Austria
The Country
Austria is the home of alpine skiing. The sport began in 1905 in the village of Lilienfeld, not far from Vienna, when pioneer Mathias Zdarsky (1856-1940) organised the first slalom race on the slopes of the local Muckenkogel mountain. Around the same time the Arlberg Region was establishing itself as one of the pioneering downhill-ski areas, thanks to the Arlberg Ski Club and Hannes Schneider's world-famous Arlberg Ski School which offered expertise in the new technique thus superseding the Norwegian Telemark model.
Today Austria has over 600 skiing areas, more than any other country. It does not, however, have the most lifts, occupying third place in this respect with 3,527 against the USA with 3,801 and France with 4,084 according to the Seilbahn Manual of the ski-lifts association, Motor in Schnee (Stein Verlag). There are far fewer ski centres in France but, with notable exceptions such as Arlberg, they have far bigger ski areas. Other nations also tend to have a greater proportion of chair lifts, whilst Austria has more drag lifts than any other country.
Whilst German visitors (who make up Europe’s biggest market with an estimated 12,000,000 skiers) continue to drive down to Austria in ever greater numbers, skiers from further north have in recent years tended to look increasingly to France and to the lower prices of Italy . In the early 1990s, France over took Austria, which had for decades been the favoured skiing country, as the most popular destination for British skiers.
Having said that, there remain many reasons for skiers to head for Austria. Beginners in particular can benefit from the ideal ski holiday experience at one of the smaller ski centres - short airport transfers, high-quality traditional chalet accommodation, picture-book setting, gentle nursery slopes by the idyllic village and prices that are not as daunting as those in neighbouring Switzerland. The country also boasts he world's only true ski city, in the shape of beautiful Innsbruck, twice an Olympic centre, with its own area ski pass which includes a ski bus from your hotel to one of eight ski areas, including the extensive year-round skiing on the Stubai glacier and day trips to other big name resorts. There can be few better 'package deals'. At the top end of the 'serious skier' scale, resorts such as St Anton, and Kitzbuhel would rank in any skiers world top ten.
Good Points
Most of the major resorts are within a short drive of Salzburg or Innsbruck with correspondingly minimal airport transfer times as well as easy day trip options.
Accommodation is usually of a high standard in spacious, well-appointed rooms at all levels.
Virtually all ski centres are picturesque, most in traditional Tyrolean style. Austrian law prevents construction of tall buildings and generally ensures that all new development truly blends in with existing villages.Purpose-built ski centres are rare and it is hard to tell the few that are purpose-built from the rest.
Austrian cuisine is usually healthy, wholesome and supplied in copious quantities.
Lift ticket prices generally a little lower now that France or Switzerland.
Groups of neighbouring top resorts have joined together to offer Regional Passes, such as the Sportwelt Amadé in Salzburgerland or the Skiparadies-Dachstein Tauern pass, including Schladming, in Steiermark.
Bad Points
The mountains are generally rather lower and less dramatic than those of Switzerland, north-western Italy and the French Alps. They do have their own unique beauty, however, for example in the universally acclaimed Ziller Valley and some mountains are very high.
Restaurants in Austrian resorts appear less informed on the needs of vegetarian diners, despite the fact that several standard Austrian dishes are both excellent and wholly vegetarian.
Resorts in Austria
AbtenauHeight: 713m
Abtenau's small local ski area on the low lying Karkogel is supplemented by the Dachstein West Sk...
Achenkirch
Height: 930m
A very long village, stretching 14km from the German border to beautiful Lake Achensee, where the...
Alpbach
Height: 974m
An ideal beginner resort oozing Tyrolean charm and voted the most beautiful village in Austria by...
Altausee
Height: 720m
The Loser has something to offer for every winter sports enthusiast. Leisure skiers can choose t...
Altenmarkt
Height: 856m
A pretty, traditional village with a moderate ski area that plays host to World Cup races. The s...
Annaberg
Height: 777m
Part of the Dachstein West ski region, with lift links to Gosau and Russbach, and a free ski bus ...
Au - Schoppernau
Height: 850m
The romantic and unspoilt villages of Au and Schoppenau both access the Diedamskopf ski area. Th...
Auffach
Height: 875m
The Wildschönau Pass covers neighbouring bus-linked ski areas above the typical Tyrolean villages...
Axams / Axamer Lizum
Height: 878m
Axams is a pretty, traditional Tyrolean village located on a sunny terrace above Innsbruck and su...
Bad Gastein
Height: 1,080m
A historic and rather grand spa resort located in one of Austria's largest ski areas. It has mor...
Bad Hofgastein
Height: 840m
An old spa village in the centre of one of Austria's largest ski areas, the Gastein Valley. The ...
Bad Kleinkirchheim
Height: 1,070m
This old spa town, nicknamed BKK, was reborn as a ski resort when one of its sons, Franz Klammer,...
Bad Mitterndorf
Height: 812m
A year round sport and spa resort with long and sometimes unique folklore traditions. After you ...
Berwang
Height: 1,336m
The 40 km (25 miles) of piste that links Bichlbach over the Hochalm to the Sonnalmbahn is protect...
Brand
Height: 1,037m
A well established ski centre that was particularly fashionable in the 1950s and 60s. It is espe...
Brixen im Thale
Height: 622m
Well placed in Austria's largest inter-connected ski area - the Ski Welt, close to Westendorf. I...
Dalaas
Height: 1,000m
Skiing on the Sonnenkopf mountain above the "Valley of the Post" (longal postal tradition) betwee...
Damüls
Height: 1,431m
Dienten am Hochkönig
Height: 1,070m
Lift linked on one side to to Mühlbach on the Hochkönig pass, and Hinterthal on the other (from w...
Dorfgastein
Height: 860m
Village in Gastein valley, one of Austria's largest ski areas. Easy access to main ski area abov...
Ehrwald
Height: 1,000m
Ehrwald has two local ski areas - the Ehwalder Alm and the Wettersteinbahnen-Sonnennang. The loc...
Ellmau
Height: 820m
A key resort in the Ski Welt, one of Austria's largest inter-connected ski areas, and now part of...
Fieberbrunn
Height: 800m
A sprawling village on the Schnee Winkl Pass with St Johann and other famous resorts. Fieberbrun...
Filzmoos
Height: 1,057m
A pretty little village, perfect for families, with a long tradition and dominated by the twin to...
Finkenberg
Height: 840m
A pretty village, with traditional large chalet style hotels, surrounded by the stunning scenery ...
Fiss
Height: 1,436m
A peaceful traditional village with a compact centre. lift linked to Serfaus and with Ladis shari...
Flachau
Height: 925m
Part of one of Austria's largest ski areas, the Salzburger Sportwelt Amadé, Flachau is directly l...
Flattach
Height: 699m
The most southerly glacier skiing area of the Alps.
Fließ
Height: 900m
A small village above Landeck in the Inn Valley, ideally placed for ten major ski areas in the Ty...
Fügen / Fügenberg
Height: 600m
A rambling hill-side village at the entrance to the beautiful Ziller Valley. Particularly well s...
Fulpmes
Height: 960m
A large village with good skiing close to the Stubai glacier and Neustift. Facilities include in...
Galtür - Silvapark
Height: 1,635m
Located in the Paznaun Valley, Galtür is one of Austria's highest resorts. The skiing is best su...
Gargellen
Height: 1,423m
A pretty village at the head of the valley and thus without through traffic. Skiing included on...
Gaschurn
Height: 1,000m
Chairlifts and gondola leave from the edge of the village to access the largest inter-linked sect...
Gerlitzen Alpe
Height: 500m
Gerlitzen, is the main skiing resort in the Villach area. The Ossaicher See is a privately run f...
Gerlos
Height: 1,300m
A small village of less than 1000 inhabitants but with above-average facilities, including an ind...
Going am Wilder Kaiser
Height: 772m
An attractive village located in one of Austria's largest inter-connected ski areas (the Ski-Welt...
Goldeck
Height: 556m
A major resort with excellent facilities off-piste and on, the latter including the cable-car lin...
Gortipohl
Height: 950m
A small but central resort on the Silvretta Nova and HochmontafonLift Tickets shared with St Gall...
Gosau
Height: 766m
A charming rustic village with an often lively nightlife, Gosau is lift-linked to Annaberg and Ru...
Göstling an der Ybbs
Height: 1,390m
A significant ski centre on Mount Hochkar, two kilometres beyond the village of Göstling at the b...
Gröbming
Height: 776m
One of the villages on the Dachstein Tauern lift ticket, the closest skiing, apart from three blu...
Großarl
Height: 925m
A pretty, traditional village linked to Dorfgastein over Mount Kreuzkogel in the famous Gastein v...
Grünau im Almtal
Height: 527m
A traditional village centred on its lovely old church, with an emphasis on the natural environme...
Haus im Ennstal
Height: 774m
Despite its success as an international ski centre there is still only one tourist bed per reside...
Heiligenblut
Height: 1,300m
A delightful, isolated village in spectacular scenery offering access to some of the highest slop...
Hinterglemm
Height: 1,003m
Saalbach is the larger village in the duo with Hinterglemm which together make up Austria's secon...
Hinterstoder
Height: 600m
A quiet, traditional village with a good snow record for its height and location. Most of the sk...
Hippach
Height: 600m
Hippach is a neighbour of the large holiday resort, Mayrhofen, and a joint participant in the Zil...
Hochfügen
Height: 1,480m
Hochfügen is 12km (eight miles) by road from the resort of Fügen. It's a modern area with recent...
Hopfgarten im Brixental
Height: 620m
A pretty village with local skiing best suited to beginners and intermediates, but part of the hu...
Igls
Height: 900m
Pretty village above the beautiful city of Innsbruck and was the Olympic centre at the 1976 Olymp...
Innsbruck
Height: 575m
A beuatiful city, Olympic centre and capital of the Tyrol. Excellent guest facilities and remark...
Ischgl
Height: 1,377m
A large but traditional Tyrolean village below one of Austria's greatest and highest ski areas, c...
Itter
Height: 730m
Primarilly a beginner 's resort with limited local skiing but located in one of Austria's largest...
Jerzens
Height: 1,450m
Jerzens has the largest self-contained ski area on the Hochzeiger and is close to the Pitzaler Gl...
Jochberg
Height: 924m
An enchanting little village, rich in Tyrolean tradition and folklore, nestling in the Kitzbühel ...
Kaltenbach
Height: 554m
Traditional Tyrolean village with one of the bigger and higher ski areas in the Zillertal thus a ...
Kappl im Paznaun
Height: 1,258m
A pretty hillside village with skiing above suitable for all standards and especially for familie...
Kaprun
Height: 786m
Part of the Europa Sport region with Zell am See but not quite lift linked. A regular ski bus li...
Kaunertaler Gletscher
Height: 2,150m
Year round skiing available on the glacier. A post bus runs from Fendels, down the valley and th...
Kirchberg in Tirol
Height: 860m
Kirchberg, on the other side of the mountain from Kitzbühel, gives access to the famous skiing wi...
Kirchdorf
Height: 640m
Picture-book Tyrolean village with a tranquil river meandering through the centre and a spectacul...
Kitzbühel
Height: 800m
Austria's most famous resort, a lively town with chic overtones which most skiers agree has Austr...
Kleinwalsertal
Height: 1,124m
The Kleinwalsertal Region takes in the villages of Hirschegg, Mittelberg and Riezlern and is link...
Klösterle am Arlberg
Height: 1,100m
The best of both worlds for visitors to the little village of Klosterle, which has a substantial ...
Krimml
Height: 1,640m
Krimml's lifts are ranged above the village on the Plattenkogel ( 2040m ) and Konigsleiten ( 2315...
Kühtai
Height: 2,020m
One of the highest resorts in Austria with a long history dating back at least to the fifteenth c...
Lackenhof am Ötscher
Height: 810m
A medium-sized village with a 1200 bed base and the steep wooded slopes of the 'Grosser' and 'Kle...
Lech
Height: 1,450m
A classic resort with a long skiing history, linked to neighbouring, equally exclusive Zürs and s...
Leogang
Height: 786m
Sharing the Saalbach - Hinterglemm ski area, Leogang offers the best of both worlds - a delightfu...
Lermoos
Height: 1,000m
On a good day the view of the Zugspitze mountain is truly spectacular. The ski region itself is ...
Leutasch
Height: 1,130m
A major cross-country centre staging Olympic events in 1964 and 1976 as well as the World Champio...
Lienz
Height: 732m
An ideal choice for those wanting town-size facilities with the option of several ski areas on a ...
Lilienfeld
Height: 456m
Perhaps not an impressive ski area in terms of its size, but highly significant in the history of...
Lofer
Height: 639m
A beautiful, fairy-tale village with a long tradition and one of the best snow records in Salzbur...
Mallnitz
Height: 1,200m
Popular Carinthian resort town with local ski area (bus transfers included) and a regional pass w...
Maria Alm
Height: 805m
The 90km of trails around the traditional village of Maria Alm are supplemented by further skiing...
Mariazell
Height: 870m
One of the world's earliest downhill ski centres, stemming from the Mathias Zdarsky technique dev...
Matrei in Osttirol
Height: 1,000m
The Goldried ski area has constantly improved over the years. There's a gondola lift and snowmak...
Maurach am Achensee
Height: 950m
Picturesque lake-side resort with a small local ski centre accessed by a modern cable car, and th...
Mauterndorf
Height: 1,122m
Central in the Lungau ski region, Mauterndorf is lift-linked to St Michael on one side and weissp...
Mayrhofen
Height: 630m
One of Austria's top resorts and the third largest community in the Tyrol, but it has managed to ...
Mellau
Height: 700m
Linked by gondola to its ski area, Mellau is a full function year round resort with hotel accommo...
Mitterbach am Erlaufsee
Height: 800m
Located only eighty miles from Vienna, Mitterbach's ski area at Gemeindealpe has expanded in rece...
Mittersill
Height: 1,274m
A large but genuine village with 'life beyond skiing' which gives an interesting alternative base...
Mühlbach am Hochkönig
Height: 854m
Mühlbach is one of five resorts at the base of the Hochkönig ski area, itself part of the larger ...
Nassfeld - Hermagor
Height: 600m
Carinthia's largest ski region has one of the world's largest snow-making plants, capable of cove...
Nauders
Height: 1,365m
A typically picturesque Western Tyrolean village with large chalet-style hotels and pensions, 14 ...
Neukirchen am Grossvenediger
Height: 856m
An ideal resort for new skiers, with Kitzbuhel nearby to attract the more advanced. That being s...
Neustift
Height: 1,000m
The closest sizable village (second largest in the Tyrol) to the Stubai glacier, which some claim...
Oberau
Height: 936m
Wildschonau is made up of three villages with separatre ski areas which are marketed together. O...
Obergurgl - Hochgurgl
Height: 2,150m
A small traditional old and picturesque Tyrolean village with a long skiing tradition and a long ...
Obertauern
Height: 1,740m
An ideal intermediate skier's resort with huge amount of this level terrain. Doorstep skiing but...
Obertraun / Dachstein
Height: 600m
Traditional village with curling rink, hunting and sleigh rides on offer. Cable cars ascend to t...
Oberwölz
Height: 812m
Lachtal is an unusual, tastefully purpose-built ski centre near to the wonderful 800 year old wal...
Partenen
Height: 1,050m
Locally renowned for its snow record, a funicular from Partenen accesses the Loipe 2000 high-alti...
Pertisau
Height: 950m
Pertisau is located in the beautiful Achensee area of the Tyrol. The resort's history of hospita...
Pichl - Mandling
Height: 800m
Two of the higher villages on the Dachstein Tauern pass, chair lifts and gondolas actually depart...
Pitztal
Height: 1,640m
One of Europe's highest and most snow-sure ski areas, and certainly the highest mountains in Aust...
Pruggern
Height: 681m
The Galsterberg ski area above Pruggern, on the Ski Amade pass, has expanded a good deal in recen...
Radstadt
Height: 856m
A lovely old village that is part of one of Austria's largest ski pass areas, the partially lift-...
Ramsau am Dachstein
Height: 1,200m
Made up of scattered hotels emanating from the village centre, Ramsau is located on a sunny plate...
Rauris
Height: 950m
A medium sized ski area for a small, traditional and pretty village in the Höhe Tauern. The loca...
Reutte
Height: 854m
Höfen has two drag lifts by the village, but the main ski area, a short drive up the valley, will...
Rußbach
Height: 817m
The Dachstein West ski area lift-links Rußbach with Gosau and Annaberg, Rußbach itself is a pict...
Saalbach Hinterglemm
Height: 1,003m
Saalbach is the larger village in the duo with Hinterglemm which together make up Austria's secon...
Scheffau
Height: 752m
A key resort in the Ski Welt, Austria's largest inter-connected ski area, Scheffau is located bet...
Schladming
Height: 745m
Schladming was made a town in 1322 and its town square was pedestrianised 672 years later. A Wo...
Schröcken
Height: 1,260m
A small (population 240) picturesque village which averages 140 days of natural snowfall a year. ...
Schruns
Height: 700m
Ernest Hemmingway visited this Montafon Region village in 1925, 25 years before the first lift wa...
Schwaz-Pill
Height: 535m
On the banks of the Inn where its valley meets the famous Ziller Valley, this old silver-mining t...
Seefeld
Height: 960m
A complete winter and summer destination resort with a world-beating six five-star hotels. There...
Serfaus
Height: 1,427m
An amazing Tyrolean village in that, in addition to a history dating back to 1500BC, a lovely atm...
Silbertal
Height: 890m
One of the smaller villages in the Montafon region, but with the same access to the 73 lifts in t...
Sillian
Height: 1,100m
Arguably the leading ski centre in the Eastern Tyrol, with the only cable car in the area, althou...
Sölden
Height: 1,377m
One of Austria's largest, liveliest and most popular ski resorts. It formerly offered summer ski...
Söll
Height: 703m
The picturesque Tyrolean village of Soll offers lift-linked access to the largest lift-connected ...
Spital am Pyhrn
Height: 810m
Spital's main ski area is accessed by the Wurzeralm funicular which carries 1200 skiers per hour ...
St Anton am Arlberg
Height: 1,304m
St Anton is unique amongst ski resorts in holding three legendary reputations simultaneously. Fi...
St Gallenkirch
Height: 900m
A traditional village, promoted jointly with neighbouring Gortipohl, both having an ultra modern...
St Jakob in Defereggen
Height: 1,389m
A traditional, unspoilt Tyrolean village close to Lienz and Heiligenblut. Based in a sunny valle...
St Johann - Alpendorf
Height: 650m
A famous resort and busy town (Pongau Region capital) but with little actual skiing on its doorst...
St Johann in Tirol
Height: 670m
Popular and picturesque resort and bustling market town with lots to do for non-skiers and skiers...
St Margarethen im Lungau
Height: 1,064m
Lifts ascend from the edge of the village straight to the full vertical well above the treeline. ...
St Michael im Lungau
Height: 1,100m
Busy but traditional village of narrow streets and old buildings accessing a lesser known ski are...
St Oswald
Height: 1,350m
Pretty village lift-linked to Bad Kleinkirchheim - Franz Klammer's home town, together making a s...
St Wolfgang
Height: 540m
A pretty, thousand year old centre rich in cultural and historical features. One of the few reso...
Stubai Glacier
Height: 1,721m
One of Europe's largest glacier skiing areas is open for snow sports from October to July, giving...
Stuben
Height: 1,410m
A small, compact, traditional and picturesque ski area, well placed for skiing on the Arlberg pas...
Tauplitz
Height: 900m
A traditional family ski centre with a population of just over a thousand. It is nonetheless usu...
Telfes in Stubai
Height: 1,000m
Telfes local ski area is at Schlick 2000, a wind-protected valley a 20 minute drive and just over...
TirolWest
Height: 780m
The Tirolwest ski area is located above several villages, including Zams is a small village 3km (...
Tschagguns
Height: 700m
Together with Schruns, this is the largest settlement in the Montafon Valley, sharing the regiona...
Turracher Höhe
Height: 1,350m
A former mining village sat on the border of the Austrian regions of Carinthia and Styria. There...
Tux - Finkenberg
Height: 1,300m
The Hintertux glacier is one of Europe's largest year-round skiing operation and in winter is par...
Vandans
Height: 660m
Local skiing is on the Golm ski area, part of the Montafon area pass, which takes in eight resort...
Villach / Dobratsch
Height: 900m
The skiing around Villach is in five separate areas, and you can go further still with the Three ...
Wagrain
Height: 850m
A key part of the Skiverbund Amadé, linked to Flachau at one side and St Johann im Pongau on the ...
Waidring
Height: 781m
Waidring has a small and undemanding ski area on its doorstep, With more varied and expansive sk...
Wald im Oberpinzgau
Height: 1,600m
Lift-linked to Gerlos at the top of the Ziller Valley, Wald im Oberpinzgau's skiing on nearby mou...
Warth
Height: 1,500m
A high and thus usually snowsure village which averages 140 days of natural snowfall a year. Par...
Werfenweng
Height: 1,000m
Werfenweng is very easy to reach from Salzburg, only 45km (27 miles) away. There are odd ski lif...
Westendorf
Height: 800m
Part of Austria's largest lift-linked ski area, the Ski Welt (250km), although Westendorf and th...
Wildschönau
Height: 828m
Wildschonau is made up of four villages, three with separatre ski areas which are marketed togeth...
Zell am See
Height: 758m
A small town on the shores of Lake Zell with a wide range of shops (pedestrianised centre), resta...
Zell im Zillertal
Height: 580m
Delightful village in the spectacular Zillertal with a Super Zillertal lift pass giving access to...
Zürs
Height: 1,720m
A classic, and arguably Austria's most exclusive resort, with a long skiing history and beautiful...