Kitzbühel
Austria
Kitzbühel is an extremely picturesque walled medieval town, full of glamorous bars and restaurants and famous for attracting wealthy socialites and the consequent nightlife.
The peak, peak season coincides with the arrival in town of the Alpine World Cup cavalcade for the legendary Hahnenkamm downhill race, the most infamous of all the downhill runs and the most prestigious to win. One of the best times to be in Kitzbühel is in the weeks after the race when you can ski (or more likely sidestep) down whole sheer ice parts of the course.
The one downside of the resort is the low altitude and consequently snow conditions can be unreliable. However, the resort has invested massively in snow machines to overcome this problem. The skiing is predominantly intermediate but there is a good choice of pistes and there are wide motorway runs that are linked to the Pass Thurn region, which covers a greater area and often has better snow. The choice of on-piste eateries is amongst the best in the Alps. The advanced skier might be better off trekking to the extensive off piste, in which case taking a guide is recommended.
Original Travel 'At a Glance' Rating:
Resort height: 2,790ft
Highest lift: 6,580ft
Lifts: 58
Slopes: 70
Beginner: 25%
Intermediate: 50%
Expert: 25%
Piste kms: 100 miles
Skiing: 4/5
Snow: 4/5
Apres ski: 4/5
Some photos courtesy of Kitzbühel Tourismus
Street Scene © Markus Mitterer, Panorama of Village © Albin Niederstrasser, Skier Jumping © Joe Hölzl
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