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Voss
An historic town in a stunningly scenic location, close to the fjords of western Norway. Voss has an international reputation for thrilling skiing, for fostering Olympic participants and also for extreme sports.

Skiing
The quality of the skiing can be gauged by one simple fact: Voss has fostered more Olympic competitors than anywhere else on Earth. Certainly, this resort offers thrilling skiing and championship pistes approved for races by the International Ski Federation. But it's not only for expert skiers, by any means. Of the 14 runs, 5 are green, 4 are blue, 3 are red, and 2 are black.

Indeed, novices are particularly well-served. The English-speaking ski school and beginners' slopes are atop a mountain, reached by a spectacular 600-metre cable car ride. So even learners enjoy stunning views, rather than being banished to the valley floor.

Intermediate skiers enjoy open, high-altitude cruising pistes as well as beautiful tree-lined runs lower down.

Experts have terrific off-piste skiing opportunities in the snow bowls and on powder through the trees. They also enjoy the International Downhill piste from the top of the mountain, as well as the International Ski Federation-approved Slalom and Giant Slalom.

Snowboarders can experience adrenaline-pumping tree-lined runs and an excellent terrain park.

Families can take advantage of the free children's play area. Staffed at peak times, it's equipped with a separate lift and toboggan area and offers free sausages, snacks and hot drinks. Free lift passes are available for under-sevens, when wearing a helmet.

At various times of the year, Voss offer thrill-seekers such extreme sports as base jumping, white water rafting, tandem sky-diving and Europe's highest bungee jump.

In winter, though, visitors generally content themselves with such activities as snowshoeing, riding horse-drawn sleighs, ice fishing or perhaps a tandem paragliding flight from the mountain top to the frozen lake below.

The Resort
Voss is situated by a frozen lake and surrounded by astoundingly beautiful mountain scenery. With a history dating back to the Middle Ages, it's the main town of the Hardangerfjord region and well provided with cafés, restaurants, bars and shops. If you want to see more of the region, it is also well placed for spectacularly scenic trips. Bergen and the fjords can be seen in a day's excursion.

Accommodation
There's a wide range of accommodation to suit most tastes and budgets, either in the town itself or close to the slopes. Options include self-catering apartments, B&Bs and hotels ranging from the small and family-run to the large and luxurious. When you're in Voss, do take time to visit the palatial and atmospheric Fleischer's hotel. You can see extracts from old visitors' books, including entries from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and the King of Siam.

More information
For more information on Voss, visit www.visitnorway.co.uk.