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Within every paradise there is always an epicentre of sorts - I’m sure Eden had a particularly sparkling pool, for example – and at Valais that pool is without a doubt the Obergoms area. Ideal for cross-country skiers new and established, its unique setting means that its blissfully snow-sure landscape of 86km connects with 12 picturesque villages along the way, practically every one with its own train stop.
Sun-worn wooden houses and hidden hamlets house passed-down, age-old Nordic ski traditions. With ten trails ranging from the 3km training track from Obergesteln to Oberwald, to the 86km unique cross-country ski experience that takes you from Niederwald to Oberwald, without a doubt there is something for everyone.
There has never been a better time for you to grab some skis and skim the earth parallel to the mountains.
(February is boring, after all - go have some fun.)
The Aficionados find fun, cool, creative places to stay that have strong accents of design and even stronger picture-perfect locations.
Since the 14th century, the village of Mund and the UNESCO mountain region has been the quiet spice producer since it was smuggled in via Italy and the Simplon Pass.
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The winery of St Jodern Kellerei in Switzerland’s beautiful Visperterminen, in the canton of Valais, has long been recognised as having the highest vineyard in Europe.
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Everything in the long-established Ski resort of Zermatt revolves around Switzerland’s icon, the majestic and unmistakable, Matterhorn standing at a hypnotic 4478m.
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One for you travelling oenophiles - Switzerland's beautiful Valais holds the highest vineyard in Europe, and wines that are regarded as "the pearl of the Alps".
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Founded in 1754 by Empress Maria Theresa, the oldest area, the medicinal garden, is replete with poisonous plants and the sultry tropical house is home to orchids, cacti and carnivorous plants.
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Travel to Portugal's fairytale den of Sintra, just outside Lisbon, for a world full of rolling hills and castles, once referred to by Byron as "glorious Eden".
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Amalfi and the Path of the Gods -Sentiero degli Dei is magical, an easy, two-hour amble for mortals like us, spy the Amalfi Coast’s breath-taking UNESCO World Heritage site in all its glory from a lofty, God-like height, tracking the path from Agerola’s Bomerano near Amalfi to Positano’s pause-worthy Nocelle.
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Porto for culture seekers - we explore the Serralves Foundation comprising of a dusty pink 1930-40s’s Art Deco villa designed by Porto architect José Marques da Silva, a landscape-specific contemporary museum designed by Álvaro Siza.
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Paestum Temples in Southern Italy is one of those ancient antiquities that you have to visit – this UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cilento Campania is a treasure trove of ancient Greece including three of the world’s best-preserved temples.
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Where modern art meets coastline and clarity, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art turns a museum visit into a coastal walk, framing global creativity through architecture, light and landscape.
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Faro is the gateway to Portugal's Algarve but don't be tempted not to visit this wonderful medieval port and culture stuffed city dating back to the 8th Century.
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The small port of Olhão, in the unspoilt eastern backwaters of the Algarve, has been famed for fishing since Medieval times, but these days the charming, sun-faded town close to Faro attracts a bohemian crowd for its slow pace of life and fabulous natural beached islands.
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Get the insider news and lowdown on what we've been up to, where we've been, and who we've met along the way. Be the first to discover new places and get the scoop on our favourites.