EUROPEAN SKI HOLIDAYS

AUSTRIA

Capital: Vienna Currency: Euro Language: German

Time: GMT +1 Telephone Code: 00 43

Austria is located in Central Europe and is largely made up of the Alps. The Austrian Alps make up over 60 percent of the country but the Central Eastern Alps as well as the Northern and Southern Limestone Alps are also partially in Austria.

It's no surprise Austria dominates in the Nations Cup for Alpine Skiing and holds a total of 23 Cups amid the Men and Women’s division between 1967 and 2008.

Innsbruck, one of Austria’s biggest tourist vacation spots is considered the capital of the Alps and has been an Olympic city twice.

A must see tourist attraction in Innsbruck is the Golden Roof, one of Austria's characteristic landmark attractions. You will not be disappointed!

Austria has over 30 ski resorts with the biggest tourist vacation spot being located in Innsbruck.

Innsbruck has over 300 miles of trails and 25 village resorts that are connected by a ski bus. Innsbruck offers six major ski areas with various terrains for all levels of skiing. Innsbruck highest lift is 10,498 feet and the lowest lift is 2789 feet; the longest vertical drop is 7,710 feet.

There are 70 beginner runs, 84 intermediate runs and 46 expert runs for skiing. The conditions for skiing are ideal in Innsbruck with a winter base of 55 to 60 inches of snow and an average of between 12 and 20 inches of fresh snow; the base dropping in the spring to between 35 and 45 inches.

Despite the prevalent snow fall Innsbruck also has 11 trails with snow makers to ensure skiing availability and some great ski deals.

Although Innsbruck is the most popular ski spot in Austria it is not the only one. Vorarlberg is the province of Austria that is closest to Switzerland and has about 20 ski resorts.

The runs are from 171 miles to just 6 miles long with some of the more major resorts offering beginning, intermediate and expert runs.

Vorarlberg major resorts offer skiing from late November to May with plentiful natural snow and snow machines when not so plentiful. Salzburg is another province in Austria that offers ski resorts with skiing available from November to May and hosts over 60 miles of runs. There are numerous ski deals available on the market today.

Lift Information

Innsbruck provides the uphill skier and snowboarder with chair lifts, drag lifts and gondolas; however, no high tech lift options. The total uphill lift capacity is about 60,000 skiers per hour.Vorarlberg known to be innovative and a pioneering winter sports enthusiast attracting ski area hosts heated chair lifts. Vorarlberg has a total of over 330 lifts to cover 235 runs.

Cross Country Skiing

Cross country skiers will enjoy over 90 miles of scenic trails in Innsbruck and over 100 miles of groomed slopes for cross country skiing in Vorarlberg. Near Innsbruck a cross country ski tour is available utilizing the nearby villages, farms, meadows and woods. With the terrain and climate of Austria cross country skiing is a means of transportation as well as a fun winter activity.

Types of Accommodation

For your skiing convenience in Innsbruck there are over 45 hotels available most of which offer ski bus service to the lifts. Looking for something a little more intimate? The Hotel Weisses Kreuz, located in the Gothic old town of Innsbruck, offers 40 rooms and includes breakfast.

Vorarlberg offers over 120 hotels, 3 bed and breakfast and 4 specialty lodgings such as chalet and apartments. Many of the hotels near the ski areas of Austria offer fitness rooms, spa and sauna services as well as restaurants and event schedules.

Best Ways to Get There

Getting to the resorts in Austria is simple with shuttle service from airports for those who fly in as well as car rentals available, public transportation and shuttle services are available from hotels directly to the resorts. The roadways are available once you purchase a Vignette in Austria that allows you to use the motorway system.

Après Ski

Skiing Austria is truly amazing with the scenery, natural mountainous region and snow and like any good day it must come to an end and if your ski day is ending in Austria you are in for a treat with the favorable and bounteous Après Ski events.

The Krazy Kangaruh in St. Anton, Austria is one of the highest rated Après Ski spots in Austria and is located on the piste. Another popular Apres ski spot in Austria is Trofana Alm in Ischgl for music and drinking and making new friends with as popular and closely packed as it tends to get.

Ski Resorts in Austria

Alpbach
Axamer Lizum
Bad Gastein
Bad Hofgastein
Finkenberg
Fulpmes
Hinterglemm
Igls
Innsbruck
Ischgl/Galtur
Kaprun
Kirchberg
Kirchdorf
Kitzbuhel
Lech
Leogang
Mallnitz
Obergurgl
Obertauern
Oetz/Oetztal
Rauris
Saalbach
Scheffau
Schladming / Haus
Solden
Soll
St Anton
St Anton Montafon
St Christoph
St Johann in Tirol
St Wolfgang
Trins
Vandans/Montafon
Westendorf
Wildschonau
Zell am See