This winter, ItaliaOutdoors (978-270-5774; www.italiaoutdoorsfoodandwine.com) is offering small-group and family tours that blend winter sports and city culture with the pleasures of the table in Italy’s Trentino Alto-Adige region. Options for outdoor play include alpine or cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and even winter climbing. Come in from the cold to learn about regional wines, through guided wine tastings, and local cuisine with dinners in a region that’s home to more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other in Italy. Leading the adventures are ItaliaOutdoors partners Vernon McClure, a ski, snowboard, and mountaineering guide, and Kathy Bechtel, a certified ski instructor and chef. The custom-designed itineraries can include cooking classes and visiting local sights. The programs, which include everything but airfare, can be customized to any skiing ability and can range from five days to two weeks. Prices for a weeklong experience begin around $2,800 per person.
Ride the rails, see the lights, and go extreme
Seven reasons to get out and enjoy winter’s wonder
Get the boot in Austria
Ski boots hurt? The luxury of custom-crafted ski boots can be yours - for a price. The “If the Boot Fits’’ package, at the exclusive Kristiania Lech boutique hotel (011-5583-25610; www.kristiania.at/en/13/default.aspx), includes a pair of custom-fit, made-to-order Strolz ski boots. The seven-night package ($1,334 per night) also includes a six-day ski pass to the Lech-Zurs area, two massages, daily breakfast and dinner, and a personal shopping consultation with a fashion specialist from Strolz. Lech is at the heart of skiing’s heritage. It was home to Hannes Schneider, who introduced the Arlberg technique to America, and to four Olympic downhill champions, including Othmar Schneider, who built the hotel that his daughter now runs. Othmar Schneider won Olympic gold and silver in the 1952 games, and his medals and trophies are on display. When he’s in town, he enjoys sharing tales about his skiing life with guests.
Alps transport made easy