Hopfgarten
As part of the vast SkiWelt ski area, Hopfgarten is an excellent resort for intermediates and families keen to explore extensive linked pistes.
With 284km of linked slopes and a massive 89 lifts to choose from, the SkiWelt is one of the biggest ski areas in the world, let alone Austria. The lift system has seen significant investment in recent years and is now one of the best around, whilst significant upgrades to the snowmaking system have helped with the unreliable snow issues that plagued the resort previously. Almost 90% of the slopes are rated blue or red, making this one vast intermediate playground, but after fresh snow there's some decent off piste on offer and beginners will enjoy the dedicated learning zones – just note that the slopes back down to Hopfgarten are rated red and downloading the gondola is recommended.
The town itself is fairly spread out along the valley – base yourself as near to the Salvenbahn as possible to have the quickest access up the mountain each morning. There's a decent range of accommodation, including some good value family-friendly options. Getting here is easy, with the train or road transfer from Innsbruck taking only an hour.
Resort website: www.skiwelt.at
