Feels like my second home, having been here over 40 times across the Summer & Winter seasons!
For skiing, there are few better places for variety, value and scenery.
With over 440 resorts, where do you start! Here, I cover off a few personal favourites of mine, from sleepy ‘hidden gems’ to some of the livelier ones!
Many skiers like myself like to resort-hop, skiing from one area to another during the day, driving to a new area to challenge yourself or just for a change of pace. We can recommend multi-resort passes that save you money and offer the flexibility you want.
Beginner/Intermediate?...We chose Austria to teach my 3 children in a lovely sleepy town of Lofer, in the Tirol. Perfect for families and locals, this has been invested in, so has all the tech but nowhere near as crowded as most. You can continuously ski from the top, right to the village on great mix of slopes. Its not big on nightlife, but for families and couples it's spot on. Nearby Waidring is fab for wide slopes and safe skiing too.
About 30 mins away you will find the Saalbach & Hinterglemm regions, with over 270km of piste and just about everything you need, with night skiing too. I recommend doing the 3.5km toboggan run (Rodelbahnen), but at night, it is amazing! Bars are lively, not of apres-ski and its good for all levels.
Another 20 mins away you’ll find Zell am See. Beautiful quaint village overlooking a huge lake, with a lovely variety of slopes for all levels with the best NYE fireworks against the mountain backdrop I’ve ever seen. Apres-ski is good, but not crazy, great live music, casino, nice wine bars...
Then just beyond Kaprun (which is great), you’ll find Kitzsteinhorn, the Glacier at 3203m! Skiing here is stunning, chilly and quite literally breath-taking, but worth the trip. You just have to stop for hot chocolate more often!
If you get a chance, the Krampus processions and Tresterer dances are a must-see.
Do at least 1 day/evening in Salzburg. Visit the castle (they often do mock battles, firing canons, all dressed up), go through the old streets and narrow walkways, the Sound of Music tour, bridge of locks, ice skating in the square, just too many fabulous places!
Unlike some of the ‘super-resorts’, these all feel less crowded, more intimate and easier to access.
Value - The Aplin Card allowed multi resort access making it easier to switch it up a bit. Whilst no ski holiday can ever be described as cheap, your Euro does go further here.
Toboggan run at Saalbach. When you’ve done it, you’ll know why. Mad…
Snowmobiles near Saalbach, great fun, safe and around a track that still had everything from simple to challenging!
I have been at all times from late December to mid-March. As the mountain weather is dynamic and a law unto itself, it’s impossible to say. I have only ever had two times where it was bad, and then we went to the Glacier, as there is always snow there!
Fly into Salzburg, then about an hour to Lofer or 1hr 20m to Zell am See.
If hiring a car, roads are really well-maintained, but watch out for speed cameras and know the laws.
There is a train that stops at Zell am See too.
