Austria Smh

Essential Guide to

Winter in Austria

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ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO

Winter in Austria Contents Winter in Austria Winter in Austrian cities Vienna: Waits for you Salzburg: The Stage of the World Innsbruck: The Capital of the Alps Skiing in Austria Innsbruck: Olympia SkiWorld Arlberg: The Cradle of Alpine Skiing Map of Austria Ski facts Kitzbühel: Where legends meet Heart of the Alps Culinary Austria Basics/travel practicalities/flight information

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www.smhshop.com.au/freeguides Important information The Essential Guide to Winter in Austria is published and distributed by Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd, ABN 33 003 357 720, the publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald. The guide is intended to provide general information of an educational nature only. All information correct at time of Publication (September 2009) To have The Sydney Morning Herald home delivered phone (02) 9282 3800. General Editorial enquiries [email protected]

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Wint e r in A u s t r i a

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Think of Austria and the traditional images of smoke curling from blazing log fires, snow-covered chalets and alpine valleys naturally spring to mind. That is still true. But Austria today offers so much more. It is a place where tradition has been integrated into the very best things the modern world can offer. Today that chalet of your imagination supplements the log fire with underfloor heating, an outdoor hot tub and temperature-controlled wine cellar stocked with the excellent local Grüner Veltliner or Riesling. Austrian cities are alive with the grand traditions, such as beautiful baked delicacies for Christmas, parades, winter markets and spectacular balls. But they also play home to buildings by modern architects and state-ofthe-art hotels that offer every possible luxury and convenience. Austrian chefs have also gotten in on the act, infusing traditional dishes with modern twists to make them lighter and more suited to the appetites of today’s travelling gourmet. Of course, for many travellers, Austria

conjures up the spirit of a winter sports playground. It is only natural that a country made up of two-thirds of alpine terrain should have invented modern skiing and pioneered the techniques to perform it safely and well. The Austrian National Ski Team is the best in the world. But Austria’s skiers have not rested on their laurels. Instead, they have worked on new techniques and then travelled the world to teach others. Austria’s ski fields

today provide the skier with some of the most beautiful scenery and terrain nature can offer, combined with the very best technology to get skiers on to those slopes quickly and safely. Its alpine villages offer both traditional après-ski activities and modern restaurants that would be at home in any cosmopolitan city in the world. Welcome to Austria, a place where tradition and innovation have combined to provide the ultimate winter experience.

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

The ultimate winter experience

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Wint e r in A USTRI A N C ITIES

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Christmas shopping in Salzburg’s Getreidegasse.

Lunch in Innsbruck offers spectacular views.

Imagine the smell of baking and spiced mulled wine wafting down a beautifully decorated Christmas arcade. You are wrapped up against the cold and carrying a bag of unique handcrafted presents for your loved ones back home. After a hard day’s shopping in a traditional Christmas market, you are ready to go back to your wonderful, modern hotel for a hot soak before dinner in a chic new designer restaurant. That’s the reality of winter in an Austrian city. It’s a blend of tradition going back centuries and comfort that comes from cutting edge technology. The old and the new. Austrian cities such as Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck all boast beautiful, historic buildings that provide the setting for traditional Christmas markets selling everything from handcrafted jewellery to wonderful culinary treats. Browsing through the shops and stalls that line ancient

laneways is to indulge in a seasonal treat that goes back centuries. With festive lighting, the buildings seem to have been designed with Christmas in mind. But the cities are not just about the historic old buildings, there is stunning new architecture on offer too. Again it is the blend of the old and the new: imperial palaces that play host to hip new locations; ancient shopfronts that are home to innovative fashion designers; centuries old buildings that house ultra-chic cafes, restaurants and bars. Celebrating New Year’s Eve in an Austrian city is an experience that will be remembered long after the spectacular fireworks have finished. And the New Year ushers in a winter of music. There are the traditional balls with their waltzes, ball gowns and tuxedos and then there are pumping nightclubs on temporary outdoor ice rinks. The old and the new, winter for everybody.

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Waltz through the ages

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Vien na : wait s f o r y o u

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

A city for connoisseurs

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There is a special magic at Christmas. It is a time when the world takes on a golden glow, snowflakes drift through chilled winter air that feels charged with a sense of innocent expectation. Nowhere is that feeling more present than in Vienna. It is the spiritual home of Christmas. Streets and shops glitter with festive decorations, open doorways let the smells of gingerbread, mulled wine and Christmas cooking waft temptingly under the noses of passers-by. For children the winter wonderland comes alive in front of Vienna’s beautifully lit City Hall where the park takes on the magic of a Christmas fairytale. Walking among the trees hanging with glittering stars and giant candies, the children can ride the old Viennese carousel or venture into the Christmas Workshop and bake their own cookies. For adults, the joy of Christmas comes from wandering through the stalls packed with sweet delicacies and hand-crafted gifts that make up Vienna’s largest Christmas market. The market in front of the City Hall might be

Vienna’s Opera Ball – the most famous & elegant ball in the world

the biggest but is certainly not the only one. The Biedermeier district has been revamped and the narrow lanes of Spittelberg are lined with stalls at Christmas, offering anything from fine art and ceramics to hand-blown glass or silver jewellery. This is Christmas shopping in style. And the most romantic market of

all has to be the Christmas and arts market at Schönbrunn Palace where you can taste home-distilled schnapps in front of the Imperial Residence. Waltzing into the New Year in Vienna is an experience everyone should have at least once in their lifetime. The place to do it is under

the brilliant chandeliers of the world’s largest ballroom on Graben Street. There are afternoon waltzing lessons at the City Hall Square for those who need to learn or brush up on their dancing skills. Before the Pummerin bell in St. Stephen’s Cathedral chimes in the New Year, to the

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Winter morning at the Gloriette in the Schönbrunn Palace Garden.

accompaniment of Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz, revellers will have had the party of a lifetime. The New Year’s Eve trail through Vienna involves a wander through streets alive with entertainers and stalls offering sparkling punch and delicious food. Everywhere you turn there are dances, with everything from disco to waltzes. The front of the Opera House

has a bank of video screens showing popular operettas. For the romantic, there is the Giant Ferris Wheel at the Prater or boat trips along the river with the wonderfully named DDSG Blue Danube company. And of course, it’s New Year’s Eve after all, so there are fireworks. A free shuttlebus to Cobenzl, a hill on the outskirts,

provides the best view and another array of stalls offering food and wine. From the middle of January, the City Hall Square in front of Vienna’s Town Hall is transformed into a skating rink, home of the Vienna Ice Dream. Open daily, skaters glide to the strains of elegant waltzes or bop to modern music against the backdrop of the beautifully

lit building. There is more than 4000 square metres of ice with a “dream path” winding through Rathauspark to the Ring Boulevard and returning to the main rink after sweeping around City Hall Square. The rink is open until March 7, offering daily skating, special music events and even curling for the sports minded. No trip to Vienna would be complete without

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Vien n a : wait s f o r y o u

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Vien n a : wait s f o r y o u Insider Travel Tips/Events

77Vienna Tourist Office for exhibitions/events: www.vienna.info

77Opera Ball, Feb 11, 2010, www.wiener-staatsoper.at

77Coffehouse Owners’ Ball, Feb 5, 2010, www.kaffeesiederball.at

77Vienna Philharmonic Ball, Jan 21, 2010,

Dance the night away at the Viennese Ice Dream in front of the Town Hall.

The old and the new: St. Stephen’s Cathedral and

www.wienerphilharmoniker.at 77Christmas Market Town Hall, Nov 14 – Dec 24, 2009, www.christkindlmarkt.at 77Christmas Market Spittelberg, Nov 14 – Dec 23, 2009, www.spittelberg.at 77Christmas Market Schönbrunn, Nov 21 – Dec 26, 2009, www.weihnachtsmarkt.co.at 77Vienna Ice Dream, Jan 22 – Mar 7 2010, www.wienereistraum.at 77Vienna Card: 72 hours $33, www.vienna.info

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attending at least one of the city’s legendary balls. There are more than 300 balls every year in Vienna, some hosting more than 5000 guests. They are steeped in tradition, often with strict dress codes - evening gowns for the ladies and tuxedos for the gentlemen. Traditionally, a token gift, called a“Damenspende”is presented to the ladies, but as Vienna embraces the modern world so now there are also “Herrenspenden” for the men. Many a nervous young debutante has entered society at these balls, marching on

to the dance floor to the Fächer-Polonaise with their escorts before the command “Alles Walzer”invites everyone on to the dance floor to begin waltzing – clockwise please! Most elegant of the balls is the Opera Ball, which has spawned a host of imitators but none have come close. A smaller version of the Opera Ball is the Coffeehouse Owners’ Ball, which is much loved by the locals because of its uniquely Viennese feeling. This ball uses every ballroom in the Imperial Palace, including the roof

foyer with its breathtaking views over the city. The world famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra holds its ball in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, a legendary concert hall easily recognised from the televised New Year’s Day concert. The members of the orchestra greet guests with a festive fanfare composed specially for the ball by Richard Strauss and then leave the stage to other musicians so they can dance themselves. In Vienna, everyone loves to dance. If you are ever going to learn the elegant Viennese waltz – the triple-time dance Johann Strauss made famous around the world – then one of Vienna’s many dancing schools is the place to do it.

The new Vienna Ring Tram A great way to see the historical city centre of Vienna is on the Vienna Ring Tram. The tram runs clockwise around the Ringstrasse boulevard. It is an easy way to see Vienna’s historic buildings, including the State Opera, Parliament and Imperial Palace. The tram allows tourists to hop on and off at selected stations and has LCD screens and headphones with tourist information. Ring Tram Ticket $10.50 www.wienerlinien.at

Hotel Tips Hotel Sacher Wien www.sacher.com ★★★★★ Hotel Altstadt Vienna www.altstadt.at ★★★★

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

the Haas House.

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Salzb u r g : T H E ST A G E OF T H E W OR LD

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Mozart’s and Perchten roam birthplace the streets, and while is never St Nicholas rewards more charming than the good children, the in the season before very scary Krampus Christmas. The Advent admonishes the bad season is filled ones! with music, concert Salzburg’s Old halls and historic City did not earn the Salzburg Advent Singing. churches providing reputation as Austria’s formal entertainment most beautiful while Advent singers shopping centre entertain shoppers by chance. The Old at the Christmas City on the banks markets. The city is of the Salzach River famous for its advent has ancient streets singing – an event packed with modern not to be missed. The wonders. There are Salzburg Christmas luxury boutiques Christmas market in Hellbrunn. Markets enjoy some in Getreidegasse, of the most stunning Christmas decorations backdrops in the world. Shoppers browsing in Judengasse, jewellery and gifts for lovers in the markets on Cathedral Square and in Goldgasse, and Austria’s oldest bookshop Residence Square only have to look up to see – dating from 1594 – in Sigmund-Haffnerthe beautiful Salzburg Cathedral, Residence Gasse. The streets are linked by architectural Fountain or Mirabell Palace. The architecture arcades called “Passagen” that are beautifully is magnificent and the sense of history – in decorated and lined with tiny shops just waiting a city that has everything modern – quite to be discovered. breathtaking. It is a unique experience to shop Christmas in Austria is a culinary for local arts and crafts and seasonal delicacies experience. One thing not to be missed is the in the courtyard of the Hohensalzburg original Salzburger Mozartkugel chocolates Fortress or the Hellbrunn Palace courtyard. found at the end of the Brodgasse. The On December 5, the pagan spirits of Krampus chocolates are made by Norbert Fürst to the

Winter magic in Salzburg.

original recipe devised by his great-grandfather more than 110 years ago. Of course, don’t eat too many because Salzburg also offers hot farmer’s doughnuts, gingerbread, Christmas bread, cookies and Stollen, and the Kletzenbrot fruitcake. Wash that down with a local beer from the local brewery – founded in 1492 – and you will be ready for the traditional roasted goose on Christmas day. After all that eating and drinking in Salzburg, it might be time to work it off on the ski slopes. Salzburg is the gateway to some fantastic skiing. There is a Salzburg snow shuttle to world famous ski resorts including Kitzbühel, Zell am See, Obertauern and Gastein. Hotel Tips Hotel Sacher Salzburg www.sacher.com ★★★★★ Hotel & Villa Auersperg Salzburg www.auersperg.at ★★★★

Insider Travel Tips/Events

77Salzburg: www.salzburg.info 77Salzburg Christkindl Market Cathedral & Residence Square, Nov 19 – Dec 26, 2009, www.christkindlmarkt.co.at 77Christmas Market Mirabell Square, Nov 19 – Dec 24, 2009, www.weihnachtsmarkt-salzburg.at 77Advent Market Hohensalzburg Fortress, every weekend from Nov 28 – Dec 20, 2009, www.salzburg-burgen.com 77Salzburg Advent Serenades, 27 Nov – 19 Dec 2009 www.adventserenaden.at 77Salzburg Advent Singing, Nov 27 – Dec 13, 2009, www.salzburgeradventsingen.at 77Salzburg Advent, Nov 28 – Dec 13, 2009, www.salzburgeradvent.at 77Salzburg Card: 24 hours $39, 72 hours $63, www.salzburg.info

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

The home of Mozart

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Order your FREE copy of DESTINATION AUSTRIA TRAVEL MANUAL 2009 Winter Holidays in Austria. Forty per cent of our guests visit Austria during the winter months – reason enough to

Inns b r u c k : t h e cap i t al o f t h e Alp s

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Christmas on top of the world

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Visitors wanting to get an overview of Innsbruck should do exactly that – view it from above. The Panorama Christkindlmarkt in the Hungerburg area above the city can be reached in 10 minutes with the new funicular from the city centre. From 3pm until 6pm stallholders near the Nordkettenbahn station fill the alpine air with the scents of mulled wine and baked delicacies to tempt visitors to this lofty Christmas market above the capital of the Alps. But you don’t have to go into the mountains to enjoy a wonderful Christmas market. Take a wander through the lanes of the historic old town, listen to carol singers and absorb the delights of Innsbruck’s Altstadt Christmas Market in front of the glittering tiles of the

dedicate this year’s edition to focus on winter in the “Heart of Europe”. It is the most

Insider Travel Tips/Events

77For all Christmas Markets visit: www.christkindlmarkt.cc 77Innsbruck Card: 24 hours $44, 72 hours $63, www.innsbruck.info 77Nordkettenbahn Tickets from $7pp.

famous Golden Roof. Here you can try Kiachln, hot doughnuts laced with sauerkraut and sweet Christmas pastries. The main street, Maria-Theresien-Strasse, is the town’s official Christmas zone and is lined with market stalls selling Tyrolean handicrafts. At 5.30pm every night, the Turmbläser brass band adds to the unique spirit of the city.

comprehensive and complete reference guide for travel to and within Austria including a detailed listing of Australian travel companies selling a large product range of Austrian holiday experiences.

To order your FREE copy of DESTINATION AUSTRIA TRAVEL MANUAL 2009, email [email protected] or visit/download on www.austria.info/au.

Skiin g in A u s t r i a

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Wer die Wahl hat, hat die Qual, goes the German expression. “He who has the choice, has the agony.” And it is an agony of choice where to go in this skiers’ winter wonderland. Two-thirds of Austria is alpine terrain, playing host to more than 800 ski resorts with 22,000 square kilometres of groomed slopes. They are accessed by 3000 ski lifts and serviced by more than 500 ski schools. No wonder the Austrian National Ski Team is the best in the world, winning 100 Olympic medals, more than 200 world championship medals and 30 World Cup nations titles. Austria, is the home of modern alpine skiing, its history going back more than

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

The origins of a global sport

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100 years to the time tourism pioneer Franz Reisch first slid down a mountain in Norwegian snow shoes in 1892-93. The foundation of the Arlberg Ski Club in 1901 provided the cradle of skiing with its brilliant progeny skiers who have gone on to win 54 world championship and Olympic medals. In 1907, the owner of the Hotel Post in St. Anton employed a young guide called Hannes Schneider. Three years later, Schneider invented the “stem christie”, the sliding turn that became the basis of the Arlberg technique of skiing. He went on to teach this style of skiing to thousands of tourists, laying the foundation for brilliant Austrian ski instructors to export their knowledge to the world, knowledge that was pioneered on the steep

Tyrolean slopes. Exporting that knowledge from the cradle of skiing helped the sport grow around the world. It was in fact a ski instructor from St. Anton, who taught there from 1941 to 1948, who came to Australia to work for the Snowy Mountains Authority and saw the potential for a ski resort in Thredbo in NSW. Austrian and Austrian-trained teachers are still at the forefront of modern ski techniques today and are experts on the latest equipment. No trip to this alpine paradise is complete without a lesson to learn new skills or improve on old ones. The highly-trained instructors can also take experienced skiers to new levels with racing training or help them improve skills by taking them for a day’s guided skiing in powder snow.

The futuristic Hungerburg station of the new Nordkettenbahn funicular.

In n s bruck: OLYMPIA SKIW ORLD

In the heart of the mountains Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1964 and 1976. The spirit of the Olympics seems to fill the air. Perhaps that is why the city was the natural choice to host the first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games in January 2012. About 1000 athletes aged between 14 and 18 will compete over 10 days in seven winter sports, including skiing, bobsleigh and ice skating. And, if the facilities have been good enough for three Olympics, they are just perfect for the visiting

winter sports enthusiast. There is something special about skiing an Olympic run, especially at the Axamer Lizum or Patscherkofel, that every visitor will remember. The sense of Olympic history is everywhere. No visitor can ignore the towering Bergisel Ski Jump at the southern end of Innsbruck. It was here that early ski jump competitions were pioneered in the 1920s and turned into a fantastic, cowbell-clanking spectator sport through television coverage of the

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Skiin g in A u s t r i a

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Innsbruck – where sport and culture collide.

Olympic Games. Visitors can also try that other incredible winter sport – the bobsleigh. Daredevils can join an authorised pilot and ride down the 900 metre long channel of ice with four other passengers. The bob takes 10 bends and drops 100 metres in altitude before reaching the end. And if that is not challenging enough, two brave passengers can put on their helmets and take a genuine four-man racing bobsleigh with a pilot and brakeman to shoot down 1270 metres of track at breakneck speed. For many visitors, the main attraction of Innsbruck is skiing. The capital of the Alps, Innsbruck and the 25 surrounding holiday

Insider Travel Tips/Events villages are the centre of some of the finest skiing in the world. Olympia SkiWorld Innsbruck has nine ski resorts, the highest at an altitude of 3300 metres with a phenomenal 290 kilometres of downhill runs – all available on one ski pass. Favourite for snowboarders is the Nordpark, the almost vertical park above the town where they take the challenges offered by the Skylinepark and Superpipe. Easy cruisers, who prefer to ski with a long, wide turn, head to the family-friendly slopes of Muttereralm, Rangger Köpfl and Glungezer. Austria is famous for its après-ski activities, wonderful food and hospitality. That is never more true than in Innsbruck. But it has been

taken to new heights – literally – in Kühtai, Austria’s highest holiday resort 2020 metres above sea level. An eight-person gondola whisks skiers up to its 40 kilometres of ski and snowboard pistes where snow is guaranteed from December until May. It is a top spot to stay overnight with hotels such as the Jagdschloss Kühtai and Alpine Resort Kühtai offering the joy of luxury ski in/ski out accommodation. For something completely different, you can stay in an igloo. The igloo village at Kühtai has little ice houses for up to four people, complete with sheepskin rugcovered mattresses and thermal sleeping bags. There is even a warm-up tub outside.

77Innsbruck ski pass and snow report www.innsbruck.info 77Kühtai Alpine Resort www.alpinlodges.com 77Hotel Jagdschloss www.jagdschloss.at 77Ski Rental Innsbruck www.dieboerse.at 77Igloo village www.iglu-village.at 77Six-day Olympic Glacier Ski Pass $324pp 77Ski packages www.ski-innsbruck.at

Hotel Tips Grand Hotel Europa Innsbruck www.grandhoteleuropa.at ★★★★★ Hotel Grauer Bär www.grauer-baer.at ★★★★

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Inns b r u c k : O L Y MP I A SKI W ORL D

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Arlb e r g : t h e c r adle o f A lp i n e skiin g

Birthplace of après-ski

gastronomy with a huge range of restaurants and nightlife.

St. Christoph Ringed by snow-covered slopes, exclusive St. Christoph is built on the site where a compassionate shepherd first put a shelter for travellers 600 years ago. Today it is home to a training centre for top skiers and some excellent restaurants.

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Stuben is a cosy village that has proven itself popular with families who return year after year. It is also the place for skiers who are looking for deep, virgin, off-piste snow. The nightlife here is much more about hearty hospitality than the bright lights of St. Anton.

Evening stroll through St. Anton’s pedestrian area.

Arlberg is the cradle of Alpine Skiing. This is the place where serious skiers come to enjoy fantastic powder runs from November to April with expert guides to lead the way. It is where the legendary Hannes Schneider invented modern ski techniques almost a century ago. The Ski Club Arlberg is recognised as one of the oldest and most influential ski clubs in the world. Its members have collected 54 Olympic and world championship medals since the club was founded. It is also a sensational ski resort comprising five charming and uniquely different alpine villages with 84 cable cars and chairlifts providing access to 280 kilometres of marked

ski slopes and 180 kilometres of deep-snow runs. These beautiful alpine villages provide the region with its legendary reputation for aprèsski activity and gourmet cuisine. Each is subtly different. And that’s what makes a holiday in the Arlberg region so special; it is the unique combination of boundless skiing pleasure, traditional après ski and an exquisite selection of award winning restaurants.

St. Anton This is the cosmopolitan capital. A village with Tyrolean charm and the place where aprèsski originated. Probably the best known of the villages, St. Anton is a centre for lovers of

Insider Travel Tips/Events

77Information on the Arlberg www.arlberg.net 77Lech and Zürs www.lech-zuers.at 77St. Anton and St. Christoph

Serious skiers looking for powder snow should head above the tree line to the snowfields of Zürs, which can be found glittering in the winter sunlight. Of course, it’s not just about the skiing; there are a number of superior hotels in which to relax after a hard day on the slopes.

www.stantonamarlberg.com 77Stuben www.stuben.at 77Ski Opening Arlberg: Nov 27, 2009 77Six-day ski pass from $254pp 77Lift Passes Arlberg www.skiarlberg.at How to get there The Arlberg is easily accessible by train: 77Zurich – St. Anton 2½ hours 77Munich – St. Anton 3 hours 77Innsbruck – St. Anton 1 hour

Lech

Hotel Tips

A few kilometres from Zürs is a beautiful high valley which is home to Lech, an idyllic, romantic village packed with restaurants and providing access to a varied and wide-ranging ski area.

Hotel Kristiania Lech www.kristiania.at ★★★★ Hotel Arlberghaus Zürs www.arlberghaus.com ★★★★

Zürs

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Stuben

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M ap of A u s t r i a

SKI FACTS

Ski Rental Skis, poles, boots, snowboards, snow shoes or toboggans! Whatever it is you need, it is readily available for hire in all winter resorts in Austria with a wide range of products and styles to choose from. Note that while some resorts have ski wear for hire, this is not yet standard.

Après-Ski

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Ski Schools Experienced skiers will love the variety the 500 ski schools offer. Improve your skiing skills with a technique or telemark course, fun carving or racing training.

Ski pistes • Beginners • Intermediate • Advanced

Ski Guides

Weather and Snow forecasts

For a day off piste in powder or to check out new terrain, we highly recommend getting an experienced ski guide, which can be booked at most Austrian ski schools.

Almost every ski resort offers its local “Panorama TV Channel” with the most up-todate information on snow conditions, weather and panoramic views of the ski resort! Season Periods: The ski season in some Austrian ski resorts starts in late November and finishes in April. Check with your ski resort for more detailed information. Christmas time is the peak season, but from January 6 until end of January is off-peak season!

Free Shuttle Buses Most ski resorts offer free shuttle buses within the resorts for holders of valid ski passes. Check local timetables for pick-up and drop-off times.

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Austria is the birthplace of après-ski, and what better way to accomplish the last run than with a cool beer or a Glühwein in one of the famous après-ski bars. If you prefer it a bit quieter, relax in front of a cosy open fire place with a good glass of wine or a hot tea.

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Kitz b ü h e l : wh e r e l e g e n d s m e e t

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Well over 100 years ago, in the winter of 1892-93, Franz Reisch put on a pair of Norwegian snowshoes – essentially 2.3 metre long wooden planks – and threw himself down the Kitzbühler Horn. Two years later, he helped organise the world’s first ski race and, in so doing, set the small trading town of Kitzbühel on the path to become the cosmopolitan ski capital it is today. The Kitzbühel Ski Club built on this grand tradition by organising races, the most famous of which is the Hahnenkamm Race. First run in 1931, the Hahnenkamm is now watched by tens of thousands of people in Kitzbühel and by millions on television worldwide as the world’s best skiers compete for places divided by just hundredths of a second. The Streif downhill is, for many racers and spectators alike, the

Kitzbühel’s charming historic town centre.

highlight of the annual ski calendar. For the visiting skier, Kitzbühel offers a guarantee of snow from December to April, with 357 modern ski lifts and cable cars to take skiers to over 1081 carefully prepared slopes. The new 3S gondola whips skiers and boarders 400 metres above the Saukasergraben Valley on spans that measure a massive 2500 metres between supporting towers. The entire area is vast and all accessible through the Kitzbühler Alpen AllStarCard. Of course, winter sports lovers will be interested in the diversity of terrain between the Kitzbühler Horn mountain and Hahnenkamm peak, but the après-ski available in the historic town centre, including top quality hotels, restaurants and shopping, is a drawcard in itself.

The legendary Hahnenkamm race attracts thousands of spectators each year.

Insider Travel Tips/Events

Hotel Tips

77Kitzbühel Winter opening: Dec 3-6, 2009

Grand Spa Resort A-Rosa www.resort.a-rosa.de ★★★★ Hotel Kaiserhof www.hotel-kaiserhof.at ★★★★

www.kitzbuehel.com 7770th Hahnenkamm Race from Jan 22-24, 2010 www.hahnenkamm.com 77Six-day ski pass from $296pp 77Ski pass info: www.bergbahn-kitzbuehel.at 77Accommodation and ski packages: www.kitzbuehel.com How to get there Kitzbühel is easily accessible by train: 77Zurich/Vienna – Kitzbühel 5-5½ hours 77Munich – Kitzbühel 2-3 hours 77Innsbruck – Kitzbühel 1 hour

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Winter racing and timehonoured traditions

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Heart of t h e A lp s

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Top Mountain Star bar in Ötztal.

At the very Heart of the Alps lies a truly Austrian experience that encompasses wonderful holiday destinations, beautiful scenery, historic cities and rich cultural heritage. Just 15 kilometres from the Tyrolean capital Innsbruck is the Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens, home of the world famous sparkling crystals. Visitors can now also enjoy a light show by Shekhar Kapur – who directed Australian actress Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth – and architect David Adjaye. Called Sankalpa, the light show asks the question: “How might the future of cinema look?” Visitors to the Crystal Worlds usually spend some time in Innsbruck, a town that

looks back on 800 years of European culture and forward to a future as the trademark of a typical Tyrolean winter. Its landmark sites and events, such as the Golden Roof and famous concerts, are as much of a draw as the terrific snow that provided the setting for the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Winter Games. No Tyrolean holiday would be complete without its Christmas traditions and customs. Seefeld offers a traditional Advent program over the four weekends over Christmas. Starting from the last weekend of November, it is possible to take part in a variety of activities, including craft workshops, hikes, brass and choir concerts and parades.

Swarovski Crystal Worlds.

Winter scenery in Going am Wilden Kaiser.

As you would expect, the Heart of the Alps also has wonderful snow. Winter visitors to St. Anton am Arlberg gain access to 280 kilometres of marked ski runs and 180 kilometres of offpiste snow adventure all accessed by some of the best ski lifts and cable cars in the world. The new Rendl cable car opens this season with its breathtaking ability to carry 2000 people an hour to the mountain station with a travel time of just 7½ minutes. For après-ski, the area has an abundance of eating options, from traditional Tyrolean restaurants to Gault Millau-graded establishments. The peak of the Tyrol, Ötztal, offers premium events and skiing in three unique areas. Sölden is the tourist centre providing access to 20 square kilometres of glacier ski areas and 150 kilometres of runs. An € 8 million lift and the Giggijoch mountain restaurant are new for this season. Winter sports enthusiasts, meanwhile, should aim for Vent, the cosy mountain village in the foothills of the Wildspitze peak. And Obergurgl, Austria’s highest parish village, and Hochgurgl, Austria’s highest hotel village, offer guaranteed snow thanks to their extreme height between 1900

metres and 3000 metres above sea level. For a taste of all the Heart of the Alps has to offer, the Wilder Kaiser family of villages has the lot. Ellmau, Going, Scheffau and Soll provide typical Tyrolean hospitality that is especially welcoming to families, with ski schools, children’s parks and dedicated areas for children’s ski lessons. The villages provide access to a total of 279 kilometres of ski slopes via 91 lifts. Insider Travel Tips/Events

77St. Anton am Arlberg www.stantonamarlberg.com

77Swarovski Crystal Worlds www.crystalworlds.at

77Ötztal Tourismus www.oetztal.com 77Wilder Kaiser www.wilderkaiser.com 77Innsbruck www.innsbruck.info 77Seefeld www.seefeld.com 77FIS Ski World Cup Opening Oct 23-25, 2009 77Wilder Kaiser Winter Opening Dec 11-13, 2009 77Gaysnowhappening Sölden Mar 20-27, 2010

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

A dazzling glimpse of the future

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Culi n a r y A u s t r i a

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The days of Austrian cuisine consisting of Wiener Schnitzel and Apple Strudel are gone. Austria has moved with the times to take its traditional recipes to a new level. Chefs across the country have taken those traditional meals – hearty fare produced for hard workers in a cold climate – and fused them with modern ideas. They still use the natural ingredients from the widely varied region – from the plains in the east to the hills around the Danube and the mountain valleys – but with a delightful new zest. Of course, Tyrolean taverns still offer traditional fare such as Tirolerknödel (Tyrolean meat dumplings) and Tafelspitz (boiled beef)

but in any of the vogue new restaurants in the cities and ski villages there are new variations produced in a lighter and more digestible style. Washed down with a traditional Austrian ale, the natural ingredients turned into delicious favourites by Austrian chefs are one of the great joys of discovery for the travelling visitor. And that’s without even going near the extensive Christmas menu of baked goods that fill every Austrian kitchen in December with the smell of baking coconut kisses, aniseed stars, nut macaroons, almond slices and many, many more. Christmas is a time for the feelgood feeling that comes with eating chocolate. It is also the place for wonderful pastries and desserts. What mouth doesn’t water at the

thought of Kaiserschmarren (emperor’s trifle) or Marillenknödel (apricot dumplings). And that’s before sampling the legendary Original Sacher-Torte. Austria also has some sensational wines. Viennese locals regularly order their wines by the glass in Heurigen wine taverns, which retain the village feel of the vineyards where the grapes were grown. Austria produces almost every variety of wine, from full-bodied reds to sparkling whites. But it is for its white wines that it is best known. The most common grape cultivated in Austrian vineyards is the Grüner Veltliner, which is becoming increasingly popular overseas thanks to its freshness and peppery, spicy aroma.

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

The way to your heart

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Basi c s / t r av e l p r ac t i cali t i e s / Fligh t in fo rmatio n Basic Facts on Austria Area: 83,858km2 Population: 8,000,000 Capital: Vienna (pop. 1,600,000)

airlines offer free luggage allowance up to 30 kilograms in economy class or carry ski equipment for free.

Discover the delights of Christmas in Vienna...

Languages Driving Rules Non-residents 17 years of age or over who intend to operate a motor vehicle in Austria need a driver’s license that entitles them to operate a motor vehicle at their usual place of residence in conjunction with the International Driver’s License, which can be obtained from your local automobile club.

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WINTER IN AUSTRIA

Entry Visa

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Holders of an Australian or New Zealand passport do not need a visa if their stay in Austria does not exceed 3 months. Information on work permits can be obtained from the nearest Austrian Consulate or the Austrian Embassy in Canberra. No inoculations are required for visitors from Australia/New Zealand. www.austria.org.au

German is spoken as a first language by 99% of the Austrian population. English is by far the leading second language.

Mandatory Winter Equipment In winter conditions, the use of four winter tyres or snow chains on at least two tyres is mandatory in Austria between 1 November and 15 April. Make sure you check with your car rental company regarding additional winter equipment.

Rail Information - www.oebb.at Comfortable trains offer frequent service on 5,800km of rail tracks. Austria’s newest high speed train “Railjet” operates between Budapest, Vienna and Munich, offering the best in comfort, design and state-of-the-art equipment.

Flight information Traveling to Austria couldn’t be easier. Daily flights are available with Emirates to Vienna via Dubai and on Austrian Airlines/Thai Airways via Bangkok. Many other international carriers also fly you to Austria from Australia through their European hubs. For example, you could fly into Frankfurt, and connect through to Austrian cities such as Salzburg and Innsbruck. The western part of Austria and the ski resorts in Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg region are best reached via Zurich or Munich. Some

Topography The western part of the country is mountainous; valley bottoms have elevations between 500 and 800 metres, peaks range from 2,500 to more than 3,600 metres; villages lie anywhere up to the 1,800-metre line. In eastern Austria, a central line of 1,800- to 2,500-metre mountains runs parallel to lower hills on the north and south sides; the lowlands of the Danube Valley and extreme eastern Austria are on the 200 to 250-metre level.

...with a beautiful CD and a 2010 Calendar

Win a trip for two to experience the Magic of Christmas in Vienna! Enter the competition at www.vienna.info/christmas

Available in October at all good music stores

MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN – UNPLUGGED.

You will find Austria’s mountain refuges absolutely enchanting – even in the most remote mountain valleys. Where else can you sweeten life with home-made specialties and end a perfect winter’s day with a really cool live act against the backdrop of a breath-taking panorama? For information on holidays in Austria, go to www.austria.info/au or call 02 9299 3621