Review of Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria

Resort Overview for Saalbach Hinterglemm:

The second most popular destination in Austria (after the capital Vienna), Saalbach Hinterglemm offers some of the country's most exciting skiing and was the location for the 1991 Alpine World Championships. The resort was an Alpine village in its own right long before the advent of skiing.

Saalbach is marginally the larger (and louder) of the two villages, originally 4km (two and a half miles) apart, which have grown so much that they now almost meet in the middle. The chalet style hotels at Saalbach with carved wooden balconies cluster around the custard-yellow church steeple. The resort is especially popular with the Dutch and German markets,

At Hinterglemm the valley floor is broarder and the hotels larger, more up market and with the village itself more widely spead out. The two villages are neighbours and now marketed as one resort in the picturesque Glemmtal Valley, a 'dead end' valley which offers skiing on all sides and numerous access points to the slopes. It

The altitude range is quite low and, given that many of the slopes are usually sunny, this could be detrimental, but fortunately local climatic conditions (and a good deal of snow making) help to maintain cover. All building in the area is in keeping with traditional architectural design (commonly known as 'Tyrolean' chalet style', although this is the neighbouring province of Salzburgerland).

Despite the fact that much of the Saalbach Hinterglemm you see today has appeared since the 1960s, you wouldn't guess it to look at it. Only the abundance of slopeside accommodation and the 'user friendly' nature of both the ski area and the village, compared to many Austrian ski centres, give the game away.

The Skiing in Saalbach Hinterglemm:

Saalbach Hinterglemm offers one of the best integrated ski areas in Europe, with over 200km (125 miles) of trails fully lift-linked so that you can easily travel in either direction around the 'Skicircus'. Even experts will find themselves hard pressed to cover the area in a single day.

There is something for all levels of skiers to enjoy here however. This is a good choice for beginners looking for a fun first holiday; the nursery slopes are by the villages so you're never far from a pit stop if you need one, and there are eight ski schools to choose from.

Intermediates will enjoy the vast ski area the most: with numerous access points to the skiing spread along the valley, including lifts from the village centres, it's extremely easy to get up and around. The resort has invested heavily in new lifts, including some six seater bubble chairs, so queuing is minimised. The north side of the valley is especially popular.

Experts head for the Schattberg X-press lift or the gondola to the north-facing Zwölferkogel which has a three kilometre (two mile) black mogul descent back down beneath the lift. Otherwise they can strike out in to the 100km (65 miles) of off-piste terrain in the company of a local guide.

The resort has a vast array of lift tickets on offer, although all cover all the lifts. Floodlighting was recently introduced on the trails below the Unterschwarzach lift in the resort centre so that skiers and boarders can continue throughout every evening. Cross country skiers have 12km (seven miles) of trails including a new high altitude trail of 1.7 km length up at 1800 metres on the sunny side of the Glemm Valley between Reiterkogel and Rosswaldhütte.

There is a lift link over to the pretty village of Leogang in the next valley.

Après Ski in Saalbach Hinterglemm:

Definitely up at the "most lively" end of the scale for après action, partying often begins before the lifts close in the late afternoon in the mountain restaurants directly above Saalbach. The international mix of clientele emanates largely from European nations with a reputation for enjoying themselves: the Dutch, Scandinavians, British and Germans.

The ice bars outside the hotels are popular in to the early evening, then the dozens of bars and 15 or so night spots kick in. In Hinterglemm the Londoner is generally the liveliest venue and the Glemmerkeller is busy in to the night.

Saalbach has half a dozen places for dancing. The Alibi Bar and the ancient Zum Turn (a converted jail) are also usually buzzing.

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Accommodation in Saalbach Hinterglemm:

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