Austria in Winter: The Ultimate Kitzbühel & St. Anton Ski Guide
Austria was a a great addition to our Europe ski road trip. We spent 5 nights in Austria total — 2 nights in Kitzbühel and 3 nights in St. Anton — as part of a 2-week European ski trip from November 29–December 12. Kitzbühel, Austria was stop #3 after Zermatt, Switzerland and the Dolomites, Italy, before continuing on to St. Anton and eventually returning to Milan to fly home to San Diego, California.
How to Get to Kitzbühel, Austria
We flew into Milan Malpensa Airport and rented a car through Green Motion Rental. While the rental location was a bit farther from the airport, it was the most cost-effective option we found and made sense for our multi-country ski itinerary.
Before arriving in Kitzbühel, we were staying in Castelrotto in the Dolomites, and the drive took about 3 hours, including a spontaneous (and very worth-it) spa stop at Atoll Achensee.
🚗 Driving directly from Milan to Kitzbühel:
Plan for a 6-hour drive, so if you can, flying closer is much easier.
Best Airports for Kitzbühel
- Salzburg Airport (SZG): ~1 hour 15 minutes
- Innsbruck Airport (INN): ~1.5 hours
- Munich Airport (MUC): ~2 hours
After two nights in Kitzbühel, we drove about 2 hours to St. Anton am Arlberg for the next leg of our trip.
Where to Stay in Kitzbühel in Winter
Kitzbühel is a small but upscale ski town known for luxury hotels, designer boutiques, and its legendary downhill race. You can find Airbnbs here, but after several nights of hopping between rentals, we opted for a hotel stay.
🏨 Lebenberg Schlosshotel (Highly Recommend)
We stayed at Lebenberg Schlosshotel, perched above town with panoramic mountain views.
Why we loved it:
- Indoor infinity-style pool overlooking the Alps
- Spacious lobby and cozy bar
- Fitness room and spa amenities
- Breakfast included (huge win for ski mornings)
While our room wasn’t the most modern, the overall experience more than made up for it.
💰 Cost: ~$434 for 2 nights, we booked through Booking.com
Where to Stay in St. Anton am Arlberg
St. Anton am Arlberg is tiny, charming, and entirely walkable — once you arrive, you won’t need your car at all.
🏨 Hotel Pension Kirchplatz
We stayed at Hotel Pension Kirchplatz, a cozy hotel right in the heart of town.
What to know:
- Spacious room by European standards
- Breakfast included
- Parking garage was a short walk away (not a big deal)
- 💰 Cost: ~$600 for 3 nights via Booking.com
Perfect location for skiing and après-ski hopping.
Best Time to Visit Kitzbühel for Skiing (KitzSki)
Kitzbühel is part of the Ikon Pass, which made it an easy choice for our itinerary.
- Ski season: Early November – mid/late April
- Peak season: December – March
We skied December 6–8, and conditions were incredible — bluebird skies, great snow, and zero crowds. Early December is such a sweet spot if you’re flexible.
Best Time to Visit St. Anton for Skiing
St. Anton is not included on the Ikon Pass, but its reputation for challenging terrain and legendary après-ski made it a must-visit.
- Ski season: Early December – mid-April
- Lift ticket: ~$96 for a one-day pass
- For lift tickets visit: St. Anton Lift Tickets
We were here December 8-11 and it was totally worth paying for a lift ticket.
5-Night Austria Winter Itinerary: Kitzbühel & St. Anton
Day 1: Dolomites → Achensee Spa → Kitzbühel
Drive time:~3 hours
We arrived in Kitzbühel around 6pm, but not before an unexpected spa adventure at Atoll Achensee.
What we didn’t know before buying tickets?
👉 It’s mostly a nude spa.
Robes were allowed in common areas, and there was a heated pool where swimsuits were permitted. The Penthouse spa had:
- Indoor & outdoor heated pools
- Saunas & steam rooms
- Cold plunges
- A lake swimming area (yes, people were rolling in snow)
- For tickets to the penthouse spa visit: Atoll Achensee Penthouse Spa
We stayed about 3 hours, then finished the drive to Kitzbühel, checked into our hotel, grabbed dinner, and crashed.
Day 2: Ski Day in Kitzbühel
After breakfast at the hotel, we drove 5 minutes to Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel (hotel shuttle also available).
Kitzbühel skiing highlights:
- Long, scenic runs
- Stunning mountain views everywhere
- Cozy mountain lodges for food and drinks
We stopped midday at Streifalm / Stoanbergkogel Gipfel Bar for drinks — don’t skip the Flügerl shots (vodka + Red Bull = ski fuel). We skied until sunset around 4:30pm, then headed back for dinner at the hotel.
Day 3: Kitzbühel Town + Innsbruck Christmas Market + St. Anton
Drive time~ 2.5 hours
We spent the morning wandering Kitzbühel’s colorful old town, popping into shops and cafés.
Then we drove:
- 1 hr 20 min to Innsbruck for the Christmas markets
- Enjoyed hot Glühwein, festive lights, and souvenir shopping
- Then drove another 1 hr 10 min onward to St. Anton
Checked into our hotel and grabbed dinner and drinks at Galzig Bistro Bar, a lively spot near the slopes.
Day 4: Skiing St. Anton + Legendary Après-Ski at Mooserwirt
This was the wildest day of the trip.
After skiing a few runs, we stopped at Taja Ski Bar and tried Bombardino (hot eggnog with cream). So good we ordered seconds.
Then came Mooserwirt — the most outrageous après-ski party I’ve ever experienced.
- Dancing on tables
- Live music
- Hot widow shots
- Two packed floors of chaos
- Live music outside
- Spontaneous snowball fights
We partied until around 8pm, then skied down the mountain with a group of very drunk (but happy) skiers — truly comical. Dinner was a must afterward before collapsing into bed.
Day 5: Recovery Day
After 11 nights of nonstop travel and that Mooserwirt party, we needed rest.
We kept it slow:
- Slept in
- Walked around town
- Ate good food
- Did laundry
Highly recommend scheduling a buffer day like this.
Day 6: St. Anton → Milan + QC Terme
On departure day, we drove 4.5 hours back to Milan and treated ourselves to QC Terme Milano — the most Instagrammable spa I’ve ever been to.
Highlights:
- Indoor & outdoor heated pools
- Saunas (including a wooden bus sauna)
- Relaxation rooms
- A thunderstorm-themed hot tub experience
- For more information visit: QC Terme Milano Spa
We booked the evening ticket:
💰 ~$80
🍹 Includes 2 drinks + snacks
It was the perfect final stop before staying at an airport hotel and flying home the next morning.
Is Austria Worth Visiting in Winter?
Absolutely yes. Kitzbühel and St. Anton offer two totally different but equally incredible alpine experiences — from luxury skiing and charming towns to wild après-ski and unforgettable spa days.
If you’re planning a winter Europe itinerary, Austria deserves a spot on your list.
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