A skiing holiday is an experience everyone ought to discover; an extended stay amongst the snow covered mountains and days spend out on the powdery pistes will create memories that will last a last lifetime.
Among the finest locations at which to enjoy a trip to the slopes is Austria, offering a host of mountain resorts which marry great skiing opportunities with an air of class and sophistication.
Here are some of the best locations in Austria to consider if you're keen on heading slopeside soon.
We begin with St Anton - perhaps the best known of the Austrian skiing resorts and one which has a host of slopes to cater for all levels of ability.
Located in the western Tyrol, St Anton grew hugely in popularity in the 1930s after ski instructors from the region emigrated to America.
Presenting 340km of runs, five terrain parks and an overall skiing terrain area of 105 hectares, it comes as little surprise that St Anton is often listed as among the finest mountain hangouts in the world.
Another popular name is Obergurgl, a Tyrolean resort which has almost guaranteed snow thanks to its high altitude slopes.
Almost a third of the size of St Anton, Obergurgl offers a peaceful mountainside experience for families, with the unbelievable vistas of the mountain ranges that lay beyond the ski runs an image which you won't forget in a hurry.
The best thing about Obergurgl is that all levels of skiers can be accommodated, with the 110km of runs split between 32 per cent intermediate, 50 per cent advanced and 18 per cent expert runs.
After the sun sets, why not head into Obergurgl village and taste the local cuisine available at one of its many outstanding restaurants? While we're on the subject of food, the Top Mountain Star Restaurant combines a great menu with outstanding views from its setting at some 3,000 metres above sea level.
Finally, no list of excellent ski resorts is complete without a mention of Mayrhofen.
Offering 157km of pistes split between green, blue, red and black runs, it caters for everyone from the seasoned expert to skiing debutants.
Mayrhofen benefits from snow cover all year long because of its range of high altitude pistes, not to mention its close proximity to the Hintertux glacier at 3250m.
Among the most recent additions to this fantastic resort is the Ahornbahn cable car - a gondola with cars large enough to take 160 people at once.
In fact, it is so large that it can also be used as a floating cafe when the snowstorms settle in!