Kosmos

Four times each winter, the world’s top ice sculptors travel to Canada to participate in competitions. The most prestigious event is the Canada Cup of Ice Carving in Lake Louise, Alberta (January 18 to 20).

The tallest ice sculptures ever built in Harbin, ­China, were 46 meters high. Every year, thousands of laborers drag blocks of frozen water to the world’s biggest ice and snow festival. Evening is the best time to visit, when the sculptures are bathed in colored light (ends in February).

Europe’s biggest ice sculpture festival takes place in the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands. This year, 42 artists have created over 100 sculptures, each of which required roughly 275 tons of ice and snow. Europe’s southernmost ice hotel is also in Zwolle (ends March 4)+

Once you left your computer screen to swim in the cenotes and inspect Mayan ruins in Tulum, Mexico, it’s time for something new. We recommend the excellent beach clubs in Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast.

Rio? Sure, that’s a place you won’t want to leave in a hurry. But if you have to work, Florianópolis, a small town on the South Brazilian coast, is more relaxed and fast becoming a mecca for startups.

The perfect place is sometimes closer than you think: Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, has it all: culture, beaches and high-speed Internet – plus a fast flight home for the European nomad whose business partner insists on a personal meeting.