I only recently learned to ski and confess that, in comparison to sporting a beach towel and sunglasses, the prospect of lugging heavy skis, boots, jackets, and bags of other equipment up a mountain in freezing temperatures never really appealed to me. Nevertheless, when living in Switzerland surrounded by world class ski resorts and luxury accommodations, hitting the slopes is what one does in order to maintain any semblance of a social life between January and April.

Since early December the snow has been falling hard and fast in the Alps and cold temperatures above 3600 feet have kept it light and airy – just what true ski connoisseurs seek, or so I am told. So, as ski season reaches its apex and an assortment of new luxury properties open their doors, there has never been a better time for powder-junkies to consider a visit to the region.

On a recent weekend, I experienced the season’s picture-perfect conditions first hand. Along with friends, I was staying in the Portes du Soleil, a wide reserve of 12 ski resorts spanning two countries between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc and, immediately, I was impressed by both the quality and quantity of snow as I hit the slopes with relish.

En route to the first run of the day, my fingers tingled from the cold as I sat in contemplative silence on the lift worrying if I my choice of layers would prove sufficient. “Should have worn thicker gloves,” I anxiously whispered under my breadth. My attire anxiety was, however, quelled by listening to the sounds around me: the tension in the thick cable squeaking above my head, the contrail of ice crystals as metal skis cut into frozen snow below. Then, as I gained altitude, the mountains opened around me – white peaks, evergreen trees and granite colored rock appeared. Finally pushing off my lift chair and letting gravity take control, I snapped out of my torpor. I became oblivious to anyone around me, completely intoxicated by the freshness of the snow, the crisp air rushing through my nose and the feeling of total freedom at a brisk 25 miles per hour.

For your own ski season getaway this season, Geneva is a perfect gateway to both the Swiss and French sides of the Alps. With direct flights from Newark Liberty and Washington Dulles on United and from JFK on Swiss, it is also surprisingly easy to reach. While those mountain-bound can reserve shuttle transfers direct from the airport to a variety of ski stations, savvy travelers take a moment to catch their breath and enjoy this often underrated city.

The newly opened Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix is an ideal spot for international travelers to recover from jet lag before hitting the slopes. After a multi-million-dollar renovation and the addition of some signature Ritz-Carlton touches, the 152-year old property has quickly asserted itself as one of the hottest additions to the lakefront hotel scene. It’s also within easy walking distance of premier shopping along the Rue du Marché and smart cafés in the medieval Old Town.

From Geneva, stylish skiers can opt for a short 2-hour train ride to the glamourous ski retreat of Gstaad. Relive the glory days of Swiss luxury rail travel along the way by picking up the GoldenPass train in Montreux and ride in a fully recreated classic car from the Belle Époque to the brand new, 5-star Huus Hotel. Putting a modern touch on classically alpine interiors, the hotel reinvents chalet-style decor. And with nearly 22,000 square feet of spa, indoor pool and fitness facilities, is there any better way to recover from a long day on the pistes?

Though not accessible by train, a short drive of just over an hour from Geneva opens a wonder of other skiing possibilities on the French side of the Alps. One of the most widely anticipated new properties in this region is the 55-room (including 14 sumptuous suites) Four Seasons Megève. As the only hotel located directly on the slopes of Mont d’Arbois the Four Seasons particularly spoils jetset skiers and snowboarders by offering ski-in, ski-out opportunities.

And for those who may be more into the après-ski than the ski itself, the Four Seasons is also the new home of one of the finest 2-star Michelin restaurants in the region, Le 1920. On my most recent visit to the restaurant, succulent Brittany lobster cooked in lightly salted butter and slow-cooked pork with black truffle were some of the standout dishes that would send me down a double-black diamond in a heartbeat.

For those looking for some heart-thumbing club beats and choreographed dance routines, the epic après-ski parties of La Folie Douce on the top of Mont Joux in Megève will make you lightheaded in the thin mountain air. Just don’t forget after your fourth or fifth cognac-spiked apple cider that you still have to actually descend the mountain.

Back in the Portes du Soleil, as the last rays of February sun pierced through the chilly sky at the end of a successful ski weekend (any weekend with no broken limbs is a successful weekend on the slopes in my book), I no longer felt neither a chill in my body nor trepidation in my mind. To my surprise, I was actually keen for more. “Where to next weekend?” I asked my travel companions. Gstaad? Megève? Verbier? Zermatt? The Alps are calling and we are all spoiled for choice this season.

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Lazy meandering days by the lake. Balmy, temperate weather practically year round. Lingering lunches in rustic grottos where earthy fare is languidly served alongside countless glasses of local Merlot (though not a soul is counting). Beautiful, well-dressed throngs of residents who smile an inordinate amount of the time and almost seem to sway with an air of contentment. Night time walks punctuated by spontaneous stops on the terraces of lakeside cafes and bars for a libation. Jazz-filled evenings at piano bars. The occasional night of clubbing until dawn, mingling with the bright, shiny denizens of the locality before dancing home through the streets as the sun rises above the surrounding mountains.

To live, to love, to laugh and to play in convivial surroundings – that is the essence of la dolce vita. Heretofore, I had heard about it, seen films about it and even dreamt about it. However, it was not until I found myself enveloped in its embrace that I fully understood the transcendent state of existence known as “the sweet life” as so perfectly realized in Ticino – that most singular and transformative canton located in the southernmost reaches of Switzerland.

Having visited Bern, Basel, Zurich, Geneva and Interlaken since my college days, I almost snobbishly counted myself reasonably well versed in Swiss culture. On those earlier visits, I had, of course, always heard tales about Ticino but for years the Italian speaking corner of Switzerland, bordered by neighboring Italy, remained a mystery to me. In the wake of my recent visit, however, I must admit my grave regret that I can never get those lost years back. Because, with hindsight as my dearest friend, I recognized for perhaps the first time that, while I had been to paradise all over the world, I had never been to my own perfect version of the same until I opened the door to the world of Ticino.

My newfound love affair began in Lugano, the bustling little powerhouse of a town located in a bay on the northern side of Ticino’s staggeringly picturesque Lake Lugano. Perfectly situated on the shores of the lake, with stately views of mounts San Salvatore and Brè, my elegant, art-filled lodgings at the Villa Castagnola on the outskirts of the city center set the tone for my entire stay. Built as the winter residence of a wealthy Russian family in the late 19^th century, the property and its surrounding gardens are imbued with the very romance of Ticino. Less akin to what one might expect of a traditional hotel and more like a very grand private villa, a visit to Villa Castagnola, if only for dinner or drinks, is worthwhile for the sake of savoring the grandeur of a bygone era that still encapsulates the spirit of the place.

Upon settling in Lugano, it is practically impossible not to feel the call of the lake, the shores of which act as a tour guide to the uninitiated. Though buses run regularly from almost all points in town, including the Villa Castagnola, I opted to walk and explore on that first day.

Like a siren, my shoreline guide took me on a promenade through the stunning Belvedere Garden, where I roamed the flower-filled park dotted with sculpture by mostly Ticinese artists, before eventually finding myself deposited in the heartbeat of the city. I nipped into town and wandered along the chic Via Nassa, one of the city’s most exclusive shopping streets where names like Versace, Hermés and Armani commingle with other similarly high-end designer boutiques, bakeries and other eateries.

I also tripped along the Via Pessino where I sampled charcuterie, cheeses and other gourmet delights at, among other spots, the famed Gabbani deli shop, which was once a simple outdoor stand back in 1937 and is today a standalone store, boutique hotel and restaurant. I even stopped in at the impressive new LAC Lugano Art and Culture center, a magnificently contemporary space dedicated to visual arts, theatre and performance. So spectacular is the appeal of the LAC, that even the museum-phobic are likely to find themselves enchanted by the surreal qualities and extraordinary design of this space, its light-filled rooms, its non-stop calendar of events and its prime position overlooking the lake.

For lunch I hopped on a bus and found my way to the sleepy lakefront town of Morcote on the opposite side of Lugano, where the narrow streets barely support two-way traffic, small alleys winding mazelike through old stately homes abound, and a taxing 404 step climb leads up to the monumental Renaissance Baroque church of Santa Maria del Sasso where more breathtaking views of the lake and the mountains await. It is an exhausting but worthy climb that more than justifies a decadent lunch, which is precisely what I enjoyed at the Ristorante Della Posta overhanging the lake. More than two and a half hours passed by like a blip in time as I lunched on Mediterranean fare while staring out at the beauty of the former fishing village with a history that dates back to the 13^th century.

With early evening approaching, I decided to take the ferry from Morcote back to Lugano so that I might catch a glimpse of the other side of Lake Lugano. Even under a slightly overcast sky that threatened a shower, I couldn’t resist the urge to sit on the open deck where I could be as close to the beauty as possible. I marveled at the lakefront homes, the architectural majesty of the Casinò Lugano and the hiking trail that traverses Monte San Salvatore en route to Morcote. Hard as it was to admit, in less than 24 hours, I had fallen wildly, impractically in love with this magical place. So much so in fact that despite the fact that I still had two more days of exploration ahead of me, I already felt pangs of sadness at the notion that I would ever have to leave.

After the ferry docked, I made my escape and began to quickly shuffle back to my hotel for dinner. Along the way I passed a lively collection of pretty people splayed out on deck chairs, knocking back cocktails on a jetty by the lakeside. The place was called El Mojito and it smacked of authenticity.

I thought about my dinner reservation and checked my phone for the time, only to realize that there was really no time for a drink. Just as I was about to make up my mind that I should give El Mojito a pass until another day, one of the bartenders flashed a welcoming smile in my direction and it was then that I heard the words la dolce vita spring to the forefront of my brain. So I stopped. I stayed and enjoyed a few delicious cocktails. And, of course, I was very late to dinner but when living the sweet life, time is a trifle, while spontaneity, particularly in the fun department is everything.

To find out more about Lugano click here.

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Just a short train ride from Lugano and you’ll find yourself in the tiny Swiss lakeside town of Ascona, which is packed with more outsized possibilities than its demure posture might suggest on the surface. With Lake Maggiore as a backdrop, Ascona hosts an open air market chock full of locally produced bounty every Tuesday from March 22 through October 11, while also serving as a departure point for shopaholics desirous of ferrying over to Italy for a day of shopping.

That said, the town’s most powerful draw, particularly as summer rolls around, is music. In fact, with not just one but three major music festivals in Ascona and neighboring Locarno, you might even say that these are in fact the hills that are alive with music.

Ascona Jazz Festival

This annual jazz festival focused on classic jazz, contemporary jazz, the music of New Orleans, swing, mainstream blues, gospel and R&B is a music aficionado’s dream. Every June, against the same magical backdrop that hosts the weekly spring/summer open air market referenced above, Ascona comes alive as music throbs in every corner of the city and music lovers literally dance and bebop in streets overtaken with swarms of revelers. Over the course of the 10-day festival, some twenty concerts, featuring over forty European and American bands, are held each day in bars, restaurants and on the official lakeside festival stages as the party rages on, gloriously in tune, from morning to evening.

Best of all, weekday performances are free to those who can make them while an all access weekend pass to the festival costs just $20.

This year the festival takes place from June 23 through July 2 and includes performers ranging from the Davell Crawford Trio featuring Herlin Riley (6/25-26), the Barbara Dennerlein Duo (6/24-25), Glen David Andrews with 2Together (6/24- 7/2),  Tremé Brass Band featuring  Shamarr Allen (6/23 -7/2), the Palm Court Jazz All Stars (6/28 -7/2) and The Carling Family (7/2-3).  How’s that for diverse?  To see the complete line up and find out more about Ascona Jazz Festival 2016 click here.

Moon and Stars Festival

Taking place in Locarno, just 20 minutes away from Ascona, the annual Moon and Stars Festival is perhaps the most anticipated music event of the summer in the Ticino region…and with good reason. With the awe-inspiring Piazza Grande, the famous square with roots tracing back to Roman times, as an arena and a lineup of some of the hottest names in music performing, this 10-day pop-rock music festival is like a more civilized, less dusty version of Coachella.

In 2015, Sam Smith, Lenny Kravitz, Bob Dylan, Marina & The Diamonds and John Legend were among the event’s headliners and 2016 promises more of the same. The already confirmed list of performers for 2016 includes Lana Del Rey, Pharrell Williams, Earth Wind & Fire, Tom Jones and Ellie Goulding among others.

For more information and a complete line-up of performers click here.

[Note: Time permitting, take a short trip over to Bellinzona, the capital of Ticino, where the town’s three castles – Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro – and the campestral views they offer make the diversion worthwhile if only for the perfect selfie moment they guarantee.]\

Settimane Musicali di Ascona

The Settimane Musicali is an annual music series devoted to lovers of classical music. With a history that traces back more than seven star-studded decades, the Settimani Musicali di Ascona has been graced with multiple performances by some of the most notable names in the classical genre. 2016 marks the 71^st edition of the annual event which will this year focus its classical narrative on the first half of the 20th century with a particular reference to Impressionist composers including Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

In total, the 2016 edition of Settimane Musicali will include thirteen concerts held at the church of the Collegio Papio in Ascona (a Swiss heritage site) and the Church of San Francesco in Locarno, the history of which dates back to the 14^th century.  In other words, there could not be two more stunning settings for this series.

Opening this year’s program, which will run from September 5 to October 14, will be the London Symphony under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda. Other stars of this year’s edition include: Philippe Jaroussky, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and American pianist Stephen Kovacevich. For more information and a complete program click here.

[Note: While in Ascona, do shop the Via Borgo, be sure to sample copious amounts of Inzolia Sicilia (a crisp, dry Italian white wine) and if given the chance, don’t pass up an opportunity to try the risotto and polenta as prepared in this part of the world because the experience will reset your thinking about both.]

For more information about Ascona-Locarno click here.

To read this article on the Huffington Post, click here.

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