Showing results by author "Krista Dana" in All Categories

In addition to its wealth of cultural sights, the European Alps offer a wider range of outdoor recreation than any other similarly sized region in the world. Adventurers of all ages hike hut-to-hut on multi-day treks, skiers slide year-round on glacial slopes, and Sunday walkers stroll forested trails. Bikers loop icy blue lakes, and mountaineers scale up waterfalls and down canyon cliffs. Europeans cherish their wilderness areas, and none more so than the pristine forests of the Alps.

In addition to its wealth of cultural sights, the European Alps offer a wider range of outdoor recreation than any other similarly-sized region in the world. Adventurers of all ages hike hut-to-hut on multi-day treks, skiers slide year-round on glacial slopes, and Sunday walkers stroll forested trails. Bikers loop icy blue lakes, and mountaineers scale up waterfalls and down canyon cliffs. Modern adventurers run the gamut from rich to poor, young to old, and native to transient foreigner.

Here is a guide to the best sights and adventures in the mountainous regions of Alpine Germany. Based on experience gained through more than a decade of living in, traveling around, and writing about the Alps, we spotlight the best gateway cities, the best sightseeing bases, and the best outdoor adventures. Here, we cover the places where you're likely to end up when crossing the European Alps and the places that you shouldn't miss in-between, even if you have only a few days or a week to spend.

This guide rounds up hotels for each destination that have both a prime location and reasonable standards of comfort, narrowing coverage to those hostelries offering particularly memorable stays. Our hotel picks are categorized by price range - but you should be aware that seasonal fluctuations can be great, particularly in the resort areas.

The Valais region encompasses Switzerland's most rugged terrain. Our coverage extends from the gateway city of Geneva to the upper reaches of the Walliser Alps along the Italian frontier. Visitors are apt to enter the region in Geneva, a small, cosmopolitan city between the border of France and the western end of Lake Geneva, known in French as Lac Leman. The city bustles with the business of international organizations, plays along a garden-lined lakefront, and harbors a pleasant pedestrian old town.

All of the details you need to know are in this guide - where to stay, where to eat, where to play and where to party. Plus the mountain climbing adventures, the hikes and walks, the bike trails and much more.