The best places to ski in Austria. How do I know them, you might think. The topic has never appeared on the blog before. Well, I’ve never shared that I skied for the first time when I was three years old (and a half) 🙂
With my dad’s guidance I learned to ski ambitiously, getting more motivated after every fall. I surprised all skiers by taking a ski lift on my own. I loved it – and thanks to that, two years later when I was five we went to ski in Austria for the first time where I could ride down a 2000 meters mountain. Since then we’ve never looked for winter sun in Europe but have been going to ski in Austria for 15 years. And my parents continue to do so 🙂 Also Austrian cities are beautiful in winter – check out what to do in Vienna in January.
Today I will share our experience with you and I will help you choose the best places to ski in Austria. The post in written in cooperation with my dad, who remembers it all much better than I do 🙂 Make sure you know what to wear skiing, pack your winter luggage and off you go! 🙂
The best places to ski in Austria
Schladming – 4 Berge Ski, Steiermark
Around the old mining town of Schladming you will find a ski resort consisting of four connected mountains – Reiteralm, Hochwurzen, Planai and Hauser Kaibling. We visited this place twice and it is one of the best ones I remember. The slopes are diversified and regardless of your skiing skills, you will find something for yourself there. We checked also that they can prepare the slopes well with artificial snow if there is not enough of natural one 🙂
Price of a ticket for 6 days in high season 2019/2020: 275,50 EUR / adult, 206,50 EUR / teen, 138 EUR / kid. Check other prices on the website here.
The four connected mountains offer 123 kilometers of ski slopes. The ticket is valid for the whole huge region Ski Amadé which consists of 25 ski resorts and 760 kilometers of slopes.
What to do apart from skiing: it’s worth visiting a cute town of Schladming. It’s close to Salzburg (check what to see in Salzburg) and the famous town Hallstatt is located close by too (90 km by car). It is considered to be one of the most beautiful towns in Austria. It enchanted the Chinese so much that they re-created it in China! 🙂 Don’t forget to try some of Austria ski food too!
Accommodation
We visited this region twice and once we stayed in Berghotel zum Schlosserwirt on the hillside of Hauser Kaibling. Unfortunately I can’t even find the hotel’s website, they might only cooperate with tour operators.
Another time we stayed at the other side of the resort, close to Reiteralm ski lifts. It’s calm out there but if you feel like having a little apres-ski party you will find it too 🙂
Hotel Brunner – Reiteralm – located 150 meters from the ski lift with tasty breakfast and friendly staff 🙂
Pension Mitterwallner – close to Reiteralm ski lift, a cozy hotel with a sauna. You can get right to the hotel on skis 🙂
Snow Space Salzburg (Flachau, Wagrain, St. Johann), Salzburgerland
If you look for the best place to ski in Austria, Flachau might be your choice. Now it is connected with neighboring towns and is famous under a new brand name – Snow Space Salzburg. It was one of our first stays in Austria – and it encouraged us for the next ones 🙂 The ski resort suitable for everyone, and the town itself is a home town of Hermann Maier – Austrian alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist.
Price of a ticket for 6 days in high season 2019/2020: 275,50 EUR / adult, 206,50 EUR / teen, 138 EUR / kid. You can check other prices here.
The resort consists of 120 kilometers of ski slopes but – like before, the ticket is valid for the whole Ski Amadé region (25 resorts and 760 kilometers of slopes)
What to do apart from skiing: you can visit thermal pools Therme Amade. Flachau is located close to Salzburg and the famous town of Hallstatt I mentioned above.
Accommodation
Friendhaus Astrid – conveniently located, a free ski bus stops right in front of it. If needed, the hotel offers transfer from the airport 🙂
Bad Kleinkircheim, Carinthia
Carinthia is the most southern region in Austria so if you’re unsure about the weather and you prefer warmer temperature, that’s one of the best places to ski in Austria for you. Bad Kleinkircheim is full of beautiful slopes and it is another region suitable for everybody.
Price of a ticket for 6 days in high season 2019/2020: 251 EUR / adult, 189 EUR / teen, 126 EUR / kid. You can check the rest of the prices here.
The region consists of 103 kilometers of ski slopes.
What to do apart from skiing: there are two thermal pools in the area – Therme St Kathrein and Thermal Römerbad. You can but a ski ticket which includes one, four-hour visit to Römerbad thermal pools
Accommodation
Haus Anni – cosy apartement close to ski lifts and thermal pools. It offers tasty breakfast 🙂
Pension Grasser – located even closer to ski lifts, extremely hospitable owners make this place unique.
Werfenweng, Salzburgerland
Small but beautiful ski resort in Austria located only 45 kilometers from Salzburg. It enchanted my parents, they are there for the second time now, as I’m writing these words 🙂 The region for people looking for less popular and crowded place.
The resort consists of 27 kilometers of ski slopes.
Price of a ticket for 6 days in high season 2019/2020: 235 EUR / adult, 197,50 EUR / teen and senior, 116,5 EUR / kid. You can check the rest of the prices here. You can often find interesting promotions and special offers.
What to do apart from skiing: The hotel recommended below provides a lot of entertainment for kids and adults, there is a pool there too. The town is located close to Salzburg and the famous town of Hallstatt I mentioned above.
Accommodation
Hotel Gut Wenghof – all-inclusive hotel located right next to the ski lift. It provides guests with tasty food and entertainment. My parents love it 🙂
Annaberg (Dachstein West), Salzburgerland
A middle-sized ski resort in Austria with numerous interesting ski slopes. It’s not a high region so the temperature is higher which makes it one of the best places to ski in Austria for such chilly people like me. Simultaneously you’ll be able to admire outstanding views over the impressive high peaks around. The region uses this feature – they created a so called Panoronda, a panoramic 44 kilometers trail around the whole region with breathtaking views. You can check it out here. It’s a region suitable for skiers at all levels.
The regions consists of 119 kilometers of slopes.
Price of a ticket for 6 days in high season 2019/2020: 237,90 EUR / adult, 149,80 EUR / teen, 113,50 EUR / kid and 226 EUR/senior. You can check the rest of the prices here.
What to do apart from skiing: you can enjoy your time in the cute town of Annaberg. Also it is close to Salzburg and to the famous Hallstatt I mentioned before – it’s actually the closest one if you plan to visit Hallstatt 🙂
Accommodation
My parents stayed in Annaberger Musikantenwirt. Nothing fancy – but they had everything they needed 🙂 Tasty breakfast and hospitable owners.
Gastein Valley (Gasteinertal), Salzburgerland
In the Gastein Valley you can visit three famous ski towns in Gastein Valley – Bad Gastein, Bad Hofgastein and Dorfgastein – check for yourself if they are one of the best places to ski in Austria 🙂 The two first are connected by ski slopes, the third one is separate but the ticket you buy is valid for all of them (and the whole Ski Amade region). You can take a free skibus from one town to the other. Here you will find quite a lot of slopes for advanced skiers. It’s a high region so usually you don’t have to worry there won’t be enough snow.
The region consists of 156 km of ski slopes (86 km in Bad Gastein/Bad Hofgastein, 70 km in Dorfgastein)
Price of a ticket for 6 days in high season 2019/2020: 275,50 EUR / adult, 206,50 EUR / teen, 138 EUR / kid. The tickets are valid in the whole Ski Amade region.