When the winter begins the thousands and thousands of tourists rush to the Alps - the highest European mountain system with the most prestigious mountain resorts. The Alps occupy the part of Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and the former Yugoslavia. The choice of a particular country can depend on the language spoken there, the attractions (except mountains) you can see there and the price.

Mountains are a kind of addiction - once having tasted, you will ask for more and more again. Here you can receive an enormous level of adrenaline and try all the extreme sports available - alpine skiing, luge, bobsleigh, snowboard and other winter sports.

So, let's compare the Alps in the different countries.

Austrian Alps is Innsbruck, Kitzbuhel, Zell am See and St Anton. The most developed area is Lech in Tirol, called "the cradle of the mountain sport". High above Lech lies Oberlech - real alpine paradise with great routes, discos, bars and shops. Innsbruck, the capital of Tirol is situated 575 meters above the sea level, but the mountains surrounding it are some 2000 meters higher. It guarantees an outstanding view from any point of the city. Kitzbuhel is one of the most beautiful and prestigious resorts. The resort is good for snowboard fans - special complex Snowboard Paradise is located on the slope.

Zell am See boasts the wide range of the ski routs of various difficulty. It is one of the most popular resorts in Austria, due to its democracy and variety of attractions. One of the oldest resort - St Anton has a century history and is considered to be one of the most important points in Alps.

German Alps begins on the Southern part f Bavaria. It occupies less significant part than in Austria but there are some attractive resorts too. The highest-lying village in Alps Oberstdorf has become one of the popular ski resorts. Oberstdorf is close to the Austrian Tirol. It is not only a resort; it is a popular place for holding up winter sports championships too. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is among the best Alpine resorts and is also a popular place for winter sports competitions. Here I should mention, that the Germans are the best fans in winter sports ever. The stages of the different winter sports World Cups in Germany attract much more visitors then in any other country. Biathlon, ski jumping and cross-country skiing are extremely popular there.

Though it may sound strange, Italy can be called "the most Alpine country of the world". Italian Alps stretches for more than a thousand kilometers and the highest Alpine peak - Montblanc is located in Italy. Italian popular resorts Madonna di Campiglio, Val di Fiemme and Cortina d'Ampezzo are the world leading alpine skiing centers.

France is famous for its winter resorts too. They are mostly known for the high level of service, the most fashionable hotels and, of course, mountains. There are no other places on the earth like Courchevel. It has become a symbol of the luxury and prestige. It's the place to show off. Those, who just want to ski, should better choose some other resort. Chamonix is more democratic, but still very cozy and renowned.

Switzerland is the last in our list of Alpine countries. Its resorts are considered to be rather expensive, but there are some affordable places too. The most prestigious resorts are Zermatt, Saint Moritz, and Davos. They are an ideal choice for the most demanding travelers with its chic boutiques, the best hotels and the magnificent mountain routes. Davos is also the home for the annual economic summit, visited by the world-leaders. The cheaper resorts are Grindelwald and Gstaad.

As you can see the choice of resorts in Alps is really enormous, but why to choose? You can visit all of them and then decide which one you prefer.