Situated in the Enns Valley on the edge of Styria, Schladming has a thriving local community and offers more than just skiing with its wealth of history and old-town feel. Its proximity to Salzburg airport means that it's easy to get to for a weekend trip and, once there, the pedestrianised main street (Hauptplatz) and the town's centrally located facilities make it easy to get around. There are buses and trains within easy walking distance to the centre.
While the
apres-ski and nightlife here is more low-key than in many Austrian resorts, this only contributes to the towns charm. And if you like your mountain lunches, there are 46
huts and restaurants to choose from.
In terms of its ski area, Schladming is part of the
Ski Amade region your ski pass offers 860kms of pistes in over 30 villages. The skiing in Schladming is based around four connected mountains - Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen and Reiteralm - which are all easily accessible and have their own individual charm and character.
Schladming has a particularly strong positioning as all four of these mountains are north-facing and their tree-lined slopes hold snow for longer. Add to this the excellent snow-making facilities on offer and you have a resort with snow-sure skiing and a season that runs from the first weekend in December to the 15 April (with skiing on the glacier and in Zauchensee continuing until early May).
| Resort altitude | 745m - 2015m |
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| Highest lift | 1900m |
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| Lowest lift | 745m |
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| Kms of piste | 860kms |
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| No of lifts | 81 |
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| Black pistes | % |
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| Red pistes | % |
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| Blue pistes | % |
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| Green pistes | % |
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| Snow parks | 3 |
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| Glacier | Yes |
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| Snowmaking | |
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Map of Schladming - Open
What do you want to do?
Where to stay
The Schladming area has a good range of hotels and self-catering apartments as well as 'pensions' - comfortable guesthouses that offer good value half-board packages. It can be tricky to find accommodation that takes weekend bookings but there are so many different areas in and around Schladming that checking with the tourist office the week before you travel should give you plenty of options.
Planning your trip
Planning your trip
On the piste
Schladming has it all, from the one of the most extensive cross-country areas in Austria and the excellent standard of skiing on the Dachstein Glacier, to the challenge of the fastest World Cup downhill and winding intermediate pistes flowing through tree-lined runs. Snowboarders will also enjoy this resort, with three half-pipes and wide-open pistes.
February to mid-March offers the best skiing, while the middle of January as well as mid-March to April offers special deals.
Food and drink
Most of the huts on the mountain are based on winter food (heavy soups, dumplings, sausages and stews) but the town offers more variety with Chinese, Mexican and Caribbean food as well as the traditional Styrian cuisine. The apres-ski is fairly low key in Schladming, with most of the action happening around the bottom of the Planai as people finish skiing. The town centre bars such as Marias, Extra Small, Szenario and La Porta, tend to get busy after 9pm.
Families
With a little planning before you arrive, skiing can be a fantastic and rewarding family holiday. Children love the excitement of a ski resort and the eternal Christmas atmosphere and if they're older than four years old, they can start learning to ski and will soon be beating their parents down the slopes. Childcare facilities and ski school do get very busy so if possible book well in advance.
Other activities
If you're off the slopes there is still quite a bit to keep you occupied in and around Schladming. There's a floodlit toboggan run, the usual leisure centre type stuff and a few shops to keep you occupied. Train trips to Salzburg are also easy.
Resort Directory
Resort Directory – sounds boring but here is all the important information from as doctors to dentists, internet to the tourist office.
Webcams and Weather
Webcams and Weather information for Schladming, Austria
Resort blog
Jon Bristow reports on the snow, the events and the gossip in Schladming, Austria...
Our penny’s worth - Open
Our penny's worth
The town is famous for its night slalom race; part of the world cup circuit held in mid-January that attracts many visitors and some top skiers. If you stay over this period you are in for a real treat. The Reiteralm is also the training base for the Austrian ski team and holds the ladies' downhill race in early December each year, so you may find yourself standing next to some big names in the lift queues!
Don't leave Schladming without...
- Night sledging on the Hochwurzen
- Trying the Planai grosle at Onkel Willy's Hutte
- Drinking a pint of Schladminger lager
- Skiing from the glacier to Hallstatt (25km off piste)
- Catching the first lift and skiing the Planai top to bottom
At a glance - Open
| Nearest airports | Type of resort | Stay in | Go for a |
|---|
Munich
Salzburg | Mountain town | Chalets
Hotels
Self-Catered
Tour operator | Week
Weekend |
| Good for | On the piste | Children | Food and drink |
|---|
Cross-country
Disabled skiing
Freestyle
Heli-skiing
Off-piste
Ski-touring
Snowboarding | Online lift passes
Ski in, ski out
Snow sure | Creches
Babysitting
Ski schools
| Apres-ski
Evening drinking
Resort dining
Vegetarian
Family friendly
Live music
Late drinking
Mountain dining
|
| Other | Other activities |
|---|
Internet access
Churches
| Adrenaline fuelled
Sightseeing
Relaxation
Shopping
|
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