5 SHOW STOPPING EVENTS TO ATTEND THIS SEASON

9th November 2016

Winter time isn’t just about cold nights spent curled up at home. Keep active and involved with our guide to the must see events that will make winter your new favourite season to explore.

The 2016 Formula 1 World Championship will be hosting the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit this November. The event is one of the biggest and most exciting motorsport events of the year. Thousands of enthusiasts flock to Abu Dhabi to witness the F1 finale in the glamorous city. Even if you are not a racing fanatic, the event’s energy, excitement, and not to mention the tantalizing luxury of Abu Dhabi should be enough to entice you to experience this F1 climax at least once in your life!

Art Basel is the world’s first premier modern and contemporary art show, and is held annually in Hong Kong, Basel and Miami. This December, the event comes to Miami Beach. The prestigious event focuses on connecting the world’s premier galleries and their patrons, as well as serving as a meeting point for the international art world. The galleries show significant work from the masters of modern and contemporary art, as well as the new generation of emerging stars. Paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, films, and editioned work of the highest quality are on display in the main exhibition hall. Ambitious large scale artworks, films and performances become part of the city’s outdoor landscape at nearby Collins Park and SoundScape Park. As a pioneer of the art of watchmaking, Audemars Piguet has become an Associate Partner of Art Basel to explore the connection between superior artistry and technical mastery.

The International Hot Air Balloon Festival is held annually in January at the Château-d’Oex. The festival gives participants the opportunity to explore the world floating up over the peaks. The first festival was held in 1978, and now has over 30,000 participants from around the world. This festival is particularly famous as it takes place in the snowy valley and has a unique “night-glow” show, where the balloons are exposed on the mountains, lit by their burners, during the evening of the 7th day. Parmigiani Fleurier will once again be taking part as “Presenting Sponsor” with its hot air balloon bearing the motto “Time is Flying”. Parmigiani invited its guests to discover the Parmigiani Studio in Gstaad, nestled in a typical Swiss chalet in the heart of the village. If you’re a thrill seeker and like a good view this could be the perfect event for you.

Held each year in the French Alps and the Swiss Alps, the La Grande Odysee is an international sled dog race spanning 900 kilometres. Twenty mushers from all over the world compete with Alaskan and Siberian huskies through the Savoie and Haute Savoie. Our friends at Hublot are the official sponsors of this impressive event which combines the skill of man with the power of man’s best friend in an exciting race in some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. Why not beat the winter blues by taking a trip to this event, held in January 2017, to witness this amazing spectacle.

The Cancer Research UK Boat Races are amongst the oldest sporting events in the world. The race involves the competing of two rowing crews from Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The event dates back to 1829 following a challenge between old school friends and has since become an internationally renowned event with famous Olympic gold medallists and TV personalities participating as rowers.  April 2017 will see the running of the 163rd Boat Race, now taking place on the Championship Course. Thousands of fans gather along the banks of the Tideway in London, and millions more watch on TV around the world. Parmigiani Fleurier chose to be timing sponsor of this prestigious event due to its heritage, tradition and the spirit of challenge throughout the race.

The mighty Royal Oak still reigns supreme at Audemars Piguet, says Alex Doak, and it’s not just for golfers

Glasgow and Edinburgh are fast becoming the shopping capitals in the UK. With a range of luxury stores and contemporary independent boutiques that offer unique products with unparalleled quality. So clear your wardrobe, get your walking shoes on and get shopping!

Discover Edinburgh’s most talked-about boutique hotel, bar and restaurant. Amidst pink hues, mirrored walls and chandeliers rest 33 luxury bedrooms with original features to compliment the Georgian building. Offering 150 delicious cocktails, the hotel bar becomes one of the liveliest venues in the capital come the weekend.