For the best European skiing, head for the Alps

Best singles scene
Kitzbuehel, Austria: Hip, cosmopolitan and just 90 minutes from Munich, Kitzbuehel draws an international crowd and has a jolly, boisterous night life. "Kitz" has some 140 bars and restaurants, ranging from noisy pubs to quiet local watering holes, chic clubs to a casino with dress-code.

Most fashionable
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Known as the "Queen of the Dolomites," Cortina is the most stylish and upscale resort in Italy, and was the location for a number of movies, including the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only," and the original "Pink Panther."

St. Moritz, Switzerland. One of the most extravagantly fashionable mountain resorts in skidom. Its unusual blend of romantic ski village ambiance and cosmopolitan flair, its curative Health Spa, horse races and polo matches, upmarket boutiques and luxury jewelers, all in the wildly beautiful setting of Alpine lakes, mountains and forests make it the destination of the smart-set.

Klosters, Switzerland. Refined, sophisticated, Klosters is where the British royal family comes for holiday fun.

Best spa
Stubai, Austria. Nestled at the foot of the Stubai Glacier, just 20 minutes from Innsbruck, the five-star Spa Hotel Jagdhof boasts an award winning spa and well-being center. The 21,528-square-foot "World of Vitality" has a relaxation area with water beds, a saltwater inhalation grotto, an ice fountain, an amethyst steam bath grotto, a "Poachers Sauna" with open fire place, and an outdoor Jacuzzi from which you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of starry skies twinkling above the glacier.

Best eat and ski
Courchevel, France. One of the few ski resorts with multiple Michelin star restaurants. The Chabichou and Le Bateau Ivre have two stars apiece. For some French country atmosphere, local specialties and top-notch foie gras, book a table at the Le Bistrot du Praz in Courchevel 1300. La Fromagerie serves the best fondue in town, while La Cendree has one of the best Italian wine cellars in the region.

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Cortina, Italy. Some visitors don't even bother skiing at this high-end resort and simply go for the dynamite dining. The Tivoli is a sophisticated one-star Michelin restaurant specializing in wild game and mountain dishes. Make reservations well ahead. El Toula, a remodeled barn considered the most posh restaurant in town, was awarded three Michelin forks (almost a star). The Rifugio Scotoni, once a mountain refuge, is located on the Lagazuoi trail and has excellent grilled meats and local specialties. Da Beppe Sello, Baita Fraina and Lago Scin all have two Michelin forks.

Best family destinations
Zermatt, Switzerland. From its towering height of 14,692 feet, the crooked spire of the Matterhorn overlooks a bustling old-fashioned town with horse-drawn sleighs winding down picture-postcard snowy cobbled streets. The sculpted high-mountain terrain can be tricky for beginners but there are plenty of other snow-sure slopes suited to skiers of all skill levels.

Zell am See, Austria. Founded by monks in the middle of the eighth century, this pretty medieval town lies on the shores of the lovely Zeller See, a deep, clear blue glacial lake. The resort has over 93 miles of ski runs, a bounty of apres-ski activities and numerous kiddie ski schools (and babysitting services). There is ice skating and curling when the lake freezes over.

Best scenery
Cortina, Italy. Surrounded by the spiny Dolomites near Italy's northeast corner, the steep limestone walls plunge straight down to the narrow Ampezzo valley floor, creating some of the most mind-boggling scenery in Europe. Sunset transforms the spiky chiseled monoliths into pink-tinged fairytale spires.

Best honeymooner's hideout
Wengen, Switzerland. Stepping off the quaint cog train in this intimate Alpine village is like stepping back in time. The steep, slow cog rail is the only way to reach Wengen, where you'll be quickly swept to your hotel while snugly tucked under a blanket on the back of a small open-air electric carriage. Children still get around on their toboggans in this magical, unspoiled village. Wengen is set amid the Jungfrau mountain range, with the breathtaking Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau acting as spectacular backdrops. The ski resort also has natural ice-skating, mountaineering and snowshoeing. Apres-ski is laid-back, consisting of folklore evenings, dining or hobnobbing at a small selection of bars and restaurants.

Megeve, France. One of the oldest ski villages in the Alps, this quaint and chic medieval Haute Savoie village with its cobbled streets, horse and buggies, and picturesque wooden chalets was first developed as a ski resort in the 1920s.

Best indoor slopes
Bottrop, Germany. The Prosperstrasse heap, open 365 days a year, is billed as the world's longest indoor ski slope, with a 2,100-foot run. Complete the experience with apres ski outdoors in the beer garden on the sun deck, or entertainment, dining and a discotheque indoors.

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