Drink ice wine at the Niagara Falls Canada

For the ultimate ice experience, take a trip to the Niagara Falls, whose pounding waters are often transformed in midwinter into magical forms of massive icicles shrouded in frozen mist. The Narnia-like wintry landscape of Ontario – known for its bountiful farmland in the warmer months – has an added bonus for oenophiles, too. An early frost would be very bad news for most viticulturalists – but not here. This Eastern Canadian province is renowned for its excellent ice wines, created from grapes that are left on the vine till they freeze at the onset of winter. The grapes’ concentrated flavours produce rich, sweet wines of surprising complexity. Sample them at the wineries around Niagara-on-the-Lake, a charming town that makes a great base for exploring the area. Reif Estates and Inniskillin Estate Winery were among Ontario’s ice wine pioneers, but don’t miss Peller Estates Winery for its 10 Below Icewine lounge, complete with sculptures, bar and chandeliers carved from ice.

Explore the frozen continent Antarctica

Top of almost everyone’s list is the ultimate ice experience – an expedition through the ethereal, otherworldy frozen landscapes of Antarctica. The cathedrals of ice; the purest, most pristine of white canvases; and the many local residents – every moment is well spent aboard a cruise to this most southerly of destinations.

But if you’re going to witness first-hand the finest example of nature’s architecture, then you want to do so at close quarters, and Hapag-Lloyd’s new ship, the Hanseatic Inspiration, offers exactly that. With more open spaces than any other expedition ship out there, standing at the bow you’re not only close enough to hear the Southern Ocean ice crack but you’ll find yourself at close quarters with the local wildlife, be it penguins, elephant seals, fur seals or myriad sea birds. Even if you head upstairs, with a 180-degree observation deck and glass-floored balconies, you won’t miss any passing whales. The route from Ushuaia in Argentina takes in thick ice fields, gigantic iceberg islands and towering formations, including the majestic mountains of the Lemaire Channel, some of which are as high as 1,000m. You’ll be eager to immerse yourself further into the setting, which you’ll get to do via the small , zippy Zodiac inflatable boats that take you in small groups to set foot on the Antarctica mainland. This means that you’ll be able to visit the more remote spots and witness seals and penguins in their natural habitat.

‘Standing at the bow you’re close enough to hear the Southern Ocean ice crack and find yourself at close quarters with the local wildlife: penguins, elephant seals, fur seals and myriad sea birds’

Take an Arctic Bath Swedish Lapland

Swedish Lapland may be famed as the home of the original Icehotel (now celebrating its 30th season), but it’s sharing the limelight this winter with a quirky new property: Arctic Bath. Just opened in January, this all-new retreat is a spa hotel built onto and into the Lule River. Locked into the frozen water’s ice, the 12-room hotel is constructed with local materials to a design that’s inspired by floating timber. Inside, it’s all about natural materials teamed with designer brands of lighting and furniture, plus a restaurant offering a six-course set menu based on local ingredients. But the main attraction here is the spa, with its saunas, hot tub and ice-cold bath. Treatments, which borrow from the indigenous Sami culture, include stone massages, dry-brushing and skincare rituals. When activity calls, there’s cross-country skiing and dog-sledding to discover, as well as the chance of spotting moose or even the Northern Lights.

Get cosy in an igloo France

One of the coolest – literally – new places to stay this winter season is Igloo Village, in Les Trois Vallées ski region. The highest of its kind in Europe (and with access to 600km of pistes linked by 160 ski lifts), the complex features an ice bar, restaurant and a handful of bedrooms carved entirely from ice. After a busy day on the slopes (perhaps popping into the ice bar for a drink or two while admiring its sculptures), guests access the igloo by ski or on foot to tuck into a typical Savoyard fondue supper, before bedding down under blankets, furs and extra-warm duvets designed for polar expeditions – which is just as well, given that even the beds are solid blocks of ice.

The rooms feature decorative carvings and headboards cut into the glittering icy walls, making each a magical grotto for unforgettable overnight stays. Then it’s up early the next morning for a hearty breakfast, before getting back on the pistes.

More Ice Hotels...

Icehotel, Swedish Lapland

Every year the original Icehotel in Swedish Lapland is rebuilt and opened for five months. Now in its 30th season, the Jukkasjärvi hotel houses 20 standard rooms and 15 art suites. These unique spaces have been designed and hand-carved by artists from across the world. But you’ll need to visit quick, as they’ll return to their original form in April. icehotel.com

Iglu-Dorf Switzerland

Tucked away in the Swiss mountains, the Iglu-Dorf village offers suites suitable for groups, families and couples – who will want to opt for the Romantic Plus suite, with its private Jacuzzi – all built fresh each year. This year’s design themes include ‘Italian’, ‘underwater’ and ‘ice sports’, though you can also work with expert snowscapers to build your own creation. Better still, go for the Star Igloo option and a craftsman will sculpt your dream pad in a secluded area where you’ve only nature for company – and a private chef, of course. iglu-dorf.com

Hôtel de Glace Canada

Made from more than 3,200 blocks of ice, weighing 500 tonnes, and 22,000 tonnes of snow, North America’s only genuine ice hotel is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and continues to captivate guests with its stunning great hall, chapel, ice slide and ice bar. The Québec hotel has 42 rooms, including 20 decorated themed suites, over 3,000sq m, and takes 40 builders and 18 sculptors six weeks to create. hoteldeglace-canada.com

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel Norway

In 20 years, Norway’s first ice hotel, in Alta, has grown from six rooms to 26 bedrooms, four suites, an ice chapel, ice bar and an impressive ice art collection, created from 250 tonnes of ice and a staggering 7,000cu m of snow. sorrisniva.no

Take lunch in an ice cave Canada

Meet The Blue Room, an ice cave on the frozen wastes of one of British Columbia’s largest icecaps. Easily reached from Whistler, BC’s legendary ski resort, the experience begins with a helicopter flight over old-growth forests and volcanic peaks to the ice field, which sprawls across 325sq km of montane wilderness. From here, the journey continues by either snow bike, snow buggy or snowmobile to reach a labyrinth of age-old ice caves. Among these is The Blue Room, where a private, five-course gourmet lunch (washed down with Krug champagne) awaits. Billed as Canada’s most expensive dining experience, the menu of caviar, rib-eye and warm chocolate pudding seems all the more special in this magical, one-of-a-kind setting. With the cavern’s walls glowing an ethereal, turquoise blue, this incredibly special day-trip is truly a once-in-a-lifetime splurge.

Climb sheer walls of ice in Graubünden's Alps Switzerland

If the closest your lips have ever been toice is in a G&T, you’ve obviously never taken a punt at ice climbing. Invented in the early 1900s when crampons (tough, toothed claws that fit onto your climbing boots) were developed, the thrilling sport sees climbers negotiate otherwise inaccessible walls of slippery, gleaming ice. Learn the ropes with special classes put on by Grand Hotel Kronenhof, which is situated a few minutes’ walk from the eye-grabbing frozen waterfall at the heart of Pontresina village. Lessons in the discipline – conducted by the renowned Pontresina Mountaineering School – include an ice-climbing theory session before students are let loose on the frozen falls with crampons, ice axes and all the necessary safety equipment. Battle it out on the ice, then retreat to the hotel’s luxurious spa to happily defrost in the sauna, steam room, therapeutic salt grotto and lovely heated swimming pool.

Plunge into an icy glacial stream West Iceland

The combination of snowy landscapes shrouded in steam from natural hot springs makes Iceland particularly magical for a midwinter escape. Icelanders have been enjoying their healing hot waters for over a thousand years, but geothermal experiences here stretch beyond the touristy Blue Lagoon. New this winter is Húsafell Canyon Baths, a hot spring hotspot on the edge of West Iceland’s highlands, two hours from Reykjavík. Accessed via an easy hike past Langifoss waterfall to the base of Hringsgil Canyon, the off-grid complex comprises three geothermal pools and an icy, glacial stream. Flitting between the temperature choices is a great way to boost circulation, while the surrounding scenery (it’s set within a 10,000ha nature reserve) is spirit-lifting in itself. Stay nearby at boutique four-star Hotel Húsafell (renowned for its Northern Lights-spotting potential) and combine wellness with a hike to the world’s largest lava cave or nearby Langjökull glacier.

Chase the northern lights Finnish Lapland

Nature’s celestial pyrotechnics are reason enough to visit Finnish Lapland, but to increase your chances of seeing the most spectacular light show on the planet, you need to hunt for the Northern Lights with experts. Warmed by an open fire, having crossed the Arctic landscape to the aurora camp in a sleigh pulled by a snowmobile, the local guides of Aurora Zone offer you the best chance of seeing those dancing lights. During the day, you may have put on the cross-country skis to sample the region’s famed trails; driven a husky team through taiga forests; snowshoed across an Arctic wilderness; or discovered the culture and traditions of the indigenous Sami people, but in the evenings it’s all about what lies above. Aurora Zone brings together two of this region’s best destinations, the Wilderness Hotels of Muotka and Nellim, into one itinerary with the best of Finnish Lapland. The hotels’ remote locations – Nellim, an hour north of Muotka, is just 14km from the Russian border – means you may even see the lights right on your doorstep. Add in an overnight stay in an Aurora Cabin – part-cabin, part-glass tepee – to maximise your light-show experience.