Travel Eye on Westendorf (Austria)

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Overview:

The Ski Welt area is one of the largest in Austria, with a total of 250km of pistes. However, its component parts make the territory rather similar, as it's basically made up of a number of smaller, lift- or bus-linked resorts. Westendorf (40km of runs) was voted the most beautiful village in Europe in 1998 and, considering the competition, that's a very high accolade indeed.

It is generally considered to be a family resort - good value and with excellent skiing for beginners and early intermediates. While Westendorf has the best snow of the Ski Welt resorts and half of its runs have snowmaking facilities, the nursery slopes are low and can be poorly covered.

Also, it is the only one of the resorts that requires a bus to access its own pistes and the other ski areas. To make the Ski Welt connection, you have to go to Brixen, a little further up the valley. Boarders have a park and a half-pipe, while 'langlaufers' have 30km of trails. Alternatively, you can buy the 'Kitzbuheler Alpen' pass, for nearly 700km of road-linked skiing and boarding for all abilities.

Overall, Westendorf is friendly and very pretty, largely a family venue, but with inconvenient slope access.

Locality:

Westendorf is in W Austria, in the east of the Tyrol region, 3 mls south west of Brixen, 12 mls west of Kitzbuhel, 75 mls south east of Munich (Germany) and its airport; the same distance from Salzburg and its airport, 50 mls north east of Innsbruck and its airport. Set on a sunny plateau looking down onto the Brixen Valley, in the heart of the Kitzbuheler Mountains.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

Snowboarding - Snowparks: 1 Boarding on all pistes:

Other Snow Sports - Cross country: 19km Cross country equipment available: Sleigh rides:Skidoos:

There are three ski-schools, a ski-kindergarten for the tots, All of the instructors are English-speaking.

This is a young resort with quite lively apres-ski. A fantastic place for the beginner and intermediate skiers, as lifts are easily reached on foot. For the advanced skiers there is the the vast "Ski-Welt" (Ski World) Wilder Kaiser ski-area within easy access.

The accommodation in this area is very middle of the road with no genuine upmarket properties. It is all mostly modern, traditionally built chalet hotels and guesthouses in the centre.

Winter activities include sleigh rides, snowboarding, winter walking, cross-country skiing , ice-skating , ski-bobbing and curling.

In summer, there is an option of swimming, tennis, mountain hiking and biking or paragliding.

Evenings out in Westendorf offer several music bars (some with live music) for unsophisticated yet lively revelling. Hotel Post is also popular for a get-together.

There are at least a dozen independent and hotel restaurants, most offering a wide range of cuisine.