Where can you find a mix of perfectly groomed pistes – 210km of them to be exact – cosy mountain huts, winter hiking trails, gourmet cuisine and a range of activities aimed at young and old alike? St Johann in Salzburg is big enough to feel cosmopolitan, yet small enough to get around and reach the slopes with ease; here’s why you should be heading there this winter.
Tucked away in a picturesque valley, just 60km from the provincial capital of Salzburg, is a lesser known ski destination which has something to offer all the family. Something of a well-kept secret, and surrounded by the scenic mountains of the Salzburg Alps, it offers the prospectof prime skiing, whatever your level, as well as a fun range of off-piste activities.
Skiing with all the trimmings
Post-ski, you can tuck into delicious local cuisine in the many cosy mountain huts
(josalzburg.com / Chris Perkles)
St Johann in Salzburg, a scenic little town set conveniently in the middle of Salzburgerland is not only beautiful during the summer, but comes into its own in winter. Offering access to 210km of slopes, it’s perfect for speed demons, kids, and first timers alike –you can choose from four ski schools to help brush up those snowploughs, but practice isn’t a problem on these blissfully uncrowded pistes. The Alpendorf cable car, within easy reach on foot from all hotels in Alpendorf, whisks you up the mountain to the slopes of the Salzburg Snow Space in no time.
Once you’re at the top, and have worked up a hearty appetite, there are plenty of cosy mountain huts to choose from offering a range of delicious local dishes, giving you the chance to warm up, share stories from the slopes, sip mulled wine and more. From famous Austrian Schnitzel and grillwurstel at Buchauhütte, or more lively apres-ski at Gut Berg Stadl, you won’t go hungry (or thirsty). And for those whose souls are fed by breathtaking views, be sure to visit at least one of the best photo spots in the area, whether it’s the 1,832m high Gernkogel Summit, offering a panoramic vista of the Tennengebirge mountain range, the mighty Hochkönig Massif and down over the Salzach Valley; or the Hochgründeck (only accessible on foot), from the top of which you can see around 300 other peaks, including the craggy Berchtesgardner Alps, and the glittering Dachstein glacier.
Family-friendly fun
But St Johann in Salzburg is not just all ski, ski, ski; there are plenty of other snow-based activities which will keep kids and…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Independent Travel…