Travel tips

Jan 10, 2012, 3:06 GMT

Davos gala to showcase the magic of ice skating

Davos, Switzerland (dpa) - Ice skating stars from around the world will be showing off their skills with the Buendner mountain range as the backdrop in Davos. The ice gala on February 9 and 10 will feature many current stars of the figure skating scene, organizers say. They won't be competing for titles or medals on the Davos skating rink, but rather only to illustrate the magic of their sport. Organizers are expecting upwards of 9,000 visitors at the event. (www.eisgaladavos.ch)

Adrenaline rush in a 130 kph plunge over mountain valley

Salzburg (dpa) - Vacationers in the Austrian Alpine town of Saalfelden Leogang are being invited once again to 'fly' over the mountains as if on a hang glider - safely harnessed onto the 1.6-kilometre length of the Flying Fox XXL steel rope slide. The gliders reach speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour gliding in a prone position down the cable line from the Stoeckalm mountain station to the valley. (www.saalfelden-leogang.at)

Total art concept is focus of new Vienna exhibition

Vienna (dpa) - The first show at the newly renovated '21er Haus,' the Vienna Museum of Contemporary Art, will be devoted to exploring the idea of the 'Gesamtkunstwerk' - Total Art - concept. The exhibition, opening January 20 and running until May 20, will compare the total art thinking of artists from 1918 to the present day, the Vienna Tourism Office says. The 21er Haus was originally built to serve as the Austrian pavilion at the 1958 World Fair in Brussels. It now is located near the main Vienna train station. (www.21erhaus.at)

Ice sculptors to compete in Lake Louise

Edmonton, Canada (dpa) - The 19th international ice sculpting festival will be taking place this year at the Canadian resort of Lake Louise, with sculptors from around the world meeting over the weekend of January 21-23. Fifteen blocks of ice, each weighing some 135 kilograms, will be provided for sculptors creating works up to two metres tall. The motto of this year's festival is 'WordPlay: Where language comes out to play.' The best sculptures will be chosen on the final day of the festival and will be displayed until March.

Dog sled racing in the Swiss Alps

Scuol, Switzerland (dpa) - Some 50 dogsled racing teams from six countries will be convening on the Swiss Alpine town of Lue for the 15th Alpen Trail race. The two-day race, starting January 14, will cover 300 kilometres, during which the teams will have to overcome a total of some 8,000 metres of elevation. (www.engadin.com)

Ice climbers aim for World Cup honours in Saas-Fee

Saas-Fee, Switzerland (dpa) - Athletes from 20 countries, some 3,000 fans, and a 30-metre wall of sheer ice: from January 14 to 21 the ice climbing scene will converge in the Swiss town of Saas Fee. The World Cup competition will take place at a ten-story parking garage where the wall of ice will be created for the climbers. While ice climbing is a relatively new discipline, Saas Fee can already look back on a long tradition, having hosted three world championships and 12 World Cup events. (www.iceclimbingworldcup.ch)