10 best ski resorts in Austria

When we think of Austria, we think of the mountains and all of the amazing ski resorts. Vienna isn’t the only place worth visiting when you are in Austria. These top 10 ski resorts in Austria are definitely the best ski resorts in Austria you could find. Some of them are the best ski resorts in Austria for nightlife and best ski resorts in Austria for non skiers, which makes it easy to visit them at any point whether you wish to do winter sports or not.

10 best ski resorts in Austria

We think you will find the prettiest ski resorts in Austria fascinating. The winters are cold here, you will have to really dress up, however, we are sure that regardless of when you visit any of these villages and towns, you are going to be left with a one-of-a-kind experience. The best ski in ski out resorts Austria and ski resorts in Tirol Austria are here to fulfill your skiing dreams. Let’s dive in!

1. Kitzbühel

one of the ski resorts in Tirol Austria is Kitzbuhel, which is also the best ski resorts in Austria for non skiers. In case you want to fully enjoy the experience of skiing, the best time to go would be between October and early May. Although may seems to be quite late already, however in the Alps it’s just normal to still have snow around April – May.

the name of the resort used to be called Chizbuhel in the 12th century. Chizzo relates to the Bavarian clan and Buhel refers to the settlement upon a hill. Kitzbuhel only became part of Upper Bavaria in 1255. This place is definitely one of the best ski resorts in Austria. Of course, the main reason anyone would come here is for skiing, although that’s not the only thing you can do.

In case you’re a nonskier we recommend visiting St Catherine’s church, a high gothic church in the town center. The Museum Kitzbuhel holds a collection of Alfons Walde presenting the history of the town. Also, you should check out the cable car which has the highest elevation (400) above ground in the world. We promise you will not be bored here!

2. St. Anton am Arlberg

This little village in Austria is considered among the top 10 ski resorts in Austria and the best ski resorts in Austria. The reason why it is so popular is due to the fact that ski history has been around since the 1930s when people from the United States helped to popularise the sport.

The Alpine World Ski Championship was held in St Anton in 2002. St Anton is definitely one of the highest-rated ski resorts in Tirol Austria. When you go there for skiing you will be amazed. There are 94 cable cars and ski lifts, 340 km of pistes, and 200 km of deep snow runs.

St Anton am Arlberg is also one of the best ski resorts in Austria for nightlife. The gorgeous view of the snow and small houses will keep you in awe. You are also able to do other activities such as cycling, sports center with pools, whirlpools and water slide. Tell us about your next visit and what are you planning to do at St Anton!

3. Lech am Arlberg

We have another resort in Arlberg that is in the top 10 ski resorts in Austria. Lech is in the Bludenz district and on the banks of the river Lech. This little village is a part of the Arlberg mountain range with other villages like Zürs, Zug, Oberiech, and Stubenbach.

Lech is also one the best ski resorts in Austria for nightlife and that also makes it the best ski resorts in Austria for non skiers. You can visit the church of St. Nicholas, the historic Huber House, the Skyspace Lech which is an art installation by James Turrell.

Lech is an all-over ski resort both on-piste and off-piste. There are plenty of mechanical lifts to take you to the well-groomed pistes. These villages are the birthplace of modern skiing and seat of Ski Club Arlberg. They are also considered one of the largest connected ski resorts in Austria.

4. Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is the best ski resorts in Austria and ski resorts in Tirol Austria are very close to Innsbruck. If you’re going to either place, you cannot miss visiting them. The main reason why people visit Mayrhofen is for the winter sports.

This little town is near the Hintertux glacier which is at 3250 meters above sea level and snowline. The tracks are mostly for intermediate runs. Another steep black run was removed as it was too dangerous. Harakiri which is on the Penken mountain is Austria’s steepest piste, and it’s near Mayrhofen.

Besides skiing, during the summer you can also go hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding. The best ski resorts in Austria for non skiers hold a music festival called Snowbombing in April. The event has been hosted since 2005. As you can see, even if you do not know how to ski and you’re afraid to learn right from the beginning, yo can still visit these wonderful places and enjoy them just as much as skiers do.

5. Sölden

Sölden is the next one on the list of best ski resorts in Austria and the top 10 ski resorts in Austria. You get 144 km of slopes, two glacier ski areas,27 chalets, and much more. Did you know that Sölden is the only place in Austria that has three 3,000 meter tall mountains and they are all connected by ski lifts?? This just makes it the best ski resorts in Tirol Austria and the prettiest ski resorts in Austria.

Just like with the rest of the resorts on our list, skiing isn’t the only activity you can do in Sölden. It also has discos, clubs, and bars. Why not sit down at restaurants and try traditional Austrian food? The best ones are Gampe Thaya, Ice Q, Rotkogel Hutte and so on. Among the bars, you can visit Annemaries Huhnersteign and let’s not forget about the clubs: Katapult, Rodelhütte and Andz Hasenhütte.

For daytime activities, you can visit the 007 Elements museum, which displays the signature elements that define a James Bond film. There are also many biking trails you can explore, during summer too. The sports complexes that offer spectacular spas, like the Freizeit Arena and parasailing and paragliding in the cold winters will also be quite the experience to share with your friends!

6. Ischgl

Ischgl is one of the top 10 ski resorts in Austria that is connected with Samnaun, Switzerland and they form one of the largest ski resorts in the Alps. The reason why it’s one of the best ski resorts in Tirol Austria is due to its 238 kilometres of groomed pistes. These pistes are served by over 45 mechanical lifsts. These lifts are gondolas, cable cars, detachable chair lifts and T-bars. Talk about diversity, there’s a lift for everyone’s taste!

There are three ski areas from the village: the Pardatschgratbahn, the Fimbabahn & the Silvrettabahn. In case you are looking for some easier runs, then you should visit the area above Idalp which also has a snow park. For more difficult ones, red runs, you should visit Höllboden and Paynauer Thaya. The intermediate-level skiers should definitely visit the steepest run in the resort which is at Höllboden bowl, accessed the chair lift called “Lange Wand”.4

Ischgl isn’t just a simple ski resort. It is also the best ski resorts in Austria for nightlife. Many pop concerts have been held here, more specifically at Idalp at 2.300 meters high. Artists like Tina Turner, Elton John, Pink, Beyonce, Rihanna, and many others have performed at these concerts. We encourage you to check out this wonderful resort and maybe even book yourself some tickets for the next concert!

7. Söll and the SkiWelt

Söll is actually just one of the resorts from SkiWelt. SkiWelt is the largest interconnected ski area and the best ski resorts in Austria that has multiple member villages like Hopfgarten, Itter, Sheffau, Söll, and others. This area has 90 cable cars and ski lifts and a total of 280 kilometers of ski pistes and 77 ski huts. It really has everything a skier could need.

Söll might be a smaller village and not too popular like the rest of the ski resorts on our list, however, it is the best ski in ski out resorts Austria and also the best ski resorts in Austria for non skiers. It is definitely a great tourist destination. You can explore many unique things here.

We recommend visiting the Hexenwasser Söll, which is a theme park at the middle station of the cable car. The Hohe Salve is a gorgeous peak for skiing but also to admire the Alps. You can swim in the Ahornsee Söll, although it is not for the faint-hearted as the water is very cold! Hintersteiner See is a mountain lake and it is part of the Wilder Kaiser Austria national park. What are you visiting first?

8. Zell am See

Whenever you are visiting Salzburg, you should definitely stop by at Zell am See, the best ski in ski out resorts Austria and the prettiest ski resorts in Austria. Zell am See is the administrative capital of Salzburg. When you visit this small town, you will be in awe of the Schmittenhöhe mountain. You have around 138 km of pistes. Zell am See is relatively a low altitude ski area, so in case you are a pro skier, this might not be enough for you.

The steepest piste is the Trassabfahrt which has an inclined gradient of up to 75%, then the Standardabfahrt at 60%. Zell am See isn’t really just for skiers. Just like Salzburg, it has a lot of history and multiple attractions, which makes it perfect to visit during the summer too, and one of the top 10 ski resorts in Austria.

The main attraction is St Hippolyte’s Church which is the oldest known church in the Pinzgau region. The style is mostly Romanesque and consists of three naves and was built in the late 1700s. For a picturesque looking building, you must also visit the Grand Hotel Zell am See. It honestly looks like you are in a movie! And for car lovers, the Porsche family farm is also located here.

9. Saalbach-Hinterglemm

We are almost at the end of our list of best ski resorts in Austria and Saalbach-Hinterglemm is one of the prettiest ski resorts in Austria. Saalbach-Hinterglemm is actually a municipality in the district of Zell am See, the previous skiing resort. You will find a four-piste network with up to 270 kilometers of ski slopes. It is the best resort as it’s very close to Salzburg Airport too. If you’re looking for a quick ski trip, definitely come here.

Saalbach is a tourist attraction and many of the inhabitants are dependent on this industry. When you come to Saalbach you will be having the best ski experience. With pistes on both sides of the valley, you are able to pick and choose where you best like to have a run. There is also a small snowpark in Hinterglemm, however, the more experienced skiers tend to visit Leogang which is a steeper hill. You will also be able to use 6 and 8-man chairlifts.

Some of the activities include curling, at the Saalbach-Hinterglemm Sports Center. Cross country skiing. The fairytale forest is worth visiting during the summer, even though it is also open during winter. How can we miss out on paragliding? You will find this at all of the ski resorts. Freeride parking on the untouched snow slopes. The best ski in ski out resorts Austria is right this one, Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

10. Obergurgl

This small village in the Alps is called Obergurgl is a very big tourist attraction as well and the best ski in ski out resorts Austria. Obergurgl is actually the highest parish in Austria at an elevation of 1.930 meters. This is the longest side valley of the Inntal valley. It is also popular during the summer as you can hike in many places.

Besides skiing, you can also visit the breeding establishment for Hafingers horses in the village. This is owned by the Scheiber family. Obergurgl became famous thanks to the Swiss explorer August Picard, who was forced to land in 1931 on the nearby glacier. He was the first many to fly into the stratosphere.

Obergurgl, the prettiest ski resorts in Austria and the best ski resorts in Austria will leave you with the best experience. If you are visiting during the summer and you like to drive, the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road will give you a scenic drive between the valley and mountains. They also have a motorcycle museum called Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum. We hope you will find an activity to do, whether that is skiing or something else!

Top 10 ski resorts in austria

We have reached the end of our list of the top 10 ski resorts in Austria. The ski resorts in Tirol Austria and the prettiest ski resorts in Austria all have one thing in common: variety. Whether you are going to actually ski or do other types of activities, you will enjoy these picturesque villages. During the winter they will give you that “winter wonderland” type of feeling and during the summer you can see green Austria in its full glory.

We hope you have enjoyed reading about the best ski in ski out resorts Austria, for nightlife, and the best ski resorts in Austria for non-skiers!