrata means “iron road”, and it’s a unique way to traverse the mountainous paths of the Dolomites by climbing up through the use of a series of metal rungs, safety cables and bridges that form a vertical path to the summit.  You need not be an experienced mountain climber, but be forewarned, the views during your ascent will most certainly stop you in your tracks.”

2. Stay in a rifugio. “Rifugios are basically mountain huts located throughout the Dolomites.  They are typically simple and rustic, however these shared facilities can be quite comfortable and can accommodate anywhere from 20-50 hikers. There are often showers available and most also serve food.”

3. Drive the Great Dolomites Road. “Open year round, this scenic route crosses Falzarego, Pordoi and Karerpass (at the renowned Rosengarten) and connects Bozen with Bolzano.”

4. Experience Marmolada. “Known as the Queen of the Dolomites, Marmolada is the highest mountain in the Dolomites.  Visitors can take a cable car to the top, or hike underneath the Marmolada Glacier, located on the mountain’s north face.  The magnificent views are awe-inspiring and unmatched.”

5. Explore the WWI tunnels and galleries. “Lagazuoi Mountain boasts an intricate array of galleries and tunnels that were constructed by the Italians and Austrians during the First World War.  There is a museum you can visit, as well as the Rifugio Scotoni, which serves a delicious and highly recommended grill and vegetables dish for lunch.  While you’re there, you might also consider a stay at the Rifugio Lagazuoi, where you can experience the best 360° views in the Dolomites.”

For more travel ideas, check Dolomite Mountains.com.

Image courtesy of the Italian Tourist Board.

Thinking about trekking the mountains of Corsica?  Walks Worldwide calls the GR20 walking route through the mountains of Corsica “the toughest trek to be found this side of the Himalaya.”

The company’s 15-day Corsica trips depart in June, August and September and include flights, all transportation, 14 nights’ accommodation, most meals, baggage transfers and guide.

Says Mike Wynne, managing director, Walks Worldwide:

“We are very careful who we take on our GR20 trips because if you do not have a very high level of fitness, and have tough-trek experience, quite simply, you won’t make it. The trail traverses the island diagonally following the high granite barrier of mountains that form the natural boundary across the country.”

Hikers will learn about the authentic and traditional working mountain community.  They will meet shepherds who spend the summer months with their flocks on the high fresh airy pastures.  Trip accommodations will include a mix of camps, refuges, gîtes and shepherds’ cabins.

The mountain terrain will be over 1000 metres with steep ascents over high ridges, deep descents into dramatic chasms and some ‘via ferrata’ across granite slopes.  This trek promises challenging ascents over high mountain passes with the possibility of ,weather permitting, the summiting Paglia Orba (2525 metres).

For more info, check out WalksWorldwide.com.

Images courtesy of Walks Worldwide.

Are you a volcano tourist?  Then you might want to plan your next trip to Iceland, home of the recent Eyjafjallajokull eruption.

Icelandic and UK tour operators have begun introducing ‘volcano tours’ for visitors to see this natural spectacle  for as long as the eruption lasts.

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano, located 75 miles east of Reykjavik, erupted on March 20, 2010, after lying dormant for almost 200 years.  Situated along the Fimmvorduhals ridge between the Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull glaciers, the region is known for one of Iceland’s most popular summer hiking trails.

Here are a couple new Iceland volcano tours:

• By sightseeing plane: Discover the World, Volcano Eruption Special Tour. “The Volcano Eruption Special tour includes a spectacular sightseeing flight over the eruption itself, offering an unrivaled aerial view of this exciting phenomenon. Price includes return airport transfers from Keflavik to a hotel in Reykjavik, three nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation based on two people sharing (double/twin room), return airport transfers from hotel to Reykjavik Domestic Airport, 1.5-2 hr sightseeing flight over Eyjafjallajokull glacier.”

• By coach tour: Icelandair Holidays Volcano City Break. “Flying from London Heathrow, Manchester or Glasgow with Icelandair, the Volcano City Break includes three nights’ accommodation and tour to see the volcano by coach. The trip to the volcano from Reykjavik departs in the evening, when the eruption is most visible, and takes approximately two hours. Passengers spend several hours at the volcano site before returning to Reykjavik. Each tour will be different based on the status of the eruption, with the safety of passengers the top priority.”

Image courtesy of the Icelandic Tourist Board.

Greenland has captured the imaginations of Arctic adventurers for centuries.   Now travelers can see Greenland on the Hurtiguten which has added three new trips in 2010.

The cruiseline’s newest ship, MS Fram,  has been built specifically to sail in polar waters. Each trip will feature  lectures, landings and shore excursions and the experience of culture, wildlife and communities of Greenland’s remote areas.

These three new trips include:

• PEAKS, RUINS AND ERIC THE RED “A journey from Greenland to Iceland taking in the south and eastern region before sailing across the Denmark Strait to Iceland. From ancient Viking settlements to the beautiful setting of Evighedsfjorden, this voyage offers the chance to discover something of Greenland’s vast array of natural and historic treasures before ending in Iceland. “

• GREENLAND’S REMOTE AND WILD COAST “Exploring the isolated communities around North East Greenland this voyage offers the chance to visit Scoesby Sund – the largest Fjord in the world and home to some huge icebergs. “

• IN THE WAKE OF THE VIKINGS “Following in the footsteps of the Norsemen of old this voyage travels from Iceland to southern Greenland and then onto Labrador and Newfoundland. This incredible adventure encompasses some of the most spectacular natural and historical landscapes that Greenland and eastern Canada has to offer.”

For more info, check out Hurtigruten online.

Image courtesy of Hurtigruten.

Photography holidays are an exciting, emerging trend in mountain travel.

In Europe, Tatra Photography now offers photography workshops including a three-day photography holiday in Germany’s Bavarian National Park and a landscape course in the surroundings of the Tatra Mountains.  An additional week- long break will feature the mountains’ peaks and valleys.

While in Slovakia, the company will offer three-day photography breaks in the Tatra Mountains focusing on the lakes and waterfalls and week long breaks in the peaks and valleys of the mountains.  These packages will  include staying in remote mountain lodges and lake locations for reflection and sunrise shots.

A longer photography course will feature a special overnight stay on Lomnicky Peak, (2634 metres above sea level), to photograph sunsets and sunrises and star trails. This  peak is reached by cable car from Tatranska Lomnica.

Wildlife breaks in Germany will give photographers “the chance to capture some of Europe’s great predators including: brown bears, wolves and lynx as well as the endangered European bison, deer, otters, wild horses and birds of prey.”

Slovakia photography breaks will highlight Tatra Mountains known for their giant waterfalls, lakes, valleys, deep green forests, blue mountain tarns, snowy peaks, brown bears, wolves, lynx and deer and diverse flora.

Award-winning photographers Chris Weston, Nick Jenkins and Andrew James will lead these photography holidays.  The holidays are designed for moderately fit photographers of all abilities who work in digital or film, from 35mm up to large format.

Photographic tuition will cover composition, exposure, shutter speed, focus and depth-of-field, apertures and understanding histograms.  Participants will learn to ‘read’ the landscape, create panoramas, HDR imaging and black and white photography.

For more info, check out Tatra Photography online.

Images courtesy of Tatra Photography.

Are you planning a mountain trip in Andalusia?  After your mountain adventure, you can find many lovely hotels to stay in this stunning region of Spain.

Just ask Stylish Places to Stay, a travel company that specializes in stylish hotels and accommodation worldwide. Recently, the company released its 2009/2010 Andalusia Collection.

Here are a few stylish places to stay in Andalusia:

MARBELLA Casitas Villa Padierna (above). “A brand new concept from the prestigious five-star luxury Hotel Villa Padierna. 11 private villas and 3 suites in unique and elegant surroundings near the Roman amphitheatre offer clients a private second home with 24-hour butler service just a push of the button away. Golf courses, square km. of spa facilities, pools and water gardens, kids’ club, restaurants, bars and five-star hotel facilities next door.”

MARBELLA Hotel Villa Padierna (above). “Stylish 5-star grand luxe hotel with an enviable reputation for excellence in service, elegance and luxury. Built in the style of a Tuscan villa, it has 112 rooms and suites, 1131 m2 of impressive conference space ideal for business events, outstanding cuisine, one of Spain’s most exquisite spas, pool and water gardens, a championship golf course on the doorstep and a Roman-style amphitheatre for romantic weddings.”

CASARES Hotel Finca Cortesín. “The Finca Cortesín’s cobbled courtyard, fountains, perfect proportions and stone-flagged floors give the feel of a charming private finca several hundred years old. The 67 suites and public areas with soaring ceilings are decorated with restrained luxury, complemented by classic gardens, a delicious spa, gym and inspired cuisine. First-class events take place here in the 450 m2 of designer meeting and function space. Serious golfers are also a fixture: the 7,000-metre course is home to the Volvo World Match Play Championship and has some of the world’s best greens.”

JEREZ de la FRONTERA, Hotel Villa Jerez.  “Formerly a traditional country house attached to the bodega of one of the sherry families, the Hotel Villa Jerez. 18 large rooms with oversized beds, traditional décor and generous bathrooms; spotless housekeeping, charming service, good food and plenty of local atmosphere. Unbeatable location within walking distance of the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, the González Byass and Domecq cellars and the Exhibition Centre (Recinto Ferial).”

VEJER de la FRONTERA, Hotel V (above). “Once a 16th century casa-palacio, this luxury 12-bedroom boutique hotel opened its doors in February 2009. Its intimate, elegant and exclusive interiors with serene whitewashed walls are furnished with extra large beds, Portuguese antiques, teak and rosewood. Avant-garde designer bathrooms, spa services and attentive staff are some of the other ingredients of this warm, tranquil haven. The hotel may also be rented as a private home with fully-staffed five-star service.”

For more hotels in Andalusia, visit Stylish Places to Stay online.

Images courtesy of Stylish Places to Stay.

Fancy spending your Easter holidays in Switzerland?  Then you might be pleased with Easter celebrations at The Cambrian, the only Mr&Mrs Smith hotel in Switzerland and a member of Design Hotels.

Located in Adelboden mountain resort, the 71-room hotel is planning Easter gourmet meals and spa treatments for parents and  fun activities for the kids.

The Cambrian’s Easter weekend package includes:

• Four nights’ B&B accommodation.

• Four-course dinner on Good Friday.

• Chateaubriand on Saturday.

• Traditional Easter Sunday lamb.

• Complimentary tea and cakes every afternoon in the Winter Garden.

• Easter egg painting.

• Easter egg hunt.

Other activities for kids in Adelboden are:

• Sledging trails in and around the resort.

• Ice skating on the resort’s rink.

• Mountain hiking in the snow.

• Joining the tourist office’s Kids Club.

• Listening to bedtime stories with Snowli.

• Learning how to build an igloo.

For more info, check out The Cambrian online.

Images courtesy of The Cambrian.