If pristine pistes, unrivalled hospitality and buzzing après bars are what you seek from a week on the slopes, Austria is a powder playground for a classic European ski holiday.
Around 60 per cent of Austrian terrain is dominated by the Alps range, so there’s no shortage of resorts for beginners learning the ropes of the slopes or experts lusting for a challenge on perilous off-piste descents.
Picture a snowscape where cosy mountain villages that ooze charm meet world-renowned music festivals and steins of beer flow in their hundreds at après bars’ most popular parties – it’s no wonder gemütlichkeit, the state of warmth, friendliness and good cheer, is so closely associated with an Austrian winter.
With high altitude and snowsure spots peppering pistes from the famed Alberg to the SkiWelt regions, here are the best Austrian resorts to embrace the long ski season in traditional Tyrolean style.
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Lech
Luxe Lech holds one of the Alps’ best snow records and a tangle of deep powder pistes
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Almost 305km of pistes welcome – almost guaranteed – shedloads of snow each season in the Austrian Alpine resort of Lech, making it a deluxe spot for seasoned skiers to holiday in lavish hotels and chalets. An extensive lift network, the legendary White Ring circuit, transports skiers not only to well-groomed runs lined with firs but elegant après ski haunts above the upmarket Alpine village.
Off-piste there’s some serious culinary action in Lech village, where fuss-free fine dining meets simple fondue stops in traditional slopeside huts.
How to ski in Lech
Crystal Ski Holidays has seven nights at the family-run Hotel Omesberg, an eight-minute walk to the Rüfikopf lift. It’s home to a first-class spa for unwinding with panoramic views over the Madloch Piste and the Red Wall Mountain. From £1,309pp, half board, including return flights from Birmingham, 20kg of checked luggage per person and airport transfers. Departs 16 December 2023.
St Anton
Famed for its après haunts, St Anton’s challenging terrain is top-notch for strong skiers
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St Anton sits in the Arlberg ski region – the largest interconnected region in Austria – and is one of eight resorts in the area. With over 300km of slopes available to visitors (and an…
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