Last couple of years we have been to France and Italy for New Year skiing but let down by nightlife. Can you suggest the best resort for Snow sure and lively in Austria. Thinking of Soll, Zell am see, thoughts???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Ischgl.
Solden.
St. Anton
Based on my previous experiences.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Whilst all resorts now have effective snow making I dont think either Söll or Zell am See could be described as "snow sure". As above the obvious choices are Ischgl or St Anton though you have left it rather late to book, it is normally the busiest week of the season. Most of the other places that would be the best for snow are not really the best places for apres eg Obergurgl, Obertauern or the glacier spots. Pretty much everywhere will be lively New Year's Eve (it's a bigger thing than Christmas) maybe the best option is to look at places with a nearby glacier (though glaciers tend to be pretty miserable places in the middle of winter and if the snow is generally poor they will be extremely busy), so Zillertal, Sölden, Zell am See, Stubaital though there is not so much non glacier skiing. Perhaps one of the larger villages in the Zillertal (Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller etc), if snow OK lots of local skiing, if not the glacier and all places of any sort of size (though Mayrhofen maybe best) should have plenty to do come the 31st.
@liam6913, they are always expensive - more so in those 2 weeks. Still food etc. is cheaper than in France IMO.
For snow sure skiing on piste and Austrian apres ski, check Solden
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@liam6913, New Year is the busiest most expensive week of the season in Austria though if the snow is poor a good few will stay at home. I remember being surprised at the difference between France and Austria in this regard (though that was a long time ago so things might have changed). If you do find what seems to be a good deal check that it is what it seems, plenty of stories of folk turning up at hotels to find the reservation has mysteriously disappeared. Saying that I did just look at the St Anton website and there seems to be a couple of relatively good value pensions and apartments available along with the 5 star silly money places.
After all it is free
After all it is free
St Anton.
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Thanks everyone in light of comments. St Anton and Ischgl look too expensive so looking at Mayrhofen and Saalbach. One last question is there anything for a non skier who loves apres ski to do in the day???
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Quote:
One last question is there anything for a non skier who loves apres ski to do in the day???
Mrs TT is well qualified to answer this one - not strictly a non-skier, but certainly an inveterate party-animal and confirmed fair-weather skier.
A lover of apres-ski will always be very happy to have a lie-in, and watch a bit of morning T.V. over breakfast. Unfortunately all the fascinating Brexit stuff may have subsided by then, and sadly Jeremy Kyle is no more. However there’s always Judge Judy and Bargain Hunt.
After catching up on emails and Facebook, and of course Snowheads, there may just be time for a bit of Netflix, before it’s time to get beautified and decide what to wear (never something that can be rushed), before heading up the mountain for a spot of 3.30pm happy hour, to kick off the apres-ski.
If the “non-skiing” is to be taken to its literal extreme, there’s always snow shoe walking and all that malarkey.
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liam6913 wrote:
Thanks everyone in light of comments. St Anton and Ischgl look too expensive so looking at Mayrhofen and Saalbach. One last question is there anything for a non skier who loves apres ski to do in the day???
If you go to Mayrhofen then about 2km from the town there is the Sennerei (dairy) where you can do a tour of how they make the various mountain cheeses (along with tasting samples).
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 20-09-19 9:23; edited 1 time in total
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
liam6913 wrote:
Thanks everyone in light of comments. St Anton and Ischgl look too expensive so looking at Mayrhofen and Saalbach. One last question is there anything for a non skier who loves apres ski to do in the day???
Sleep?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
One last question is there anything for a non skier who loves apres ski to do in the day???
Actually, having woken up in a slightly less flippant mood today, if you choose Saalbach, there is the very attractive and buzzing lakeside town of Zell am See only a half hour bus ride down the road. As it will be lift-linked to the Saalbach ski area from December, the non-skier could go there on the bus and rendezvous for lunch with the skiers, who could ski there. Then do the same in reverse, rendezvousing in Saalbach for the apres. Could be fun.
Then of course there is the magical old town of Salzburg. Many people take a day off skiing to pay it a visit, and they always seem to find it worthwhile. (Train from Zell - times and fares on www.oebb.at).
In Saalbach there is a “history of skiing” museum, and also an art gallery, showing the works of local (and renowned internationally) artist, Evi Fersterer (who runs the Hinterhag Alm, Saalbach’s biggest apres-ski party venue - a smaller version of St Anton’s Mooserwirt, only with live music and slightly more insane).
Your non-skier could also take the ski bus to Hinterglemm (only a 10 minute journey) and rendezvous with the skiers for lunch at one of a number of recommended restaurants - the Goassstall , the Schwarzacher ( both very lively apre-ski party venues, so the group could meet again at 4.00pm for the party and all take a taxi back to Saalbach at around 7.30pm, when the party ends - or go evening tobogganing on the dedicated toboggan track that winds down the Reiterkogel mountain, ending at the Goassstall). Other great lunchtime rendezvous places for skiers and non-skiers are the Sonnhof and Winkleralm at Hinterglemm (both halfway up the mountain at Hochalm and Zwölferkogel respectively), and the Montana Royal Alpin Club, the Asteralm, the Baernalm, the Luisalm, the Skyrest at Saalbach, all at the top or mid-station of a gondola.
There are also three great mountain restaurants at the top of the Leogang gondolas, and a bus ride there for the non-skier would be perfectly feasible.
A “walking ticket” for the non-skier, which allows two return trips on any of the Ski Circus gondolas without ski equipment, costs 85 euros for 8 days. Well worth it, and ideal for non-skiers to potter about and meet skiers for lunch, especially as the resort has the most gondola cable cars of any ski area in the world (25 in total).
Oh, and the guided snow shoe walking was a serious suggestion.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Brilliant, thank you. So by sounds of it you woukd recommend saalbach over mayrhofen for non skier as more to do and easier to meet skiers for lunch etc???
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@liam6913, Can’t really speak for Mayrhofen or draw comparisons, as I was last there in 1983. But I do know that the connectivity is better in Saalbach, and there are more options, unless you widen it out to the whole Ziller valley. Others will no doubt chip in with their opinions.
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Poster: A snowHead
@liam6913, Mayrhofen is part of the Zillertal ski pass. It’s of a reasonable size in its own right (just enough for a week) but the different resorts in the valley are not connected. It’s skiing is fairly high by Austrian standards being mostly above 1700m but you have to get a gondola up to the skiing from the valley floor (with the exception of the Ahorn mountain). This is no problem and for non skiers there are various walking trails from the top to at least 5 different restaurants where you could easily meet lunch. As you would expect these are all in the same area on the maintain (Penken on the map). If you stayed outside the town you could access the maintain from various other villages each with their own lift but then there would be much less for non skiers to do without a car as the villages are small.
The town is quite large and fairly attractive with a decent selection of shops if that is what your non skiers like. There is a lot to do in the valley which has a excellent train line and bus service which connects everywhere you would like to go.
I will be there with my family over Christmas this year (for the first time). As others have said the NY week is very busy and to be honest, too busy at times. I understand Christmas tends to be much quieter (according to locals). The town makes a real effort to make the festive period fun with lots of Christmas decorations etc. Looks lovely. They have a huge street party ant NY with fireworks.
The real benefit of the valley is the variety of skiing across the different areas. Which I don’t think is matched by anywhere in Austria other than Arlberg (howls of protests from everyone with their own favourites....). I am not sure how this would work for non skiers though as some of the other non Mayrhofen areas would not be suitable for non skiers so meeting for lunch would be less obvious. However if you are happy with the 140+km of piste at Mayrhofen and maybe add one away day then I would say it works well.
Plus a huge glacier up the road if needed. Although we only tend to go to the glacier at either end of the season.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I should have said the train runs to Innsbruck via Jenbach so a day trip to Innsbruck is very easy.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Slight thread hijack but hopefully still relevant.
Also looking for a trip probably to Austria over Xmas. Only looking now as work scheduling etc means that I couldn't book the time off until now!
One of the party is a non-skiier and so looking for somewhere with a nice atmosphere/scenery hence likely to be Austria. Also trying to keep the budget reasonable hence not likely to stretch to St Anton/Lech which we have been to at Xmas and other times and really enjoy but not likely to be feasable in a nice hotel for this trip.
Obergurgl and Ischgl out as they don't pass muster in the non-skiier "nice place to wander round" stakes whether this is true or not...
Not expecting the whole area or all the home runs to be open etc as I have other trips planned for serious skiing . Would however like a reasonable ski area and not have to bus to a glacier each day.
Leading choices in my mind so far are Saalbach and Bad Gastein/Bad Hofgastein. Have been to the former and it passes non skiier muster but no experience of the latter. I realise no-one has a crystal ball but based on past experience is the snow cover/snow making at Xmas OK based on of those who have been there at that time? Can't get a decent price for a trip to Serfaus but otherwise might be appropriate.
Mayrhofen and Kitzbuhel would be fine in term of non skiing but I'm not sure how confident I would be about the snow conditions except at Hintertux. Above post helpful for Mayrhofen though so possibly an option.
Anywhere else in Austria I have missed? Switzerland essentially ruled out on cost grounds and Italy a bit risky even in Jan based on my personal experience but open to other suggestions!
(another minor hijack) I'm also looking at early season options (week before Christmas) with a non-skier in tow who didn't like St Anton because there was no sun in the valley. Does Mayrhofen get sun in the valley and is it possible to get a walkers lift pass as mentioned above in Ski Circus? Happy to be advised of other options too. thank you all great snowheads
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:
is it possible to get a walkers lift pass as mentioned above in Ski Circus?
A walker’s pass in the Ski Circus will cost EUR 89 for an adult (half-price for a child) for 7 days. It covers two return trips per day on any of the gondola cable cars, obviously without ski equipment.
is it possible to get a walkers lift pass as mentioned above in Ski Circus?
A walker’s pass in the Ski Circus will cost EUR 89 for an adult (half-price for a child) for 7 days. It covers two return trips per day on any of the gondola cable cars, obviously without ski equipment.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
liam6913,
France doesn't do New Year. We once stayed in Albertville on New Year's Eve and discovered that, with the exception of an Indian and McDonald's, all restaurants and bars were closed.
After all it is free
After all it is free
DrNo,
Ischgl is certainly not an unpleasant town for a wander. There isn't that much to it but it's not unpleasant (IMHO).
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@DrNo, I am in the "Ischgl not being a pleasant place" camp, I know others think differently and the skiing is good. Currently there is plenty of snow around, I know it is mild at the moment but there seems to be more snow on the horizon so Christmas should be fine in most places. In the atmosphere for non skiers stakes I would suggest Kitzbühel, Zell am See (now linked to Saalbach Hinterglemm) and the Gasteinertal. Lots for non skiers in the Gasteinertal (I have only been there outside of ski season) though quite a lot of hills when walking around. The Zillertal is pretty snow sure (most of the skiing is above the tree line) and the various villages perfectly pleasant, typically Tirolean. All the places mentioned are good for day trips to either Innsbruck or Salzburg. Serfaus is a good spot but I would say not so good for non skiers.
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@trolleyed, there’s plenty of sun in the valley in St Anton, depending on where you are, time of day and when in the season obviously - that said non skiers can quickly get up to Galzig, Rendl or Gampen and find a terrace, gondolas go to all three.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
For the non-skier after scenery then Ramsau, on the plateau above Schladming is very nice. Lots of cross country skiing, which means also lots of easy walking trails. Not far away it is then also possible to take a ride up to the top of Dachstein glacier.
Ramsau is a good place to stay if you want something a little quieter. Not loads of apres-ski parties, but enough bars and restaurants for a decent few evenings.
Over in Tirrol I also really like Seefeld for lovely scenery and an idyllic town. Skiing is majority blue slopes though.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Bergmeister, I didn't think it was an unpleasent town either and I would go back there from a skiing perspective but I can see why as a non skiier you wouldn't particularly choose it.
@munich_irish, Booked Bad Hofgastein in the end as it is somewhere new to us which is nice and did think it had plenty of non ski things to do
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@trolleyed, the zillertal is a wide valley and gets plenty of sun. However the valley floor can get stubborn low cloud and temp inversions (I guess this is not uncommon elsewhere too) in the winter season.
FAQ
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. Would however like a reasonable ski area and not have to bus to a glacier each day.
