Kitzbuhel Alps

The Brixental valley comprises three excellent resorts, Brixen im Thale, Kirchberg and Westendorf, which are part of the Wilder Kaiser-Brixental SkiWelt (ski world), Austria’s largest interconnected ski area, as well as of the famous skiing area Kirchberg-Kitzbühel. Brixental valley’s 145 modern cable cars and lifts open up 449 km of pistes with more than 100 chalets and mountain guesthouses. More than 80 per cent of the runs are totally snow-sure, being covered with snow cannons. 

All that makes for uninterrupted fun in glorious terrain, from 2000m down to around 700m, so mostly below the tree line, enhancing the beauty of your experience. Not only that, if you buy the AllStarCard lift pass, you can extend your horizons to enjoy all 1,088km of pistes in the Kitzbüheler Alps. In addition to the two skiing areas in the Brixental valley, it covers Alpbachtal and Wildschönau, St. Johann in Tirol, Fieberbrunn, Waidring Steinplatte, Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang, Zell am See and Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn.

And that’s probably enough for a season, let alone a week! So let’s start close to your Brixental base and examine more closely what the valley offers. All three villages are historic settlements and exude Tyrolean character and charm. This region is a true original – alpine skiing began in Kirchberg in the Victorian times and the 1930s saw the creation of the famous Hahnenkamm race. But there’s been no resting on their ski laurels; the area has continually invested in the latest lifts and facilities to keep ahead of the pack. By day and by night the valley delivers a stress-free and fun environment.

For families with children new to skiing, one major plus is that, unique to Austria, some nursery slope lifts at the bottom of the mountains are free of  charge. Boarders will love ‘Boarders Playground’ in Westendorf: The park was designed by snowboarding legend ‘Gogo’ Gossner and has already won numerous awards. In Kirchberg, the Gaisberg’s 3.4km natural toboggan run, complete with snow machines, is a wildly winding winner, and the ice-climbing park has one of the largest ice-climbing towers in Europe.

When exhausted by maxing the ski mileage, or if you’re a non-skier, or simply want to see more of this alpine wonderland, there is a host of activities laid on – many of them free – such as guided snow shoe tours, torchlight walks and cross-country (Nordic) trails that open up vistas normally hidden from the downhill devotees. And if, after so much, you still have energy to burn, the villages of the Brixental valley have abundant opportunities to eat drink, dance and party.