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When a country’s covered head to toe in mountains, it’s going to have some pretty spectacular ski areas. We’re talking hundreds of lift-linked groomers, deep powder trails and the likes of snow parks, themed pistes and race tracks along the way.
Austria’s best resorts have all manner of terrain, then inject their own personal flair with cosy Stublis and wild après ski. And with more slopes only ever a car ride away, you can ski until the cows come home.
Austria: Top 10 Ski Resorts
A resort that should be on every expert’s bucket list, St Anton’s ski area ramps up the difficulty and leaves your love for the mountains multiplied. They say a red run here would be a black anywhere else, and likewise lots of the blues are more towards the red end of the spectrum. But stick to the 350km of groomers and you’re just scraping the surface of the Arlberg area: This place has some of the finest off piste on the planet, and a guide’s your key to the best of it from the fearsome Valluga and Schindler Spitze. A place that ski’s hard, St Anton parties even harder. Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh are among the top après bars on the planet, with mountain mayhem in the form of ski-boots-on-tables and pumping europop that draw in the crowds every afternoon.
One of Britain’s favourite ski resorts, Mayrhofen manages to tick all boxes for families, groups, beginners and experts alike. Two mountains make up the local ski area: There’s the Ahorn, where the pace is deliciously cruisey. And then there’s the Penken, which injects adrenaline with the legendary Harakiri run (Austria’s steepest) and the mammoth Vans Snowpark. While this might be enough for many a skier, there’s also a gaggle of other areas within easy reach, none more snow sure than the Hintertux glacier. You’ll always find things happening in resort – even outside the Snowbombing and Altitude festivals (which bring big names in music and comedy every spring). With the town oozing old-school charm, Christmas is magical and markets and carols traditionally add to the festivities. And the après is always amazing, from the White Lounge igloo bar up top, to Ice Bar and Scotland Yard in resort.
Kitzbuhel’s a looker – but it’s not all about the colourful coaching inns and cobbled streets. It’s luxurious too – but it’s not all about the Michelin-starred restaurants and spa hotels either… The ski area’s a classic: When Franz Reisch schussed down from the Kitzbueheler Horn in 1893, he created Austria’s first Alpine ski run. And what an area it’s grown into - home to 170km of groomers, including the world famous Streif run (star of the annual Hahnenkamm race), as well as 32km of ski routes and oodles of powder terrain. While it’s not the highest ski area in the Alps, the snow quality’s usually incredible, with most years seeing around 155 days of the good stuff. They’ve thrown millions of euros into keeping the lift system slick, and the valley’s six beginner lifts are usually free to use. The SkiWelt area’s nearby if you fancy clocking up even more miles, and there’s also the option to go for the All Star Card, which covers a whopping 10 ski areas in the Kitzbüheler Alps.
This pretty village has won many hearts over the years – royals and celebs included (though we’re not sure Bridget Jones will be back after her famous ski debut in Edge of Reason…). Five minutes here and you’ll see the appeal: Old wood and stone buildings huddle along the riverside, complete with an onion-domed church. There’s an undeniable air of luxury – this is officially a World Gourmet Village thanks to its fine eateries, and posh spa hotels abound. And the quality of things certainly continues on the mountains. Garnering more snow than anywhere else in Europe, annual snow depths usually reach around 10m. This makes the off piste incredible - Absinthe Films and GoPro often shoot their flicks here, and it’s a regular stop on the Freeride World Tour (get a guide to show you the routes from the Kriegerhorn). A must ski is the White Ring – home to the world’s longest ski race it mixes the best pistes and powder around Zurs, Zug, and Oberlech. That’s not to say less experienced skiers are forgotten: The good conditions are a dream to learn and improve on, with lovely long, wide runs to really build up a rhythm. And considering the area saw the first ever ski school, you know tuition’s going to be world class.
Star of Bond flick, Spectre, Solden was always destined for great things. The ski area has some pretty hefty claims: There are two skiable glaciers, the Tiefenbach and Rettenbach, and three accessible peaks poke above the 3000m mark. This makes the 145km of groomers fabulously snow sure – blue and red run skiers can explore the whole area, while those after a test have nearly 30km of black slopes (including World Cup runs, like #31). Cracking snow quality extends off the piste, and the height of the area opens up some unmissable views (you can see the Dolomites from Schwarze Schneide on a clear day). The après scene is huge, with massive piste-side parties in the likes of Gampe Alm. And if you prefer post-ski pampering, the Aqua Dome has every wellness facility you can dream of over 50,000 square metres.
King of the SkiWelt, Soll has speedy access to Austria’s biggest linked ski area – all 280km of it – via the mighty Hohe Salve. Beginners are in brilliant hands (the kids areas are especially impressive) while more experienced skiers can really roam. It needn’t end when the sun sets, with 10km of local pistes making up the country’s biggest night ski area. Having shifted its old ‘lads holiday’ reputation, the resort’s achieved the golden mean of being warm and welcoming for families, whilst still knowing how to party. Take tots tobogganing on the 3km Hexenritt track (which is crammed with fun surprises) or set your sights on the Whisky-Muhle for drinks and dancing. All this is easily reached from the village, which happens to be one of the prettiest around - a true reminder of bygone days with horse-drawn sleighs, an old Rococo church and cute wooden buildings.
Ischgl knocks the socks off other resorts après ski – and the Trofana Alm should be experienced at least once. But that’s not the only reason you come here: 240km of groomers and countless off piste reaching over the border to Swiss Samnaun. And thanks to a top height of 2812m, the ski area has a super snow record. It’s also home to a socking great snow park, one of the finest in the Alps, with ‘King-Size’ features and the longest pro-line on the continent. The resort itself is packed with things to do: Swimming, spas, bowling, restaurants – and that’s just in the Silvretta Centre. Look out for the legendary Top Of The Mountain concerts at the beginning, middle and end of the season. Recent headliners include Rihanna and Elton, and the atmosphere’s mighty electric.
Even if you didn’t touch a piste all week you’d have a whale of a time in Zell – there’s loads to do around the town, from shopping in the market, to snoozing in the spas, to wandering along the lakeside. Though we wouldn’t recommend ditching the skis completely... You’ve got three different ski areas included in the lift pass: First the local Schmitten area, where the 77km of pistes include 5 full valley descents and fine views over the lake and town. Then there’s the Maiskogel in nearby Kaprun, with 20km of family-focussed skiing. And finally, the glorious Kitzsteinhorn – Austria’s first skiable glacier with 41km of snow sure groomers and amazing powder descents. They’re all linked by free buses, with free WiFi thrown in across the region. And with resorts like Saalbach nearby, the opportunity goes on and on…
Connecting Saalbach with Hinterglemm, Leogang and Fieberbrunn, the Ski-Circus is one of Austria’s biggest linked areas. And there’s no clowning about when it comes to the stats: Pistes total a hefty 270km and there are 3 Snowparks with miles of ungroomed trails to boot. A lot of investment goes into these mountains, with heated chairlifts and extensive snowmaking cropping up in recent years. And Saalbach’s handily stationed slap bang in the middle of the valley, making getting around an absolute breeze. The resort also lays claim to the Glemmtal’s liveliest après scene, with as much to do off the slopes as on them. Besides big parties at the Hinterhag Alm, you’ll also find horse-drawn sleigh rides, piste-basher driving, snowmobiling and quad biking (and that’s just for starters…).
Officially the highest parish in Austria, Obergurgl’s biggest draw is its fabulous conditions: It’s not often you find a ski area sans glacier where the snow quality’s this good. We like the fact that everyone gets a taste of the good stuff – with both beginner and expert runs streaming from 3080m on the Wurmkogl. In all, there’s 110km to ski – mostly blues, closely followed by reds, with a decent amount of black pistes and powder runs thrown in. Back in resort, the vibe is chilled and cheerful which is spot on for ski holidays with children. Even better, the bulk of hotels and chalets have doorstep skiing (a rarity in Austria), and being 95km from Innsbruck Airport keeps transfers splendidly short.
Austria has some awfully good ski resorts and these ten top the rankings year after year, making them excellent choices for a first class week on the snow, whatever your skiing style or level.
If you want to see the best places to ski beyond Austria, check out our lists of the 10 best places to ski in France, Switzerland and Italy - or see our list of the best of the best worldwide.
Best ski resorts in Austria
| Resort | Best features | Ski area |
|---|---|---|
| St Anton | Legendary off piste & après ski, huge Arlberg ski area, snow sure | 280km |
| Mayrhofen | Laid back mountain town, festival host, varied skiing | 139km |
| Kitzbuhel | Stunning mountain town, historic ski resort, luxury hotels | 170km |
| Lech | Excellent natural snow record, wide, cruisy slopes, vast Arlberg ski area | 280km |
| Solden | Stupendously snow sure, huge range of terrain, lively après | 144km |
| Soll | SkiWelt ski area, Austria’s biggest night ski area, charming village | 284km |
| Ischgl | 2 country ski area, super snow record, incredible après ski | 238km |
| Zell am See | Stunning lakeside town, multiple ski areas including glacier, awesome spa hotels | 138km |
| Saalbach | Large linked ski area, lively après, great hotels | 270km |
| Obergurgl | Snow sure skiing, ski in/out accommodation, great family hotels | 110km |
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