The Italian town of Aosta is the site of one of the largest and most important crafts fairs of the Alpine region. Hundreds of local craftsmen will sell wares made from traditional materials including wood, iron, leather, lace, wicker, soapstone and wool on Jan. 30-31. (lasaintours.it)
Skiers and snowboarders know the Alps as their happy place during the winter months. But what about those who don’t care for careening downhill at top speed? There’s much happening in the hills, with or without appendages strapped to one’s feet.
Spot classic autos: In and around the town of Madonna de Campiglio in the Dolomites, dozens of classic autos will be leaving tracks in the snow as they take part in the race simply known as the Winter Marathon. By the time they’re finished negotiating the icy passes and hairpin curves, each driver will have clocked more than 300 miles. On Jan. 25, the last day of the race, the autos can be seen traveling to and from the town’s lake, where, ice permitting, they’ll take part in a challenge from 1:30 p.m. Online: tinyurl.com/539rmejm
Hear classical music in Salzburg: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756, and each year, his native city remembers him with a week of concerts and special tours to places connected with his life and times. Mozart Week, on now and continuing through Feb. 2, broadens its perspective in 2025 by remembering some of the great masters who served as Mozart’s inspiration: Monteverdi, Bach, Händel, Haydn and others. This year’s program includes performances of Monteverdi’s opera L’Orfeo, a marionette performance of Mozart’s opera “La finta giardiniera” (The Fake Garden Girl), orchestral and chamber concerts, a street dance, pub quiz, silent film cinema accompanied by live music and more. Online: mozarteum.at/en/mozart-week#info
See hot air balloons in flight: The Tegernseer Tal Montgolfiade, set for Jan. 26-Feb. 2, will bring a couple dozen international ballooning teams to the shores of the Tegernsee, a lake in the Miesbach region of Bavaria. In addition to watching the balloons in flight, guests can book themselves places on board. Starts usually take place in late morning, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. On the evening of Jan. 31, illuminated balloons will light up the skies above the Sonnenbichel Hotel at Bad Wiessee. Online: tegernsee.com/montgolfiade
Buy quality handicrafts: Italy’s Aosta Valley, perched on the border with France and Switzerland, is home to some of the Alps’ highest peaks. On the same day each year, Jan. 30-31, the town of Aosta is the site of one of the largest and most important crafts fairs of the Alpine region. The Sant’Orso fair, which has taken place since the Middle Ages, takes its name from a 9th century saint who, according to legend, helped the poor by giving away clothing and “sabots,” a type of wooden clog that’s still made today. Inside the city’s ancient, intact walls, hundreds of local craftsmen display timeless wares from traditional materials including wood, iron, leather, lace, wicker, soapstone and wool. The fair’s offerings are rounded out by musical and folkloric entertainment, as well as stands serving regional food and wine. Online: lasaintours.it/en/the-millennial
Celebrate carnival: The Swiss city of Thun celebrates its annual carnival Jan. 30-Feb. 2. The theme of this year’s celebrations is “1001 Nights” and the highlight events include Saturday night’s brass band concerts and the parade that sets off on Sunday at 1:59 p.m. Online: thuner-fasnacht.ch/fasnacht
Admire snow sculptures: The towns of the Gastein Valley host their annual snow sculpture exhibition titled “Art on Snow” Feb. 1-7. Resorts in Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein and Bad Gastein will be all the more magical for the presence of international teams of artists working live, crafting their works from ice and snow. This year’s exhibition takes its inspiration from the world of fairy tales. Note some of the sculptures are only visible to ski pass holders, and some works will only take shape toward the end of the fest. Online: gastein.com/en/events/winter/art-on-snow
Laugh it up: The Austrian ski resort in Mayerhofen is home to the Altitude Comedy Festival, in which a number of English-speaking comedians perform in three shows nightly. Most of the acts are names known by audiences based in the UK. While the March 24-28 dates have already been set, this year’s line-up has yet to be announced. Online: www.altitudefestival.com
Rock on high: The Austrian resort town of Ischgl brings ski season to a close with its Top of the Mountain Spring Concert series of events. On Easter Sunday, April 20, the Jamaican-American reggae artist Shaggy takes to the iconic outdoor stage ringed by mountain peaks. On May 3, this same stage will be rocked by the band OneRepublic. Entry to the concerts can be secured by the purchase of single-day ski passes to the Silvretta Arena. The area is accessible to non-skiers as well, although they too will need to purchase the passes. The cost of an adult pass is 76 euros for the day Shaggy performs and 145 euros on the day of the OneRepublic performance. Online: tinyurl.com/mt4kasvf
