Grossarltal

Whether you’re looking to experience high-octane activities, enjoy great cuisine or make memories with the whole family, this Austrian valley offers boundless scope for winter adventures

Located just 40 miles from the arts hub of Salzburg, the Grossarltal valley offers everything from fantastic skiing and wonderful walks to welcoming mountain huts. Nestled in this setting is the town of Grossarl; zoom in further, and at the foothills of the mountains you’ll find DAS EDELWEISS — a luxurious base for exploring this adrenalinepacked area of Austria’s Salzburgerland.

AUSTRIA’S LARGEST SKI AREA

BEST F OR: T HRILL-SEEKERS

Grossarltal lies at the centre of Ski Amadé, Austria’s largest ski area — a network encompassing five regions and 25 ski resorts, which together count over 420 miles of pistes. The Grossarltal-Dorfgastein ski area alone has over 40 miles of slopes, from beginner to daredevil, with opportunities for cross-country skiing and freeriding. What’s more, all of this can be easily accessed on a single ski pass. DAS EDELWEISS’ location next to the ski school puts it at the centre of the action, with ski in, ski out convenience and a well-equipped ski depot for good measure.

After a day on the slopes, guests can kick back at the 80,700sq ft spa, which includes an adults-only department, complete with a steam bath, two saunas and infinity pools, and a family area, with five water slides and a spacious pool.

INSIDER TIP: Enjoy untouched powder with a Skikeriki outing, which starts at 7:15am each Wednesday. Afterwards, enjoy the generous breakfast buffet back at DAS EDELWEISS.

THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAIN HUTS

B E S T F O R : F O O D - L OV E R S

During the winter months, mountain-goers can discover nine traditional mountain huts on the slopes above the Grossarltal (in summer, there are five times that many). With their welcoming atmosphere and delicious food, they’ve been enticing skiers, snowboarders and winter walkers for years. As well as on skis, many of these huts, such as Filzmooshörndl and Loosbühel in the Ellmautal valley, can be reached along ski touring routes — which are numerous and varied in the Grossarltal, and further up the valley around the village of Hüttschlag.