It's cold outside! Goose-down puffers aside, few things warm the body like a hot, steamy sanctuary of a sauna bath. The best-loved hothouses that will spirit you away from the outdoor conditions.

Alongside biscuits and mulled wine, no Christmas in Tirol would be complete without a nativity scene. Almost all families have one. It is normally taken out of the cupboard shortly before 24 December, when Austrians celebrate Christmas, and set up in the living room for everyone to admire. The typical scene familiar to everyone from the Bible includes tiny shepherds and angels as well as Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus plus, of course, the ox and the donkey. Scroll down to learn more about the history of these miniature masterpieces.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my road bike. There are very few corners of Tirol which I haven't explored on two wheels. Here are my favourite springtime road bike rides in Tirol or at least starting in Tirol (long rides often take me into neighbouring provinces within Austria or even neighbouring countries). As winter slowly draws to a close and the temperatures begin to climb, the best road bike rides are not up in the mountains but down in the valleys. Another thing to bear in mind when planning a spring ride is whether the majority of the route is in the warm sunshine or the cold shade.