Best Ski Resorts In Austria 2026

Lech, Vorarlberg

Lech is Austria's smartest ski village, with upmarket hotels, a pretty river running through the centre and plenty of quiet, wide pistes. It shares the Ski Arlberg lift pass with St Anton, so you can ski around 300km of slopes, including some of the best off piste in Austria with a guide.

Ski Area: about 300km of pistes across Ski Arlberg

Highest Skiing: 2,811m (on the shared Arlberg pass)

Nearest Airport: Innsbruck, about 2 hours

Best For: a special occasion, couples and skiers who want quieter slopes

Why We Love It: it feels like stepping into a winter postcard

Saalbach Hinterglemm, Salzburgerland

Saalbach is the heart of the Skicircus, a huge linked area that also takes in Hinterglemm, Leogang and Fieberbrunn. Most of the runs are easy or intermediate, so it's brilliant for cruising from village to village, and the après in Saalbach is famously lively.

It's not a budget pick. The Post Office's 2026 ski report named Saalbach the most expensive resort in Europe for a family ski week, so it suits groups of adults more than families watching the pennies.

Ski Area: about 270km of pistes in the Skicircus

Highest Skiing: 2,096m

Nearest Airport: Salzburg, about 1 hour 40

Best For: intermediates and groups who love après

Why We Love It: you can ski a different valley every day

Zell am See and Kaprun, Salzburgerland

Two resorts for the price of one. Zell am See is a lively lakeside town with its own ski area on the Schmittenhöhe, and nearby Kaprun has the Kitzsteinhorn glacier for snow sure skiing up to 3,029m. Between them there's lots for non skiers too, from the lake to shops, cafés and spa days.

Ski Area: about 140km of pistes across Schmittenhöhe and Kitzsteinhorn

Highest Skiing: 3,029m on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier

Nearest Airport: Salzburg, about 1 hour 30

Best For: families and groups with a mix of skiers and non skiers

Why We Love It: a glacier and a frozen lake view in the same day

Kitzbühel, Tyrol

Kitzbühel is a proper medieval town with painted buildings, smart shops and a buzzing nightlife, not a purpose built resort. It's home to the famous Hahnenkamm downhill race every January, though most of the skiing is easy and intermediate. The slopes are fairly low, so it's best in the heart of winter.

Ski Area: about 190km of pistes with KitzSki

Highest Skiing: about 2,000m

Nearest Airport: Salzburg, about 1 hour 20

Best For: couples and groups who want a town with character

Why We Love It: watching the Hahnenkamm course and wondering how anyone races down it

Söll, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser Brixental, Tyrol

Söll is one of the gateways to the SkiWelt, one of Austria's biggest linked ski areas, which also includes Ellmau, Westendorf and Brixen im Thale. Most of the runs are easy or intermediate, there's night skiing, and transfers are fairly short, which makes it a favourite for first timers and families.

Ski Area: about 275km of pistes in the SkiWelt

Highest Skiing: about 1,900m

Nearest Airport: Salzburg, about 1 hour 30

Best For: beginners, families and anyone who fancies skiing under floodlights

Why We Love It: a huge area that never feels intimidating

Sölden, Ötztal, Tyrol

Sölden has two glaciers, the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach, and skiing up to 3,340m, so the snow lasts from the start of the season to the end. The slopes suit confident intermediates, and the town has a big après and nightlife scene.

Ski Area: about 145km of pistes

Highest Skiing: 3,340m

Nearest Airport: Innsbruck, under 2 hours

Best For: confident skiers and early or late season trips

Why We Love It: snow you can rely on, even in April

Obergurgl and Hochgurgl, Ötztal, Tyrol

At 1,930m, Obergurgl is one of the highest ski villages in the Alps, so the snow is reliable all season. It's quiet and friendly, with lots of easy runs, which makes it ideal for families and nervous skiers.

Ski Area: about 110km of pistes

Highest Skiing: about 3,080m

Nearest Airport: Innsbruck, under 2 hours

Best For: families, beginners and snow guaranteed Easter trips

Why We Love It: a high, snowy village that feels made for winter

Ischgl, Paznaun, Tyrol

Ischgl's Silvretta Arena links over the border to duty free Samnaun in Switzerland, and most of the skiing sits high, between about 1,360m and 2,872m, so the snow is dependable. It's also one of the liveliest party resorts in the Alps.

Ski Area: about 240km of pistes in the Silvretta Arena

Highest Skiing: 2,872m

Nearest Airport: Innsbruck, about 1 hour 40

Best For: intermediates and groups who want big nights out

Why We Love It: ski into Switzerland for lunch

St Anton am Arlberg, Tyrol

St Anton is a legend among keen skiers, with steep runs, famous off piste and one of the best après scenes anywhere. Its lift pass covers the whole of Ski Arlberg, around 300km of pistes shared with Lech and Zürs. Beginners are better off elsewhere, but if you can ski, this is the big one.

Ski Area: about 300km of pistes across Ski Arlberg

Highest Skiing: 2,811m

Nearest Airport: Innsbruck, about 1 hour 30

Best For: confident and expert skiers, off piste and après

Why We Love It: serious skiing in a village that knows how to party

Mayrhofen, Zillertal, Tyrol

Mayrhofen is our top pick because it gets the balance right. There are gentle slopes for beginners on the Ahorn, plenty of cruising for intermediates on the Penken, steep runs for experts, and a lively village with some of the best après in Austria. The transfer from Innsbruck is only about 1 hour 20.

Ski Area:about 140km of pistes on Mayrhofen's own lifts

Highest Skiing: about 2,500m

Nearest Airport: Innsbruck, about 1 hour 20

Best For: mixed ability groups, families and après lovers

Why We Love It: everyone in the group goes home happy