Those who cannot imagine winter without skiing and snowboarding often choose Austrian ski resorts for recreation. And there are many reasons for this. The Central Eastern Alps occupy more than half of the territory of this country. Ski resorts in Austria are open from late November to April, and even in May, for example, the year-round Hintertux, located at an altitude of 3250 m.

Austrian resorts are suitable for different categories of tourists: some are more focused on confident skiers, others – on active youth or families with children. Each of them offers various accommodation options – from five-star luxury hotels with thermal springs and spa centers to budget apartments, well-developed infrastructure, slopes of all difficulty levels, après ski. Picturesque nature, mild climate, delicious cuisine, beauty of the Alpine villages will complement the impressions of a vacation in this country.

Mountain resorts in Austria are mainly located in the valleys. They are easily accessible from the airports of Salzburg, Innsbruck and Munich. Innsbruck is the closest to the resorts of Tyrol (travel time to most of them is 1-1.5 hours). But there are not so many flights from Moscow to this airport and Salzburg airport, which creates certain difficulties. More than a dozen flights of various companies arrive in Munich every day. And although the airport is located much further from the main resorts, and the transfer is 2-3.5 hours, in the end it may be more convenient.

For accommodation, Austrian resorts offer mostly inexpensive guesthouses and 3 * and 4 * hotels with breakfast and dinner or only with breakfast. There are not so many apartments and, as a rule, they are not cheap. Hotels with half board for families with children seem to be the most convenient option. Although they are more expensive, taking into account the number of family members, the need to book a table in advance during the peak season and go with the children every evening for dinner at a restaurant or cafe, living in them is quite justified.

From a long list of Austrian ski resorts, consider those that, according to experts, are more suitable for families with children.

Table of Contents

Serfaus

Serfaus is a sunny resort in the western part of Tyrol. Together with the neighboring ski villages Ladis and Fiss, it forms a single ski area (height – 1200-2820 meters) with common slopes and lifts. There are plenty of trails for beginners and family skiing here. Although there are blacks that will delight professionals.

A short and not too winding serpentine leads to the resort, located on a mountain plateau. Ski basses have been replaced by 4 metro stations. The village has only a pedestrian zone, no car traffic. There are special trails for walking with children in strollers.

Here, everything is thought out to the smallest detail and taking into account different ages: more than two hundred simple and difficult tracks, educational transporters and lifts, separate areas for games and entertainment, the best children’s ski schools in Tyrol, a freeride area. This is one of the most compact family ski resorts: you can return to schools and the center from even the most remote slopes in half an hour.

On the territory of 10 hectares, there are three parks: Murmli, Kinderland, Kindershnealm with English-speaking kindergarten teachers and instructors in schools, winter entertainment and play areas, with the possibility of looking after babies from 3 months to 5 years old.

There are a variety of accommodation options for families with children: apartments, hotels with meals, many of which offer breakfasts and dinners. There are large family rooms. If required, several rooms can be combined into one large apartment.

It is impossible to get to Serfaus by train. Transfer by car takes 3-3.5 hours.

Schladming

This resort, located in Styria in the Dachstein mountains, is considered one of the best in the world. The largest ski area is the Planai area. Most of the tracks here are not very difficult, even inexperienced skiers and beginners can master them. Decent selection of red runs. But for expert skating, there are not many options. Although there are also black slopes and off-piste slopes for extreme skiing lovers.

For families – a mini-club, ski schools, a kindergarten, children’s lifts, well-equipped slopes. There are not many hotels in this region. Mostly tourists stay in guesthouses and guesthouses.

Zell am See

This is another family-run ski resort. The town of Zell am See and the neighboring village of Kaprun are located in the center of Austria at an altitude of 750-980 meters.

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Zell am See is on the honorable list of small historic towns in Austria. This beautiful resort is located on the shores of Lake Zeller See at the foot of the Schmittenhöhe mountain (2000 m), from which almost all ski slopes start.

At the top of the Schmittenhöhe in the children’s park, the dragon Shmidolin “lives” all year round, who entertains the kids and teaches them how to ski. There is also the world’s longest slope with Fun Slope XXL, which will be fun for both adults and children.

Nearby is the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, to which you can climb in cabins. There are three parks for lovers of handrails, trampolines and tables: an easy one for beginners, a central one for experienced riders, and a glacier one, which contains figures of varying difficulty. Also on the Kitzsteinhorn mountain in the Maiskogel ski area there is a children’s “Fantasy Park”, there is an Eagle Line toboggan adventure track, a superpipe.

The trails in the resort are mostly uncomplicated, but there are also some that deserve the respect of professionals. Well-trained instructors work in local schools. It is convenient to go for excursions and shopping from here. Throughout the resort – free Wi-Fi, many shops and restaurants.

The charm of the resort is added by the magnificent nature, stunning views of the glacier, the lake on which ice skates in winter, the slopes overgrown with forest. The resort is good for hiking along the paved paths along the picturesque lake against the backdrop of mountainous landscapes. In addition to winter activities, there is a water center.

Tours in Zell am See

The resort is full of tourists all year round. There is a large selection of hotels and apartments at affordable prices, for example, you can consider the Herzog Hotel for accommodation with a ski storage, parking, ski boot dryer.

The resort can be reached from Salzburg in an hour and a half by train or in an hour by car.

Kaprun

This provincial town with a cozy homely atmosphere and the charm of a small village is perfect for a relaxing family holiday. It is surrounded by stunning nature at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn Mountain (height 3203 m), often called the “Kaprun Glacier”.

There are excellent conditions for comfortable skiing, for practicing technique. There is always a lot of snow. You can stay at the hotel anywhere in the resort. Due to its compactness, any hotel will always be in the center.

For beginners, the Maiskogel slope (maximum height – 1675 meters) is suitable with trails for beginners, well-groomed slopes, chair lifts with protective canopies, inexpensive tickets, après-ski, entertainment for everyone. For example, Maisi Phantasie Park, Maisiflitzer alpine slides.

Tours to Kaprun

The resort has ski schools, including a ski school for kids from 2.5 years old. There is a thermal center “Tauern Spa”.

Saalbach – Hinterglemm

The two closely spaced villages of Saalbach and Hinterglemm, surrounded by a beautiful mountain landscape, offer many interesting slopes for ski enthusiasts of all skill levels.

The Alpine Palace Mini & Teens Club is open for children in the Hinterglemm resort at the Alpine Palace 5 * Superior with age-appropriate programs, sports activities and games both inside and outside the hotel.

In this resort (as well as in the resorts of Zillertal, Kaprun, Zell am See, Saalbach), children under 5 years old can ride for free.

Seefeld

Located on a high-altitude sunny and snowy plateau (height 1200 meters) with ski areas from 1200 to 2064 meters, 20 km from Innsbruck. Still, this is not so much a ski resort as just a winter one. The ski area is small, the tracks are mostly for beginners. Experts and those looking for a variety of tracks don’t have much to do here. And for those who love flat skiing, it is a real expanse. There is where to ride. By the way, Olympic competitions were held here.

Tours to Seefeld

The resort is prestigious and not cheap. With traditional architecture and a large number of high class hotels. Wealthy tourists who want to breathe in the mountainous clean air and live in luxury hotels surrounded by picturesque mountain peaks, enjoy winter sports and relax in a comfortable environment with pleasure. Frequent guests of the resort are grandparents with grandchildren. For accommodation, 4 * hotels with half board are most in demand.

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This cozy resort is recommended for families due to its favorable location (short transfer from Innsbruck), beautiful nature, low altitudes and accessible pistes. There are study areas and schools for children and beginners, nurseries and kindergartens, fast lifts, as well as night trails, sledding, ice rinks, tennis, a sports center with a swimming pool. From here it is convenient to go on excursions or to the city. The disadvantages are high prices, expensive ski pass.


The resorts of Mayrhofen, Ischgl, Sölden are among the most popular and well-known tourists. Suitable for almost any skier, these versatile resorts have many attractions for families with children. However, they cannot be fully classified as “family”.

Mayrhofen

Located in the Tyrolean Valley at an altitude of 633 meters, it is considered one of the best ski resorts in Austria. The ski areas with various trails in the Zillertal valley (including the Hintertux glacier) are located at an altitude of 630-2500 meters. They are united by a common ski pass and are equipped with modern lifts.

The region consists of four valleys: Ahorn – for beginners, Penken and Hintertux – for advanced and experienced, the Tuxertal valley with the Hintertux glacier is the most famous. Tourists with children mostly prefer local trails, skiing on Mount Ahorn and Penken.

In addition to the ski slopes, there is a toboggan run on Mount Ahorn, and a toboggan rental is also available there. In the Penken area there is a park with grounds for different levels of training and for training with young skiers. There is also the famous 78 ° slope “Harakiri”.

The resort is versatile: young people appreciate it for its lively nightlife, family tourists – for the good conditions created for young skiers and for affordable prices.

Tours to Mayrhofen

There is a water park with waterfalls, wild streams, massage jets and slides, many shops, restaurants, bars, a large number of family-friendly pensions and apartments. From here it is convenient to go by narrow-gauge railway to Innsbruck and other large cities.

In the area of ​​the Mayrhofen resort, the Kumbichlhof 2 * hotel is conveniently located, which is close to the main ski lifts Ahorn, Penken, the Hintertux glacier and the main street of the town.

Zell am Ziller

It is a small resort, located 10 km from the Mayrhofen resort, with good opportunities for winter holidays. The combination of three nearby villages (Gerlos, Zell, Königsleiten) in the Ziller Valley has created a ski area with the largest ski safari, with trails totaling 115 km.

Ischgl

This resort with an extensive entertainment program is more focused not only on skiing, but also on other winter pleasures for children and adults. In addition to stunning ski slopes, there are fun discos, vibrant weekly shows, a water park, a bowling alley, saunas, and an active nightlife.

It is located at an altitude of 1377 meters. Snow is guaranteed on the slopes (1400-2864 meters) throughout the season. Here are the best high-speed lifts in the Alps with heated seats and caps. The ski area occupies a large area, while it is very well thought out. Children under 8 years old can ride for free.

For accommodation, the resort mainly offers hotels with breakfasts. Accordingly, a family dinner will incur additional costs. Apartments are few and the hotels are not cheap.

It is more interesting to be in Ischgl with older children. With the little ones, you can stay in the smaller, quieter neighboring resorts of Galtür or Kappl with their own ski area, many inexpensive half-board hotels and apartments. They are located 10-15 minutes from Ischgl. A children’s playground Sunny Mountain has been built for beginner skiers in Kapple; in Galtür there is an entertainment complex with slot machines, a water park, a bowling alley, and billiards. And also there are schools for children from three years old, childcare.

Find a tour in Ischgl

Sölden

The resort is located in the beautiful Otztal (Ötztal) valley at an altitude of 1350 meters. The level of the ski area is 1350-3250 meters. The length of the trails is small (145 km), but there are two glaciers and three three-thousanders, as well as a modern high-speed lift. The Sölden Snow Kids lift pass for children 4-7 years old costs 2 euros per day.

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In the neighboring Obergurgl (included in the general ski pass), there are another 110 km of excellent trails that are freer than in Sölden. Excellent conditions for family skiing. In addition, you can work out in local schools with a English-speaking instructor.

Sölden Tours

At the resort of Sölden, some episodes of the James Bond film were filmed. Later, a glass restaurant and a museum of Agent 007 appeared here at an altitude of three kilometers.

There are more than a dozen toboggan runs in the valley, and there is the Freizeit Arena water center, where guests of many hotels can relax for free. Nearby there is a thermal complex “Aquadom” with outdoor pools-bowls. There are also beautiful caves.

The resort has many cafes, restaurants, bars, pizzerias, hotels. The resort has more options for family accommodation than Ischgl. Although Sölden is also more recommended for families with older children, since Sölden and Ischgl are considered the most popular resorts in the Alpine region.

Resorts of Carinthia

Carinthia is the southernmost region of Austria. It is often referred to as the “Alpine Riviera”. You can relax here with children at any time of the year. In summer, you can swim in the warm waters of the many Carinthian lakes and sunbathe on the beaches, enjoying an almost Mediterranean weather. In winter – skiing. Fortunately, there are mountains and snowy winters everywhere.

All year round you can swim in the thermal waters surrounded by picturesque nature. There is an excellent climate, a developed tourist infrastructure, castles, ancient palaces, churches, a unique culture and cuisine, which were formed under the influence of neighboring Slovenia and Italy.

Tours to Carinthia

On vacation with a large family, everyone will find something to do: while parents are skiing, children can go to a ski school, and grandparents can relax in spas and thermal springs.

You can stay in Falkensteiner hotels with a children’s SPA, meals, Falkylands children’s clubs, Falky-Acqua-World with water slides.

Nassfeld

The Nassfeld resort is located on the border with Italy. The close proximity affects in many ways. The local coffee is especially famous, the taste of which can be enjoyed only in these places. Forested mountains, a large ski area, comfortable altitude, a lot of snow from December to April – all this makes the resort attractive for families.

There are special ski areas for children, the Bobo’s club, where you can leave a child from two years old, ski schools, free rental of sports equipment for children under 10 years old. There are toboggan and cross-country trails, snowshoeing, ski-touring routes (a combination of simple hiking and mountain hiking on special cross-country skis with ups and downs), natural ice rinks on the lakes.

The resort is located 2.5 hours from Salzburg Airport and 1.5 hours from Ljubljana Airport.

Water lovers can stay near Nassfeld in the town of Villach with a thermal complex with hot tubs, saunas, waterfalls, indoor and outdoor pools. From here it is convenient to visit the nearest ski resorts with a rented car.

Katschberg

Sunny Katschberg with easy trails and lots of snow is perfect for families. This small resort has a children’s skiing area with playgrounds and entertainment: ice rinks, sledges, horse-drawn carriages, snowshoeing.

From the airports of Ljubljana and Salzburg, the resort can be reached in 1.5 hours.

Bad Kleinkirchheim

This small village is located at an altitude of 1100 meters. The resort is interesting not only for the ski area with many trails, but also for the thermal springs, known since the Middle Ages. Some hotels also have their own SPA and swimming pools.

One of the best hotels in the Carinthian region – Thermenhotel Ronacher 5 * in the Bad Kleinkirchheim resort – is famous for its wellness center with Relax Oasis sauna areas, thermal pools, a variety of treatments and a restaurant that prepares dishes only from natural products.

Salzburg and Ljubljana airports are 1.5 hours’ drive from the hotel.