The ski resorts in Austria are all that you imagine a ski resort to be. Pretty villages, quaint streets, snowy roofed buildings, warm cafes and plenty of cheerful bars. The après-ski starts around lunchtime and carries on late into the early hours. Assuming you get good snow, it all adds up to a perfect skiing holiday.
Austria is the second most popular ski destination for UK skiers (behind France). It has two of the worlds most famous and sophisticated resorts - St Anton and Kitzbuhel. St Anton has been a British favourite since Sir Arthur Lunn started the Kandahar race in 1928. It offers some of the hardest off-piste in the world on its high, weatherproof slopes. Kitzbuhel is an intermediates paradise, and is known for the toughest of World Cup courses.
Accommodation in Austria ski resorts is largely based on family run hotels, many of which have been in the same family for generations. In the restaurants traditional food is often served by waitresses still wearing traditional frocks. For a traditional skiing holiday you can't beat Austria. However, there is a negative, and this is the snow - the risk of little or no snow at Austria's ski resorts has increased recently.
Austria has traditionally enjoyed good snow conditions, but shrinking snowlines and rising temperatures have changed this. Depending on the weather in any particular winter, at both ends of the season and sometimes in the middle too, in Austria's lower ski resorts - those at about 1,200m - you risk having little or no snow. And this includes many of the larger resorts. Even with snow machines, in the lower ski resorts you may not be able to ski back down to the village late in the season.
The risk of no or little snow is a good reason to book late (or avoid the lower resorts). If you plan to go to one of Austria's a lower ski resorts, particularly early or late in the season, try to make sure you know the snow conditions before you book.
Abtenau Austria
Achenkirch Austria
Aflenz Kurort Austria
Afritz Austria
Aigen Schlagl Austria
Alberschwende Austria
Alpbach Austria
Altenmarkt Austria
Andelsbuch Austria
Annaberg Austria
Annenheim Austria
Au Austria
Auffach Austria
Axamer Lizum Austria
Bad Gastein Austria
Bad Hofgastein Austria
Bad Kleinkirchheim Austria
Bad Mitterndorf Austria
Bizau Austria
Brand-Nagelberg Austria
Brixen im Thale Austria
Brixen / Plose Austria
Bruck Austria
Dalaas Wald Austria
Damuls Austria
Dienten am Hochkonig Austria
Donnersbachwald Austria
Ellmau Austria
Feistriz ab Bleiburg Austria
Fieberbrunn Schneewinkl Austria
Filzmoos Austria
Finkenberg Austria
Fiss Austria
Flachau Austria
Flattach Austria
Fontanella / Faschina Austria
Forstau Austria
Fugen Austria
Fulpmes Austria
Fuschl Austria
Galtur Austria
Gargellen Austria
Gerlitzen Alpen Austria
Gerlos Austria
Goldeck Austria
Goldegg Austria
Gosau Austria
Gostling Austria
Grobming Austria
Grossarltal Austria
Gruenau Austria
Haus im Ennstal Austria
Austria Summary:
Population: 8,032,926 (2003 est.)
Currency: Euro
Language: German
Highest Point: Grossglockner (3,798 m/12,460 ft)
Winter Season: December - April
Main Ski Airports: Innsbruck or Munich
Snow:
Snow reliability: good in higher resorts, fair in lower resorts.
Current snow conditions: snow conditions from the BBC
Tourist office contact details:
Austrian National Tourist Office, 14 Cork Street, London W1N 3NS
Telephone: +44 (0)207 629 0461
Tourism websites: www.austria-tourism.at/uk/ or www.austria.info
