11-Nights Peaks of Europe:The Alps toThe Dolomites

Seefeld

A winter playground for snow sports, Seefeld is a hotspot for cross-country skiing and played host to the 1964 and 1978 Nordic events at the Winter Olympics. Seefeld is 11 miles from the town of Innsbruck, nestled within the Alps on a plateau that allows for comfortable strolling and hiking at the nearby nature reserve, Karwendel.

Grindelwald

Grindelwald, Switzerland, is a good base for both winter and summer activities in the mountains, about 50 mi/80 km southwest of Lucerne. In winter, this town in the Jungfrau region has good skiing; during other seasons, there are plenty of opportunities for hiking and more adventurous pursuits, such as canyoning. Be sure to visit one of the nearby glaciers; the higher one, Obergletscher, is the best.

Visiting the town via the train from Interlaken is recommended. From Grindelwald, you can also continue on the train to Kleine Scheidegg, at the base of the famous north face of Eiger mountain. In Kleine Scheidegg, you can transfer to another train that takes you to Jungfraujoch. The train travels through the Eiger tunnel to the Eigerwand and Eismeer stations, making a five-minute stop at each one, before finally reaching the Jungfraujoch station, the highest railway station in Europe.

On clear days (there's no point in taking the expensive trip if the skies aren't clear) you can see as far as the Vosges Mountains in France and the Black Forest in Germany from the Sphinx Observatory. The Great Aletsch Glacier begins near the station. But don't expect to have the place all to yourself: It is usually very crowded.

One of the many tourist amenities is the Ice Palace, which has several ice sculptures carved in the glacier. There are also a ski and snowboard park, sled rides and pricey restaurants.

Chamonix

Chamonix sits in the shadow of Mont Blanc and offers some of the most challenging skiing in Europe. The town is in the center of a string of villages spread out along a valley cutting deep through the Alps; the village of Argentiere is six miles up the valley, beneath the renowned Grands-Montets slopes, and Les Houches is a small resort a few miles below. The huge variety of on- and off-piste skiing in Chamonix attracts all levels of skiers, and this shows in the sportive atmosphere in the bars and restaurants. Chamonix is known for its ski-hard-party-hard atmosphere and the nightlife won't disappoint. There is a casino for those wishing to try their luck on the tables. Chamonix's other activities include swimming, bathing in Turkish baths, indoor ice skating, and bowling.