Austrian Ski Resort Guide

Many Austrian ski resorts have long evolved beyond just skiing and snowboarding. In response to climate change and the demand for more active summer holidays, many resorts have already successfully transformed into year-round destinations.

For those who enjoy swimming and relaxing by the water, Zell am See in Salzburgerland is a top choice. Its stunning alpine lake, with crystal-clear waters, is perfect for activities like sailing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.

For high altitude skiing, nearby Kaprun is home to the 3,000+ Kitzsteinhorn Glacier.

Kirchberg, Kitzbuhel, Fieberbrunn are also home to beautiful swimming lakes and breathtaking mountain scenery.

In recent years, Leogang has gained international fame as a mountain biking hotspot, hosting world-class downhill events and offering numerous trails suitable for all skill levels.

Just over the valley, Saalbach-Hinterglemm is another biking paradise, boasting over 400 kilometres of marked routes.

For families with young children, Bramberg and Neukirchen are firm favourites with lots of family-friendly activities on offer.

Golfers can take advantage of Zell am See-Kaprun's 36-hole course, which provides breathtaking views of the glacier. Kitzbühel is also home to several championship-level golf courses, while Maria Alm offers the peaceful Golfclub Urslautal, set in a beautiful alpine valley.

For hiking enthusiasts, Lech-Zürs features some of the most picturesque alpine trails in Austria, with routes that wind along crystal-clear streams and through wildflower meadows.

Due to their high altitude, the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier (3,203m) in Kaprun, Lech-Zurs and St Anton in the Arlberg ski region, Gerlos and Obergurgl are some of the most snow-sure resorts in Austria.

Other great glacier ski regions include the Pitztal Glacier (3,440m), Sölden in the Ötztal Valley (3,340) and Hintertux (3,250m)

If you are looking to maximise rental demand then it is best to focus on either:

1. A year-round resorts which has a great summer season or
2. A high-altitude ski resort that is snow sure throughout the season.

Examples of great year-round resorts include Zell am See-Kaprun, Bramberg, Neukirchen in Salzburgerland or Kitzbuhel, Fieberbrunn and Kirchberg in the Tyrol.

For the longest winter season and snow-sure skiing in Austria then investors should focus on the prime resorts in the Arlberg such as Lech and St Anton although finding property for sale can be hard. The Ötztal Valley resorts such as Solden and Obergurgl can be a good alternative where you are likely to find more apartments and chalets for sale.

The two main access points for the Austrian alps are Salzburg and Innsbruck. Salzburg services most of the ski resorts in Salzburgerland while Innsbruck is better for the Tyrol.

Out of season, many people tend to also fly into Munich which also provides quick and easy access to both of Austria’s main ski regions - Salzburg and Tyrol.

Austrian ski resorts are renowned for being welcoming to families. The resorts in the SkiWelt ski area are renowned for being family-friendly. SkiWelt includes Elmau, Going, Brixen im Thale, Scheffau, Westendorf, Söll, Hopfgarten, and Itter.

Additionally, Neurkirchen, Bramberg and Leogang are also excellent options for families. In all of these resorts you will find a variety of activities for families and year-round options for young children.

The Arlberg is Austria’s largest ski area, featuring over 305 km of interconnected pistes. The Arlberg ski region connects the ski resorts of St. Anton, St. Christoph, Stuben, Lech-Zürs, Warth, and Schröcken.

Other notable ski regions include the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental with 275 kms of piste and Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn which now has an estimated 270 kms of piste.

It is worth noting that the latter now also includes Zell am See and Kaprun under its ‘Ski Alpin’ card although they are not all 100% connected as yet. This now gives skiers in excess of 400 kms of pise.