Austria is a popular winter sports destination, with a season starting around early December and lasting to April.

The Alps cover most of Austria, so it is not a surprise that Austria is the country in Europe with most ski resorts. The slopes in Austria tend to be well laid out, with excellent mountain facilities, modern lift systems and pistes that do not tend to be too over crowded with skiers. Since the resorts in Austria are generally a little lower than many of French and Swiss resorts, it is common in Austria that many resorts have pretty, tree-lined slopes, even if they aren't all that long. The lower altitude of the Austrian resorts is not a problem during the main ski season but be sure to check the snow reports and snow history of a resort if you are planning an early or late season ski trip.

One of the most popular skiing areas is Arlberg, with its small villages and towns like Lech, St. Anton, Struben and Zürs. Arlberg is also known for its luxurious accommodation and long skiing history. Because of the altitude of its tracks at around 2,200 meters, good snow conditions are almost guaranteed from December until April.

Kitzbühel, famous for its yearly "Hahnenkammrennen" and its neighboring towns Lechberg, Kirchberg and Mittersill offer skiers a large and modern skiing area. The towns of Saalbach and Hinterglemn in Salzburg offers 200 km of tracks and around 60 lifts. Like many Austrian skiing resorts, Apres Ski and nightlife is plentiful. Zell am See is situated at a splendid lakeside; it is a picturesque town with a beautiful ancient city center unlike other Austrian mountain resorts. The skiing area is not vast though the slopes vary in range and they are fairly complicated. Perfect conditions are created for those who love cross-country skiing.