10 Great Skiing areas in Austria

Whether you're a skier or a snowboarder you'll find everything you need on and off the slopes of Austria. Come here for pristine pistes, top-notch resorts, world-class ski schools, and optimal snow conditions or some of the most beautiful mountains and scenery in the world.

It can be difficult to choose where to go in Austria. Here is a list of some of the greatest places for winter sports:

1. Kitzbühel, Tirol

The small medieval town of Kitzbühel is steeped in tradition. Both the town and its ski resort) offer a typical Austrian hospitality.

185 km of ski slopes, great off-piste action, delightful surrounding villages, legendary ski schools, 50 plus cosy mountain huts, lively après-ski scene.

2. Saalbach Hinterglemm

Composed of four ski areas, the Skicircus stretches from Tirol to the SalzburgerLand province, one of the world's biggest ski areas. Its slopes are as diverse and varied as they are prestigious.

270 of immaculate pistes, 71 modern lifts create a winter oasis. From easy family slopes to deliciously demanding professional runs, there something for everyone.

3. Vorarlberg

Austria's westernmost province, Vorarlberg, has one of the best snow records in the Alps. Take your pick from a variety of smaller, cosy areas for your winter adventure.

4. Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand

An hour away from Salzburg Airport is the gorgeous lakeside town of Zell am See, which shares a lift pass with the equally picturesque village of Kaprun. Beginners and advanced skiers are well catered for. You can take a combination of gondolas and chairlifts from Zell am See town centre and from the satellite of Schuttdorf for intermediate skiing to the 2,000-metre Schmittenhöhe mountain. Snow-sure skiing is guaranteed on the 3,030-metre high slopes of Kaprun's Kitzsteinhorn Glacier.

Come here for:

A combination of mountains, lake, and glacier

Extra-long skiing season from October to June

Pistes on three mountains included with a single ski pass

5. Alpbachtal Wildschönau, Tirol

The Ski Juwel skiing area is formed of two Tirolean ski resorts – Alpbach and Wildschönau. 45 km from Innsbruck, Alpbach has been voted the prettiest town in the region. 109 km of pistes, all variety runs

6. Kitzbüheler Alpen, Tirol

This area is steeped in tradition and famed for its outstanding hospitality. Cultural activities, museums, and traditional events await, and the mountainous arena offers up the perfect stage for skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing. The Kitzbüheler Alpen Super Ski Card covers more than 900 cable cars and lifts, 2,750 km of runs and gives access to 800 ski lodges, making Kitzbühel Alps one of Austria's largest and most varied ski areas.

7. Innsbruck, Tirol

A stunning Habsburg university town, the “capital of the Alps”, Innsbruck, will not disappoint. The SKI plus CITY pass gives you all-inclusive access to 22 city sights, 13 ski areas, 3 swimming pools, and public transport, with the free ski bus taking you to your chosen spot.

8. Tiroler Zugspitz Arena, Tirol

At 2,962 m, the Zugspitze mountain is the tallest in the area. Seven ski resorts make up this area. 142 km of slopes and 56 lifts are all covered by the same ski pass.

9. Obertauern, SalzburgerLand

The resort of Obertauern, at an altitude of 1,740 m, boasts some of the most reliable snow conditions in Austria. There's excellent skiing here from late November through to May. An Olympic centre and high-altitude training site offer everything that winter sports guests could possibly be looking for.

10. Sölden / Ötztal, Tirol