Feel the #winterlove in Tirol, Austria: Alpine charm in a cosy traditional setting

This article is sponsored by the Austrian National Tourist Office.

The crowd-free slopes of Ski Juwel’s ski areas provide ample space, snow and scenery to enjoy the magic of winter with family. Only 45 minutes from Innsbruck, the Alpbachtal and Wildschönau valleys are home to a collection of charming Tirolean villages speckled with timber chalets and pretty barns – including Alpbach, officially dubbed Austria’s “most beautiful village”. These villages offer great value for money with well-priced lunch spots and quality accommodation of all kinds. From hotels to apartments to guest houses and family-friendly linked rooms, it’s easy to find the most agreeable arrangement for your stay.

All welcoming residences are handily located within easy reach of the slopes. There are more than 100km of wide, gentle pistes for every level, 45 lifts, lots of English-speaking ski instructors and, with the children’s areas conveniently located in the middle of the ski area, ski school drop-offs are a dream for parents. There’s lots to enjoy once skiing is done for the day – enjoy off-piste fun with adventurous snowshoe hikes through silent snowy forests, glide across more than 100km of cross-country tracks, or enjoy a peak-dappled walk along beautifully groomed snow paths. The whole family can play and work together to build an igloo with the help of a local igloo guide.

For an adrenaline rush, head for the thrilling choice of toboggan runs. Start with a scenic panorama run in Reith im Alpbachtal, beginning from the mountain-top station and winding all the back down to the valley. At night, there’s the floodlit tobogganing evenings on the Roggenboden Oberau. Among the most popular runs is Lanerköpfl in Niederau, where the fun stretches for 6km, easily accessible by four-person chairlift.

For bigger thrills, head to the Alpine Coaster on the Wiedersberger Horn in the Alpbach Valley. The modern two-seater sledges push off from an altitude of 1845 metres and reach speeds of up to 42kmph as riders negotiate jumps, 360-degree twists and descend the length of an entire mountain. For more star-studded action, there’s night skiing on the flood-lit pistes of Wildschönau Oberau.

Ski Juwel’s healthy Alpine pursuits are appetite-making stuff and the region is renowned for its local delicacies. These scenic Kitzbuehler mountains are dotted with 25 rustic huts serving delicious treats, from crisp strudel and fragrant Alpbach hay-milk cheese to famous frothy beers and health-giving Wildschönauer Krautinger Schnapps. For a taste of the top value packages on offer, see the Ski Juwel website.

Featured image, credit: Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschoenau