Austria Ski Holidays

Austria ski holidays were always number one among cultured British skiers. The purpose-built destinations in France took pole position in the 80’s when ski-in/ski-out was all that mattered but now the trend is reversing, as we look for more of that authentic old-school alpine charm.

With snow-sure glacier skiing, a welcoming atmosphere and great value compared to the other big alpine nations, it’s easy to see the appeal of Austria ski resorts.

Austria’s exceptional snow conditions in powder-filled resorts like St Anton and Lech/Zuers in the Arlberg or super-snowy Obertauern makes for some of the best skiing in Europe. With multiple glacier skiing over 3,000m high, the Austrian ski season stretches out longer, from late November to early May.

Beyond the slopes, Austria also attracts visitors with its charming traditional buildings and buzzing après scene. Under ancient wooden roofs you’ll find friendly locals ready to welcome you with a steaming cup of Jägertee. This atmosphere is summed up in their word ‘gemutlichkeit’ which describes a mix of cosiness, comfort and good cheer.

Austria is 60% Alps and home to over 426 resorts. There are cosy village retreats like Ellmau for a romantic ski holiday, chic spa towns like Zell am See for ultimate relaxation and exhilarating destinations where extreme skiing meets extreme partying. Whatever style of holidaymaker you are, Austria has you covered.

We’ve spent years exploring the Austrian Alps, comparing and compiling our findings to bring you expert guidance to the resorts that we think deserve your attention. Read our ‘top ten’ lists, each explaining which resorts are best for your specific criteria. Whether you want the biggest ski area, family-friendly, or the wildest apres, here’s where you'll find the resort that ticks your boxes for the perfect Austrian ski holiday.

Top Ten Best Ski Resorts in Austria

With Austrian ski resorts averaging a whopping 7m of snowfall every year, we expect great conditions but the best ski destinations also deliver varied terrain, modern lifts, varied accommodation options and a buzzing après scene. Mayrhofen fits the bill with sun-drenched cruisy runs on its south-facing Ahorn side, steep thigh-burning pistes on its northerly Penken side and gorgeous village-style accommodation in the middle. There’s no denying the allure of St Anton’s huge ski area and world-renowned party scene including, in SNOman’s opinion, the greatest apres-ski bar in the world. Solden makes the list of best ski resorts in Austria thanks to its 2 skiable glaciers, 90 miles (yes really) of cruisy intermediate slopes and awesome slopeside parties.

Best Snowboarding in Austria

Snowboarders have no complaints in Austria with wide motorway-trails for perfecting your carving, fluffy powder pockets for off-piste aficionados and fantastic snowparks for freestyle riders. One of the best Austrian resorts for snowboarders is Ischgl, home to a huge snow park with 35 obstacles and a Championship half pipe as well as 240 km of rider-friendly pistes. In Westendorf you’ll find hundreds of natural forest runs and the Boarder's Playground on Gampenkogel. For deep powder and serious shredding, expert boarders head to St Anton where 180 km+ of insane freeride trails and a park keep you occupied all week.

Most Snow Sure Resorts in Austria

Austria high altitude resorts and glaciers aare among the best for a snow-sure vacation. With lifts going up to 3,082m, Obergurgl is a non-glacier resort with one of the longest seasons in the Alps (November to May) and its north facing slopes mean that snow conditions stay optimal when it’s slushy elsewhere. Solden’s two Tiefenbach and Rettenbach glaciers are often snowy enough to open for skiing as early as September. With pistes for all abilities winding down from 3,209m Kaprun also makes our top ten among Austria’s snow sure destinations.

Family Friendly Austrian Ski Resorts

Excellent ski schools and a child-friendly atmosphere make Austria a great option for family ski holidays and many of our clients won’t take their kids anywhere else. The picturesque village of Alpbach is popular for young families for its’ 3 nursery slopes, wide and mostly crowd-free pistes and a 4km long run to schuss together as a family. Soll is one of our most repeat-booked family friendly Austrian ski resorts, where the Kinderland area delights mini skiers with its gentle slope and ski merry-go-round. Both resorts are also barely an hour from Innsbruck - a blessing when travelling with little ones. Most of the runs in Hinterglemm are broad and gentle, but there’s also some seriously long valley runs and a nightpark for more experienced in the family to enjoy.

Austria Group Ski Destinations

With wallet-friendly lift passes, tonnes of slope-side activities and trails to accommodate all abilities, Austria is somewhere your group can agree on. St Anton is the top choice for groups who ski and party hard - tear down the legendary black ‘Kandahar’ run then steady the legs with Jaeger bombs and table-top dancing in the Mooserwirt where SNOman has quite literally ‘got the t-shirt’. In Zell am See you can unlock 408 km of piste with one ski pass, traversing a huge amount of terrain for every ability, before meeting on the sun terrace of the SchnapsHans Alm for a schnapps to round off the day. Ischgl also makes our top 10 best Austrian ski resorts for groups with an easy 90 minute transfer from Innsbruck, homely chalets to chill in alongside high-end hotels like the Trofana Royal and a slightly posher but no less spirited après scene in bars like Kitzlock.

Best Après Ski in Austria

The best après ski in Austria rivals and (some would argue) surpasses that of France. From beer swigging and boot stomping in St Anton’s Krazy Kanguruh, to shots of schnapps and top of the mountain concerts in Ischgl, letting loose is the order of the day. Mayrhofen has a buzzing après scene all season but a definite highlight is the Snowbombing festival which is headlined again by Fatboy Slim in 2025. Swap tabletop dancing for a fireside glass of champers in Lech or a tipple on the terrace deckchairs at Evi & Co. in Saalbach. For the last word on this much-contested topic, SNOman is clear that the greatest apres ski bar in the world is the Mooserwirt in St Anton - dance in ski boots to Eurotrashy beats and the Final Countdown as DJ Gerhard spins the wheels of steel for the last three decades.

Austria’s Luxury Ski Destinations

For a finer slice of alpine life, Austria’s luxury ski resorts, replete with sumptuous saunas, picture-perfect promenades, gourmet restaurants and five-star hotels do not disappoint. Elegant Lech regularly hosts the Dutch royal family and we love its’ decadent dining spots such as Griggeler Stuba and lavish hotels like the Aurelio Lech, crowned the World's Best Ski Boutique Hotel in 2018. Bad Kleinkirchheim with its two thermal spas, and the vast Tauern Spa in Kaprun are the peak of relaxation and the traditional cobbled streets lined with designer shops in Kitzbuhel also draw a toney crowd.

Pettiest Austrian Ski Resorts

If Instagrammable surroundings are as important to you as great skiing conditions then head to one of Austria’s prettiest ski resorts. Often labelled the ‘prettiest village in Austria’, the traditional wooden chalets of Alpbach are straight out of a snow globe. In the foothills of the Wilder Kaiser massif, time-capsule Ellmau is where sweeping panoramic views of the mountains provide endless social-share-worthy photo opportunities. Igls takes our breath away (and makes friends and family back home ‘well jel’) with its traditional farmhouses, red-spired church and fairytale-esque forest. SNO pretty!

Best Austrian Ski Resorts for Beginners

Austria’s sheltered valleys provide ideal conditions for new skiers to find their feet without the more intimidating winter weather. It’s a small resort for experienced skiers but some of the best beginner skiing in Austria (and certainly best value) can be found in Niederau where the local ski schools use fairy-tales, pokemon and Harry Potter to make learning to ski extra fun. Mayrhofen has large nursery areas and wide blue runs when you’re ready to progress. Obergurgl and Hinterglemm are great for kids learning to ski, thanks to family-focussed ski schools, a plethora of gentle runs and great snow record. Learning on good snow is much easier!

Best Austrian Resorts for Intermediate Skiers

The Austrian Alps are vast and varied, meaning masses of intermediate-friendly slopes. Kitzbuhel has cruisy blues like the long Hagstein to ease you back in, narrow tree-lined routes away from the wind, moguls for a challenge and night skiing for an extra special experience. Set across the Ahorn and Penken mountains, Mayrhofen is a top Austrian resort for intermediates with leisurely blues aplenty, plus some heart-pumping expert trails and really great off-piste. Solden's expansive ski area covers two mountains - Giggijoch and Gaislachkogl – and 2 glaciers – Rettenbach and Tiefenbach meaning intermediate skiers can cruise hundreds of kilometres at their preferred level all week.

Best Austrian Resorts for Advanced Skiers

With descents to test even the most experienced skiers, St Anton is world renowned for the legendary narrow couloirs of Kandahar, and the steeps of the mighty Valluga are not for the faint of heart. Mayrhofen is home to 28km of black runs including one of the steepest in the world - Harakiri - a 78% decline named after the Japanese suicide ritual, which tells you everything you need to know! Other great destinations for advanced skiing in Austria include SNOman’s fave Ischgl and Kitzbuhel which is loved by the SNO team.

Best Off-Piste Skiing in Austria

Austria keeps off-piste lovers coming back thanks to its frequent dumps of powder and vast backcountry. Kaprun is a playground for off piste aficionados with heavenly gullies and powder fields within easy reach of the lifts. St Christoph also offers some of the best off-piste skiing in Austria with over 180km to explore - with gorgeous forest runs and heli-skiing, this resort is a powderhound’s paradise. Less well known, Fieberbrunn is known as “Schneeloch” or “snow hole” by the locals, who insist the area gets the most powder in the whole of Tyrol. There’s more untouched terrain than you can shake a stick at here and the run down the north face of the Wildseeloder offers some truly spectacular off piste riding and scenery.

Best Ski Holidays in Austria on a Budget

For such incredible terrain and wonderful atmosphere, Austria’s prices can be joyously low. Ellmau has budget-friendly hotels and access to the massive SkiWelt area where you can enjoy over 280km of pistes. As one of prettiest villages in Europe you might expect Alpbach to cost a pretty penny but that’s not the case - there’s budget friendly restaurants, self-catering accommodation and even supermarkets like Lidl to keep costs down. Read our list of the top 10 Austrian resorts on a budget or browse our ski deals to snag yourself a great Austria ski holiday on a modest budget.

Summer Ski Holidays in Austria

Austria’s glaciers mean ski trips don’t have to be restricted to the main season between December and May. The Hintertux glacier in Mayrhofen has a medley of beginner-friendly blues, satisfyingly long reds, and even a few challenging blacks which can be open 365 days a year. Austrian summer skiing is big in Filzmoos where the Dachstein Glacier is usually open 11 months of the year and offers visitors 18km of red and black runs as well as a snow park with jibs, kickers, rails and more. The enormous Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is stonkingly beautiful, usually open until the end of July and can be reached from Kaprun and Zell am See.

In a country that’s 60% Alps, it’s not surprising that Austria is home to some of the world’s biggest ski areas. With pristine groomers that stretch for miles to enormous areas of back-country, Austria’s ski areas are extensive. The biggest are:

• The Alberg - Set at 2,811m and spanning 305km, this ski area offers masses of snow sure slopes. It’s also home to some of the most popular resorts in Austria including après mad St. Anton and luxurious Lech.
• SkiWelt - This ski area covers 288km and contains a wide variety of beautifully gentle pistes making it a popular destination for families and intermediates.
• Ski Circus (Saalbach Hinterglemm) - 70 modern lifts and 270km of groomed slopes await in this Austrian resort. Highlights include the freeriding haven of Fieberbrunn, the black Nordabfahr piste with panoramic views of Saalbach and the SkiCircus challenge, a 72km long circuit linking the five villages in the area.
• Silvretta (Ischgl) - Rising to 2,900m with over 240km of piste for mixed abilities, Silvretta is an extremely popular destination. It’s famed for its huge fun park and awesome ski festivals including Rock the Mountains and Top of the Mountain.

To explore these titanic ski domains from one of Austria’s Biggest Ski Resorts call our friendly experts at SNO - we’ll help find your perfect Austria ski trip.

The quality of the skiing in Austria is matched by the quality of the accommodation. From charming traditional Tyrolean chalets to luxurious 5 star ski-in/ski-out hotels, explore our wide selection of hotels, chalets and apartments or call us for help finding the perfect vacation accommodation for your next trip:

• Austria Ski Chalets. Austria’s ski chalets keep customers coming back with their classic wooden charm and air of home comfort. Ideal for families or groups, you can play games by the fire, unwind in a private hot tub and choose between catered or self-catered options.
• Ski Hotels in Austria. From high-end luxury pads like hotel Chedi in Andermatt to budget friendly options like Haus Edelweiss in Zell am See and everything in between, we love Austrian hotels right on the slopes for ski-in/ski-out convenience. Many also benefit from extra facilities such as indoor or outdoor pool, spa and restaurant.
• Austrian Ski Apartments. Ranging from apartments with kitchenettes that are great for saving on eating out costs, to deluxe lodgings with hot tubs and swimming pools, we have options that allow you to perfectly personalise your experience.

Short transfers are easy to come by in Austria, making it a great option for a short break. The best resorts for a ski weekend in Austria include Igls and Seefeld which have swanky bars, relaxing spas, plenty of piste for a weekend and a speedy 30 minute drive from Innsbruck airport. In St Anton, ski weekenders can get stuck into the ski-hard-play-hard atmosphere within an hour of landing in Innsbruck.

From world-class skiing to open-air ski concerts and luxurious spa experiences, there’s plenty to entice you to book a last minute ski holiday in Austria. Talk to our experts who will help you secure the best late ski deal to Austria, no matter how last minute you’re planning your trip.

With our selection of Austrian Ski Deals you can save a few pennies too. Discover wonderful accommodation at discounted prices as well as ski hire and lift pass offers, to bring the price down without compromising on quality.

Reliable snowfall, high altitudes and long seasons are the standard in Austria with the Hintertux glacier offering skiing 365 days of the year, Solden enjoying an average of 4 days of snow per week and Kitzbuhel running one of the world’s longest seasons. Snow is generally reliable across the resorts between December and April but you can get a better idea of the conditions by taking a look at the Austria snow report. If your holiday is on the horizon, check out the Austria snow forecast to see what snow is in store for your trip.

Austrian mountain food sure is hearty and authentically alpine! Mountain staples like schnitzel and bratwurst leave the SNO team with warm bellies and smiling faces, after a long calory-burning day on the hill. Gourmet restaurants can be found across the Austrian Alps, with the Kitzbuhel and Arlberg particularly popular among gastronomes, but SNOman’s favourite is the legendary Hospiz Alm on the run into St Christoph from St Anton. Here you’ll find photos of the great and the good, from Tony Blair and Putin to Micheal Schumacher, and its’ famous stone slide down to the basement loos! Back in St Anton’s Verwallstube you can dine on caviar whilst overlooking the snow-covered peaks of Patteriol, Saumspitze, and Scheiblerhere in one of Europe’s highest restaurants, or schuss to PanoramaAlm for a hearty slopeside fondue.