Kitzbuhel, Austria – The World’s Best Ski Resort?

Awarded the accolade of the world’s best ski resort by Skiresort.de, the world’s largest test portal for ski resorts for the third year running, Kitzbuhel, Austria certainly has great credentials. Kitzbuhel ski resort is one of the pioneers of alpine skiing ever since Franz Reisch skied down the Kitzbüheler Horn, making it the first Alpine ski run in Austria.

Where Is Kitzbuhel?

Nestled between the picturesque cities of Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Zell am See lies the charming destination of Kitzbuhel. This Alpine town is located within the picturesque Leukental valley.

Known for its world-class skiing and picturesque scenery, Kitzbuhel attracts visitors from all over the globe. But Kitzbuhel is not just a Winter wonderland – its year-round beauty is showcased through its vibrant green meadows and endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.

Kitzbuhel Ski Resort

Start your visit of Kitzbuhel with a tour round the village by Pepi, a very knowledgeable and friendly guide who will even serenade you goodbye with a bugle!

Colourful village houses in the charming ski village of Kitzbuehel, Austria
Colorful main street of Kitzbuhel village

Kitzbuhel Village Center

The brightly colored houses and cobbled streets are extremely picturesque. Also spelt as Kitzbuehel, it’s certainly one of the most beautiful ski resorts in Europe.

Kitzbuehel in Austria won the award for the world's best ski resort
A horse drawn carriage in Kitzbuhel

There are some interesting art galleries, luxury stores selling designer ski wear and Austrian traditional costumes and the all important coffee shops for a slice of sacher torte. The Aquarena swimming pool and wellness centre is a popular destination for those who fancy a change from skiing.

The picturesque village of Kitzbuehel in the Tirol region of Austria
Visiting Kitzbuhel village

Kitzbuhel, Austria is considered to be an all-year round destination. It became internationally famous when the future King Edward VIII first came here in 1928 and made it popular with the British as a Summer destination.

With 4 golf courses including two 18 holes and many miles of hiking and mountain bike trails, we can certainly see the attraction. There’s even a casino!

In Kitzbuhel village center, there are lots of little architectural details to delight the eye.

The casino in Kitzbuehel, Austria
A historic building in Kitzbühel ski resort

The Church of Our Lady or Liebfrauenkirche has a stunning baroque interior and an impressive bell tower.

The church in Kitzbuehel, Austria
The Church of Our Lady in Kitzbuhel

Cinephiles may remember the film 7 Years in Tibet with Brad Pitt and David Thewlis. The latter’s character, Peter Aufschnaiter, was one of the two Austrian mountaineers who took part in expeditions in Tibet, helped build a power plant there and met the Dalai Lama.

He is buried in the cemetery and his grave is adorned in typical Tibetan style.

The cemetery in Kitzbuehel, Austria
The grave of Peter Aufschnaiter

The Legend Park is a tribute to some of Austria’s most famous skiiers including multi gold medallist Toni Sailer who retired from skiing at age 22 and subsequently became a film star.

A memorial to Toni Sailer, Olympic ski champion, in Kitzbuehel, Austria
A tribute to Toni Sailer

Kitzbuhel Ski Review

Whether you’re an expert skier or a novice, you’ll be safe hands with Kevin from Element 3 Ski School. He will immediately put you at ease. Originally from the UK, he also speaks perfect German.

During the Summertime he’s a golf instructor, which reminds us that in Kitzbühel you can actually do a morning of ski and an afternoon of golf in April. Skiing itself is possible from at least end of November to mid April as the resort has a combination of snow canons and natural snow with an average of 180 days skiing.

In fact as Kevin says, it’s not the height of the resort that counts so much as the rocks around them keeping the snow firmly in place. He recommended Ski Rent Michael and we were very impressed with the quality of the equipment.

Michael, pictured here on the right with Kevin on the left, changes the ski boots every year and they’re state of the art.

There’s been a great deal of investment in the skiing infrastructure in Kitzbühel – around million Euros since 2000. Many of the chair lifts have heated seats and automatically opening covers.

All of this came as a pleasant surprise to us as we hadn’t skied for a few years. Some of the chair lifts are eight-seaters which means that you rarely have to queue more than a minute.

The main ski lift in Kitzbuehel, Austria
Kitzbuhel gondola lift

After a little tour on the nursery slope where thankfully we managed not to fall over, we headed to one of Kitzbühel’s more sedate blue runs to brush up on our rusty technique. Whilst it’s true that we’ve got down a couple of black runs in our time, we’d rather take it easy these days.

Kitzbuhel weather is generally very good but on this occasion visibility was low. It would definitely have been daunting to attempt much skiing without knowing the pistes so we were all the more grateful to Kevin.

Heading back on the slopes, we tackled a few more challenging runs and perfected our parallel skiing and turning. With 170 km of slopes, 780 snow cannons, 32 km of ski trails and 53 cable cars and ski lifts, there’s something for everyone – beginners, intermediates and experts.

Free-riding, or snowboarding off-piste, is extremely popular too with extensive back country and deep snow. One of Kitzbühel’s most famous ski runs is the three-and-a-half kilometer Hahnenkamm. It’s just as popular in Summertime with hikers and mountain bikers.

Kitzbuehel Austria ski domain
Ski runs at Kitzbühel, Austria

Yet arguably Kitzbuhel’s main attraction is the world famous Streif downhill ski-run, scene of the infamous Hahnenkamm downhill race. It certainly looks pretty steep from the top!

With high speed jumps, exhilarating bumps and gliding sections, it’s an extremely diverse terrain for expert skiers. The race itself attracts 80,000 visitors every year.

Having said that, there are sections that can be tackled by intermediate skiers and there’s even a wacky uphill race held in February each year! Kitzbuhel, Austria also plays host to the largest snow polo tournament in the world, the Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup.

Talking of wacky activities, we couldn’t resist trying a Segway tour in the snow. It’s surprisingly easy when you get the hang of it – just remember to wrap up warm.

We cruised through some stunning countryside – check out the video for a glimpse. It’s a great Summertime activity too.

Weather in Kitzbuhel

The weather in Kitzbuhel varies from an average temperature of -4°C (26°F) in February to 12°C (53°F) in July. Surprisingly, July is also the wettest month, with 180mm of rain on average, and February is the driest month.

Good times to visit are June, July and August for hiking and end of October to February for skiing. It’s also interesting to note that the Hahnenkamm ski run’s average temperaturehas been getting colder for over 20 years!

Restaurants in Kitzbuhel, Austria

You’ll be spoilt for choice for dining in Kitzbuhel and the surrounding area. You’re sure to enjoy the haute cuisine at Neuwirt, whose slogan is “Life is Better When You’re Eating”.

A place after our own heart where we particularly enjoyed the salmon trout with creamy spinach, white truffle cream and Austrian “Grüll caviar”. They also do a fine line in wine including this Opitz One Austrian late harvest wine.

In nearby Aurach, We’d highly recommend Hallerwirt, with a cosy traditional decor. They serve up local specialties and delicious red fruit sundaes.

Dessert at traditional Tirol restaurant Hallerwirt in Kitzbuehel, Austria
Dessert at Hallerwirt Kitzbuhel

Berghaus Tyrol is a great option for a tasty lunch on the slopes. Try the tender beef schnitzel or the grustl, a great combination of fried egg, sauteed potato and beef.

A tasty dish at the Berghaus restaurant in Kitzbuehel, Austria
Grustl dish at Berghaus

Where to Stay in Kitzbuhel, Austria

There is a wide selection of hotels in Kitzbuhel with some very luxurious Austrian spa resorts. The A-Rosa Kitzbuhel is the cream of the crop, with a huge 3,000 m² spa and 9 hole golf course.

Designed in the style of a Tirolean castle, it has 151 rooms and suites, plus a 600 m² conference centre, it has all the amenities you could hope for. Our suite had a lovely balcony overlooking the grounds and it’s own telescope to watch the night stars!

The A-Rosa is a great place in which to enjoy the delicious Tirol cuisine and relax in the spa afterwards.

The A-Rosa Kitzbuhel Hotel, Tirol, Austria
A-Rosa Kitzbuhel

For those looking for a budget option, the comfy yet casual Hotel Gamshof should suit your needs. Some of the rooms have large balconies with great views towards the town and the breakfast will set you up for the day.

Hotel Gamshof, Kitzbuehel, Austria
Hotel Gamshof Kitzbuhel

How to Get to Kitzbuhel

Easily reached by plane from Salzburg or Munich, there’s also a railway station located conveniently next to the main ski lift. Another good idea is to combine a Kitzbuhel skiing trip with a city break to Innsbruck or Vienna in Winter – the capital city of Austria has a huge array of cultural attractions and some charming Christmas markets.

Final Thoughts on Kitzbuhel Ski Resort

If you visit, you’re sure to fall in love with Kitzbuhel, Austria. From the charming village centre to the state of the art skiing facilities and great après-ski events, it’s somewhere that you’ll want to return to time and time again and a hot contender for the title of the world’s best ski resort.

Check our ski packing list if you’re wondering what clothing and accessories to bring with you.

Are you a fan of skiing? Have you ever been to Austria?

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Read all our Austria travel blog posts here

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Suze and Paul Renner

Suze and Paul are the founders of LuxuryColumnist, one of the leading luxury online magazines worldwide.

38 thoughts on “Kitzbuhel, Austria – The World’s Best Ski Resort?”

  1. Angie SilverSpoon

    Oooh the town really does look like a fairytale village. I’ve never been skiing, Mr S loves it but I can’t face it with my fear of heights. Looks like such a fun trip.

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      Some of the slopes are quite gentle, or you could go skiing with him and just go on walks and use the spas!

  2. Olivier Templar-James

    Dear Suze a very interesting article, I never been here so I discover this spot

  3. The place looks amazing and so colorful. I never tried skiing before but it’s on my bucket list 😀

    MONDAY PROJECTS

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      You’ll love skiing, Alyssa! Definitely make time for it as it’s an unmissable experience

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      That’s amazing that you haven’t seen snow, I’d love to see your face when you see it for the first time!

  4. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous. I mean wow.. I am sitting here wishing I was there. I am so loving all of your photos. And thank you so much for the wonderful words you left on my blog… I truly appreciate you. xox

    Kia / KTS
    www.houseofkts.com

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      Hi Kia, it’s so nice to hear from you – I was very sorry to hear about your loss. Even though we’ve never met, I can tell you’re a lovely warm person

  5. I have never gone skiing but hopefully I will get to do it one day! Austria is a very popular skiing destination for Luxembourgers. My sister and friens of mine go every year.

    www.luxessed.com

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      I’m quite a convert to skiing in Austria, I’ve been twice now. I hope you do get to try it and Austria’s definitely a great place for beginners

  6. So colorful, such a lovely place!!!! I love Austria!!!
    Happy Easter darling!
    Kisses, Paola.

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    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      Me too, there’s something so charming about the way they are in touch with their traditions. Have a fab Easter too Paola!

  7. Really colourful and I am so in love with the mountains. I haven’t been to Austria and I feel like I am the only person that I know who hasn’t. Maybe one of these days though!

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      I’ve never been to Vienna so I’d love to visit there and to go back to Kitzbuhel in the Summer for electric biking!

  8. That place looks amazing! it seems like you had a wonderful time! thanks for sharing 🙂

    xx Jamie | With Love, Jamie

  9. The town is so charming and the slopes look magnificent! I don’t ski but I would explore the town and try all the food you described. Hope you have an amazing weekend!

    Http://leftbankgirl.blogspot.com

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      There was plenty more to do, I’d check out the spas next time. Have a great Easter

  10. I’ve never been skiing, but this post has made me even more desperate to go! The city itself is so cute, it looks like something from Hansel and Gretel!

    Rachel xx
    http://www.thedailyluxe.net

  11. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

    Funnily enough it’s only a village or small town but you’d never guess as it has everything you need

  12. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

    Same here, my skiing leaves a lot to be desired but I’d happily eat my weight in sacher torte and relax in the spas instead 😉

  13. Wow, this place looks amazing!!! I’m loving the colorful buildings, and the food looks so good!

    http://roadesque.com
    http://ourruins.com

    1. Suze @LuxuryColumnist

      Aren’t those buildings amazing! As for the food, it was so delicious, perfect after a day skiing

  14. So gorgeous and great food. I may have been there when I was 11 lol. The village is so pretty. I am going back to Austria this summer but not around there, next time.

  15. Laura @ Travelocafe

    This one looks great even for people that do not care much about skiing but just want to enjoy a great time in the snow and a place that looks out of a fairy tale.

  16. Suzanne Jones - Travelbunny

    Kitzbuhel looks adorable – like it could be Christmas there all year round! I skied in Filzmoos, Austria for the first time this year and had my first taste of Grostle – yummy!

  17. Meron Dymphana

    The food and the icecream look very yummy!! I have never skied my whole life but that place is very beautiful. You look fashionably warm.
    www.fashionstylemogul.com

  18. Wow Such a Superb Place all of the colourful buildings snow Every thing look like a paradise view!!!!!

    www.discovercoupon.com

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