VIP DESTINATION: SHORT SKI BREAKS IN EUROPE

So much for global warming hey, this has been one of the coldest winters on record in Europe and that also means it's been one of the best skiing seasons. If you haven't been able to go skiing yet, you still have time as heavy dumps continue to blanket a lot of the continent. With that in mind take a look at some of our key skiing destinations in Austria, Switzerland and Norway. All these places are easily accessible by public transport, making them fantastic short weekend breaks!

GYRON, SWITZERLAND

Gyron is a tiny village that lies stretched across Mont Jorogne in the Vaud Alps. The authentic character of the village has been preserved thanks to several clusters of old chalets. During winter the landscape becomes encrusted in white snow making it almost picture perfect. There are also postcard views of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
The Skiing: The Villars-Gyron skiing area incorporates some 77 lifts, 220km of ski slopes, 44km of cross country skiing trails, snowboarding and sledging runs and winter walking routes.
Where to Stay: Stay at the Chalet Martin in winter or summer to appreciate the village and surrounds in all climates. In summer 300km of marked hiking trails open up and 150km of mountain biking - it's an alpine lovers paradise!
Getting There: You can get to Gyron from Italy, France, Germany and Holland and from Swiss destinations like Interlaken, Zurich and Geneva. Get on a train to Lausanne. Then take a train to Bex - depart 45 mins past each hour. From there take the cograil train to Gyron. If you want to fly the nearest Ryan Air airport is probably Turin or Milan in Italy, Grenoble in France. Alitalia, EasyJet and Flybe go to Geneva International Airport.

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GRUENAU IM ALMTAL, AUSTRIA

Grünau (or Gruenau) im Almtal is a traditional village lying about 105km east of Salzburg. The little town is a peaceful place with a lovely old church and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy.
The Skiing: The village provides direct access to 40km of downhill skiing with 19 individual pistes and 14 ski lifts. Some trails are 10km in length making for long, smooth fun! The skiing is generally considered good for beginners and intermediate skiers and is open until about April 2010 so you have plenty of time to get here!
Where to Stay: The place to stay is Treehouse Backpacker Hostel, a family home that is open to independent travellers, just 5km from the village and across the road from the skifield!
Getting There: If you only have a short break note that Salzburg airport is 1.5 hours away, Munich and Vienna 2.5 hours and Klagenfurt and Innsbruck 3 hours. Ryan Air flights from London go to Linz and Salzburg and from Barcelona to Linz (65km away). If you're coming by rail catch any train to Wels on the main line between Salzburg and Vienna. Change here for a regional train to Gruenau (track 11) which is the last stop.

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DOMBAS, NORWAY

Dombås is a small town 360km directly north of Oslo and 200km south of Trondheim on the main train line. It is located in the mountains of central Norway in the Oppland region and close to numerous national parks. This makes it perfect to visit all year round - for trekking in spring and summer and skiing in winter.
The Skiing: Dombås has two lifts that are 1200m and 1600m long. There are four slopes of varied difficulty but the main run is 1200m and flood lit in the evening, the longest run is 2700m. The slopes have an international approval for  slalom and giant slalom plus there's snowboard areas.
Where to Stay: You can stay at the Norlandia Dovrefjell Hotell and get a VIP discount. The hotel is located on the edge of Dovre National Park which means there are plenty of trails to explore just outside the door in both summer and winter. The hotel organizes excursions such as musk ox safaris, sleigh rides, dog sledding and to traditional lavvu tents.
Getting There: There is a train station in Dombås, on the line between Oslo and Trondheim. It also coordinates with the Andalsnes trains, a spectacular journey through beautiful landscape. If you're driving, Road E6 (the one that runs from south to north in Norway) passes through here and so does the E136 to Åndalsnes. There is also a bus terminal with lots of connections. Airports closeby include Molde Aro Airport (120 km), Kristiansund/kve Airport (130 km), Sogndal Haukasen Airport (150 km), Alesund Airport (160 km) and Trondheim/vaerne Airport (180 km). Ryan Air flies to Oslo, Flybe to Bergen, Norwegian from Trondheim to London.

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Wherever and whenever you go VIP has plenty of accommodation choices to keep you happy and there's plenty of options if you use the VIP card for savings on accommodation, tours and services.

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