Argentina: Ski Vacations and Resorts

The antithesis of European skiing, Argentine culture makes for a vivid change of scene, with delectable local cuisine an added bonus. Skiing in the Andes will rival even the best days in the Alps.

Once you get to Las Lenas - and it is recommended you fly from Buenos Aires - you are rewarded with 21 miles of bare-faced ski runs. Rarely too challenging, this is the kind of place a family can ski together, in admiration of the terrain.

Cerro Catedral, in the province of Bariloche, is Argentina's oldest ski resort and surrounded by pristine alpine lakes and sweetly groomed runs, assuring its popularity.

Bring the oxygen with you to Patagonia, where, in the province of Neuquen, Chapelco is accessed by cable car. As modern as you need, it offers scenic runs for the modest skier. Nearby Caviahue resort combines quality vertical with nearby thermal springs - a recipe for longevity. Tired of the slopes? Trek the monkey puzzle forests at base.