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From summer through winter, Switzerland serves up a host of adrenaline-pumping extreme sports. When the sun is shining, the Swiss mountains are ascended and descended by climbers and bikers, while snowy conditions are heaps of fun for alpine skiers and snowboarders. Other thrilling sports in Switzerland include paragliding in Zermatt, hurtling down Europe’s longest toboggan run in Grindelwald, and ice-climbing up frozen waterfalls and glaciers in various spots in the Swiss Alps.

While traveling to Portugal, I decided to plan about five days on Madeira Island. Madeira has been called “The Pearl of the Atlantic” because of its lush beauty. When we arrived, I could see just why this little bit of heaven was given that title. The abundance of gorgeous flowers and foliage, the bright blue sky, the clear shimmering sea all added up to a stunning visual treat. There are so many things to do and see there. You can sail, swim, surf, fish, or dive. There are informative museum, city and island tours. When you think of Madeira you also think of hundreds of flowers, the world renowned Madeira wine, toboggan rides, and fresh seafood. We made Funchal, the capital, our home base. Funchal is said to be the cleanest city in Europe. We visited the Chafariz Plaza and the flower stalls. The women flower sellers wear the traditional regional dress and sell a huge variety of tropical native blooms such as Bird of Paradise (the island’s symbol), roses, orchids, and lilies. I enjoyed the visit to Blandy’s Wine Lodge (founded in 1811). It is located in the center of Funchal. The historic tour took about an hour as we were shown the process of making Madeira wines. A visit to Camara de Lobos where Winston Churchill painted showed us a small peaceful fishing village. I mentioned toboggan rides. Well,the Monte Toboggan is a one mile ride (10 minutes) as you glide down in a wicker basket on wooden slats. You’ll love this striking island. info:www.madeira-web.com

Who says sledding is just for kids? In Europe, rodeling (their term for sledding) is almost more fun when you’re an adult. No matter how good the powder, a highlight of my annual European ski trip is always our dinner rodel adventures. One of the best we’ve experienced is in St. Anton at Rodel-Alm. A snowcat or gondola ride takes diners up to the Rodel-Alm restaurant where you’ll dine on hearty dishes of spaetzle and the signature schweinshaxe (a Flinstone-sized pork knuckle). Meals end with shots of Williams and Heisse Witwe to give diners liquid courage for their journey home. Old-school toboggans are handed out, along with headlamps (if you’re lucky) and you toboggan under the starry night sky down a windy, icy trail. The journey ends at the Rodel-Hütte, where a crowd awaits to cheer you on and tempts daredevils to gain speed and launch off of snowy jumps. The reward: another shot.

Hawaiians once lived in harmony with the land: farming, fishing, and harvesting fruit. Today, the state imports 80 to 90 percent of its food. Visit Kaloko-Honokōhau to catch a glimpse of the Big Island’s ancient agricultural traditions, which residents are working hard to revitalize. The park’s landscape of rugged rock contains more than 200 archaeological sites, ranging from fishponds and elevated planters to petroglyphs, lava-tube shelters, and hōlua (toboggan-like slides). Watch for native species like the fragrant pua pilo flower and the endangered Hawaiian stilt, a subspecies of the black-necked stilt. A sugar-white beach stretches north from Honokōhau’s boat harbor and often attracts sea turtles.

It’s not everyday that one gets to lie down in a heated igloo and stare at the Northern Lights for hours. This experience might sound surreal but it is truly the tip of the proverbial iceberg in Finnish Lapland. We were excited when we booked our trip but we just couldn’t believe our eyes when we finally got there. The entire landscape belongs in a fairy tale or a dream, nowhere else. Here snow-laden trees, reindeer, husky dogs, and picture-perfect cottages co-exist in harmony & every hour of the day can be spent being gobsmacked by nature’s offerings. We spent our days tobogganing, enjoying endless reindeer sleighs rides, petting husky dogs, sleeping in igloos and watching the spectacular Northern Lights on a daily basis. When the time came, we just did not want to leave this wonderland. This corner of the world is truly special - it’s perfect if you want to go plan an offbeat honeymoon, romantic holiday, or a memorable holiday packed with dozens of once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Austrian culture is deeply rooted in skiing and Skicircus is its crowning achievement. Spread over Saalbach-Hinterglemm and Leogang, the winter sports area features nearly 170 miles of piste terrain and is extremely popular with both skiers and snowboarders. Guests can look forward to 70 cableways and lifts, more than 60 cozy ski huts, numerous snow parks, floodlit slopes, and toboggan runs. For those not staying at the resort, the Salzburg Snow Shuttle provides transportation from the city to the slopes.

When the winters get really cold and snowy in Toronto, locals get excited to take their sleds to the hills. There’s a multitude of challenging and fun hills for beginners and experts alike. My personal favorite hill is at Riverdale Park (pictured), just south of Broadview Station. The best part? You can warm up with some hot chocolate at charming coffee shop, Rooster Coffeehouse afterwards! Downtown, try your luck at popular park Trinity Bellwoods or on the subway line near Koreatown, Christie Pitts. Further west, one of the biggest hills can be found at Centennial Park. It’s a great way to have fun in the cold and makes you realize that winter in Toronto is something to be cherished despite the sub-zero temperatures!

Mount Royal Park starts at the edge of the city just beyond the McGill campus and runs alongside neighborhoods like Plateau before rising to the top of 764-foot-tall Mount Royal (Mont Réal), the hill that gives the city its name. The twisting roads and paths of this crown jewel of Montréal’s park system were initially laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park. While Olmsted’s plan was not followed in all its details, the final result was true to his vision of a woody park that takes advantage of the site’s hilly topography. There are two belvederes with views of the city skyline and the St. Lawrence River, and one of Montréal’s iconic landmarks, a 103-foot-high cross, sits at its northern end. The park is most popular in summer, but residents flock here in every season, to enjoy the colorful foliage in the fall and the cross-country ski trails and toboggan runs in the winter.

The Great Wall of China runs more than 21,000 kilometers (over 13,000 miles), not as one continuous wall but rather as fortified wall sections. Some of the sections date back more than 2,500 years, though only 8.2 percent of the existing wall is original. The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the more accessible portions. Hike (because that is what you’ll be doing, even on the wall itself) up the Great Wall, then slide down the side of the mountain on a toboggan. Alternatively, explore the Simatai Great Wall, which retains a more authentic feel—save, of course, for the fake water town at the bottom. Even more remote is the Jiankou section, which is largely unrestored, so book with an experienced group like Beijing Hikers or Wild Great Wall.

Gimmelwald is a tiny farm community in the mountains above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Hiking from here begins on nearly vertical trails along grassy pastureland. I’ve never hiked in a more beautiful place than this, where the view across the narrow valley offers the Jungfrau, Munch, and Eiger summits in one amazing vista. If you prefer a ride, you can take the series of white-knuckle gondola trips to the summit of Schilthorn, a popular viewpoint for 360-degree views of the Alps.

Admit it; you’re curious. A ski hill in the middle of the desert, on the Persian Gulf, no less, is as wild an idea as humankind has ever concocted—but isn’t dreaming big what Dubai is all about? The slopes at Ski Dubai are no substitute for Jackson Hole or Vail, of course, but then again, they’re not supposed to be. You go simply for the experience of leaving a housewares shop, sauntering down the hall, and hitting the slopes. All the gear required can be rented at Ski Dubai: They even have long overcoats for women in abayas. You can ski or sled, roll down the hill in inflatable plastic balls, frolic with penguins, or even just ride the chairlifts back and forth. When you’re finished skiing, you can head back into the mall for a meal or a movie. You know, just another day in Dubai.

In a country full of swanky resort towns, St. Moritz takes the crown with its wide array of five-star hotels, designer stores, and award-winning restaurants. The town is also home to such exciting activities as skijoring and ice cricket, which help to keep all the celebrity visitors entertained.

A cable car system connects the Old Town to the parish of Monte, 560 meters above Funchal. During the 15-minute ascent, you can enjoy the change in scenery from a busy city center to peaceful lush greenery. The most exciting part is the ride back: Opt to travel via wicker toboggan. Introduced in the 19th century, these iconic sledges are guided by two men dressed in white clothing and straw hats who negotiate the narrow and winding roads of Funchal’s back hills.

We had a fantastic time at the Seewald Leisure Park in Enzklösterle-Poppeltal, hosting the longest toboggan ride in Southern Germany, with a total of 1500m up and down. The system works great, you get pulled up on one side and go down the other and it’s suited for people between 3 and 99. The area alone makes the one hour and fifteen minutes trip from Stuttgart worth the visit. You pass through lush forest and small, quaint villages. The park itself in in a thick patch of forest. Beside the toboggan ride the park offers trampolines, water bumper cars, merry go rounds and other small rides for the little ones. The entrance is free, you only pay for the fun. The toboggan does not run if it rains or in winter. As far as payment goes, bring cash, no cards accepted.

Pristine powder and dizzying vertical drops lure serious skiers to the resort town of Gulmarg in Kashmir. Stay in Style The Khyber has 85 rooms decorated with Kashmiri namdas (felted rugs) and embroidered throws. Meals include mutton dumplings and other local specialties. Mountain High The hotel is steps from a gondola that swoops people up to the highest ski point in the Himalayas, at 13,780 feet. Not a skier? An activities concierge can arrange snowmobile tours or toboggan rides. Peak Season Ideal skiing time is late December through mid-March. From $220. 91/(0) 1954- 254-666.