family travel guide
Is it time to plan your family winter holiday in Austria? Then make sure you include a trip to the "Skiwelt" in your list of options. That's the name of one of the largest ski resorts in Austria, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental.
Here, on the slopes of the mountains, there are 285 km of pistes connected by modern lifts: beginners who come with fear and doubts leave here in love with skiing.
The main reason for families with children to come to SkiWelt is the excellent ski schools and mini-clubs for young skiers. Read about other equally important reasons in the Kidpassage report.
SkiWelt, or Wilder Kaiser - Brixental, is a ski resort in western Austria, in the state of Tyrol. It is part of the Kitzbühel district (the administrative centre is Kitzbühel).
The distance from SkiWelt to Innsbruck is 72 km, to Salzburg — 125 km, to Kitzbühel — 27 km, to Munich (Germany) — 103 km.
The area where Ski Welt is located includes about 30 villages. The most convenient for recreation - with developed infrastructure, with their own ski areas — are the villages of Ellmau, Going, Scheffau, Soll, belonging to the Wilder Kaiser district, and the villages of Brixen im Thale, Itter, Hopfgarten, Kelchsau, Westendorf, belonging to the Brixental district.
SkiWelt is one of the many Austrian ski resorts that can compete with its neighbours. Why is it so popular with families with children?
The explanation is simple.
Firstly, it is a great place to learn how to ski. It is dominated by wide, gentle, short runs that are good for beginners.
SkiWelt ski schools have created snow parks for children with learning areas, kindergartens, entertainment programmes and rides. Learning is fun and the results are impressive.
Secondly, the area is not overcrowded with tourists and there are hardly any queues at the lifts. All the lifts are modern, most of them heated and equipped with protective shields. In short, both the ascent and the descent are comfortable.
Thirdly, it is possible to come to SkiWelt with children in the summer. Warm and sunny days are ideal for walks, picnics and relaxing in the amusement parks.
You can combine your summer holiday with a sightseeing trip — there are plenty of places of interest for children.
Finally, you can take a break with your child — Austria's hotels are designed with comfort in mind. Family-run hotels are perfect for babies and toddlers, while older children can stay in charming apartments and chalets.
The resort caters for middle-income tourists, so if you plan your trip in advance, you can book hotels or apartments with a good range of family-friendly extras and meals at very reasonable prices.
The winter season in SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental is slightly shorter than in other Austrian resorts: it lasts from December to the end of March. This is due to the low altitude of the slopes.
If there is no snow, snow cannons help, but if you are going on holiday with a child, it is better to choose a period when there are no problems with snow cover.
The best time to go skiing is from the second week of January to mid-March. The opening of SkiWelt at the end of December usually attracts a large number of tourists and then there is a lull. The new peak is in February and early March.
In summer, when the weather is good for a long walk, it is more common to take a baby to SkiWelt. In general, summer is a very interesting time in the mountains, no less eventful than winter.
And unlike other mountain resorts, where summer rain can often spoil your holiday, Wilder Kaiser-Brixenthal benefits from more sunshine than rain.
So when is the best time to visit SkiWelt? Find out more about the resort's climate.
What kind of weather do skiers dream of? A little frost, a clear sky and a thick, thick layer of snow. In the climate of SkiWelt, this weather lasts from December to March.
Winter's first test comes in November. During the day the temperature varies from +4 to +12°C, but at night it gets colder to -4-8°C.
In December, the daytime temperature still rises above zero and the night temperature does not fall below -5-8°C. It snows relatively rarely, but in the second half of the month the snow cover is thick enough for skiing.
The real snow starts to fall in January. The weather is often sunny, with daytime temperatures ranging from -8°C to +4°C. At night it gets a bit colder, although for one or two days the temperature can drop to -19-24°C.
February is not much different from January, but in March the daily temperature rises steadily and reaches +10°C by the middle of the month. The best time to visit Ski Welt with children is in the first half of March, when there may be problems with the slopes.
April in the resort is clear and surprisingly warm, the temperature goes up to +11-16 ° C (frost is still at night). In May the temperature rises to +16-20°C and the rains begin, which last until the end of the summer.
However, Ski Welt is by no means the wettest resort in the Austrian Alps, and sunny weather is more common than cloudy. In summer the air warms up to +20-24°C, at night it gets colder down to +5-12°C.
If you plan your holiday in SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental in the first half of autumn, you can enjoy dry and clear weather. It is true that the temperature can range from +21°C to +7°C, and at night it can drop to almost zero.
In winter, the main public transport in the SkiWelt is the ski bus. They run within one or more ski areas and there are also ski buses that run to the lifts in Kitzbühel.
If skiing is not your main purpose, you can stay in Wörgl or Kufstein, where there are also ski buses to Wilder Kaiser-Brixenthal. The timetable is published on the resort's official website.
Regional buses and electric trains are the year-round means of transport in the Skiwelt. The Wilder Kaiser area is served by bus number 4060. The Brixenthal area is served by bus no. 4051 and the electric train, which connects the resort with Wörgl and Kitzbühel. Fares start at €3 and children's tickets are half price.
You can hire a car to get around Ski Welt. Car parks are available near all the lower lift stations.
SkiWelt is so cleverly organised that you can combine a quiet and relaxing holiday with a full programme of entertainment and sports. Depending on the weather and your mood, you can spend your time outdoors or indoors.
Children's favourite winter pastime, sledging, has been taken to a new level in Austria. The SkiWelt offers several kilometres of toboggan runs and sledges big enough for two or three people.
Other family-friendly winter activities include ice skating, curling, skiing and snowshoeing. A hiking trail leads from Brixen and Westendorf to the neighbouring Kitzbühel resort of Kirchberg.
There is also something special about Ski Welt. In the village of Alpeniglu, all the huts are made of ice — even those that have been converted into mini-hotels. The village is decorated with ice sculptures and the composition changes every year.
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Get out of the cold at the Kaiserbad sports and health centre in Ellmau. There is a shallow pool with a slide for the little ones and a swimming pool, two water slides, saunas, squash and tennis courts for adults.
You can also spend some time in one of the family-friendly inns in the villages, where you can enjoy authentic Tyrolean cuisine.
Sometimes the question of what to do with a child in SkiWelt is even easier. Family-friendly hotels have playrooms and mini-clubs where kids can have fun and parents can relax.
Hohe Salve (1,829 m) is the main ski area of SkiWelt and is accessible from Hopfgarten, Itter and Brixenthal. The ski area offers runs of all levels, from blue runs for beginners to black runs for experts.
Hohe Salve has the longest piste in the region at 8 km, as well as night skiing and tobogganing, and is situated on the southern, sunny slope. If you're at SkiWelt with your child, be sure to visit the Kinder-Ski-Welt children's area.
The Elmau - Going area promises a similarly varied skiing experience. There are plenty of blue and red runs, and for the more adventurous there are the Black East runs. Children will also enjoy the 4.5 km toboggan run.
The larger Sheffau resort is popular with off-piste skiers and snowboarders as it has one of the best snowparks in the area. There are also snowparks in Ellmau and Zell.
Westendorf also has a mini snowpark for those just learning to snowboard.
If you don't know how to ski, we recommend you start by learning at one of the resort's ski schools, which fortunately are located in every village.
SkiWelt's schools offer separate lessons for adults and children, and children's groups can learn in specially equipped facilities. Children aged 3 to 5 are taught the basics, and if they've mastered the first level by the age of five, they can join a group that teaches more advanced skiing techniques.
For children who are too young to hit the slopes, there are a number of children's clubs at SkiWelt. The Ellmi Club in Ellmau, for example, welcomes children as young as two, while the Hofgarten Club accepts children as young as one.
| General season | December — early April |
| Ski areas |
|
| Elevation difference | 620 m-1829 m |
| Ski slopes |
261 km — total |
| Ski lifts |
90 total, including |
| Ski routes | 23 km |
| Toboggan runs | 7,5 km |
| The longest ski run | 8 000 m |
| Snowboard parks | Intersport Kaiserpark (Ellmau), Boarders Playground (Westendorf), Wintergarten Snowpark (Soll) |
| Interactive scheme of ski slopes and lifts | http://skimap.skiwelt.at |
SkiWelt's ski passes are tailored to the needs of all tourists, including families with children. For example, parents with a toddler under 3 years old can buy a ski pass for 3-14 days and use it alternately.
This is €5 per day more expensive than a single pass. There are special offers for children in the low season.
The price of a regular ski pass varies according to the season. In the high season, from 22 December to 15 March, a 1-6 day ski pass for adults costs around €60-311, for young people aged 16-18 €45-233 and for children aged 6-15 €30-156.
From 8 to 21 December and 16 to 31 March, the price drops to €54-€280 for adults, €40-€210 for teenagers and €27-€140 for children.
SkiWelt has ski hire shops in the villages and in all the resorts. Prices vary according to the level of equipment, from basic skis to professional equipment.
A day's ski/snowboard hire costs around €15-30 for an adult and €10-15 for a child (this price usually includes boot hire). Boot hire for adults is around €11 and €7 for children. A helmet can be hired for €4-6.
Rental shops also offer sledges (€6-10) and snowshoes (€6-8).
Summer holidays at SkiWelt are just as carefully planned as winter holidays. You can come here without any plans because the resort has its own entertainment programme — with festivals, concerts, sports competitions and shows.
Families with children won't be bored either. From May to October, the Wilder Kaiser-Brixenthal region has 6 amusement parks with outdoor pools, water playgrounds and all kinds of activities for the little ones.
The most popular family destinations on fine days are Kaiserwelt in Scheffau, Ellmi's Zauberwelt in Ellmau and Hexenwasser in Zell. There are also excellent parks in Brixental, Westendorf and Hopfgarten.
And what about outdoor activities? Hiking and cycling, above all. There are around 700km of hiking trails and 400km of mountain bike trails around the resort.
In most cases, ski resorts are quite far away from major cities and therefore from museums. Ski Welt is an exception to this rule: there are a number of major attractions close by, especially for children.
For example, 10 km from the resort, in Kufstein, there is a medieval castle that can be visited for hours. If you go in the opposite direction, towards Innsbruck, the sights are so many!
Here are some of the things to see and do in and around SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental:
A trip to Salzburg is also a good idea if you are on a ski holiday with the kids. Its main attractions are the House of Nature, the Toy Museum and Hohensalzburg Fortress.
The salt mines in Hallein or Berchtesgaden (Germany) can also be added to the list of things to do with children.
Where to stay in SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental while traveling with children? The resort is made up of about 30 villages.
Here are the best parts of SkiWelt for families.
It has a wide range of child-friendly hotels and apartments, an extensive ski area with easy slopes for beginners, and a full programme of summer and winter activities.
You will find everything you need: good value traditional restaurants, two large supermarkets, pharmacies, bakeries, pastry shops, car hire and sports shops.
Suitable for those who like peace and quiet. It is considerably inferior to Ellmau in terms of out-of-hotel entertainment, but has its advantages.
Families with children will enjoy the resort's own ski area with various pistes, children's winter parks, Bobo mini-club for children aged 1-4. In summer, the Kaiserwelt children's park in Scheffau is open.
Conveniently located in relation to the main ski area of Hohe Salve. The village has its own teaching area and a mini club for children who have not yet learnt to ski.
There is a good range of après ski in winter and the Hexenwasser water park in summer. A special feature of the resort is that almost all the hotels are opposite the chairlift, and a subway has been built for safety reasons.
It is a little off the beaten track of the region's main transport routes. The gentle and easy beginners' slopes are close to the centre of the village and the main chairlift is a short walk away.
There is a children's ski school and mini club on the slopes. The village is also connected to the Kitzbühel ski area by lifts.
Hopfgarten lies in a windless area at the foot of the Hohe Salve. It is considered the sunniest part of the entire SkiWelt region. The village has a beginners' ski area with gentle slopes and the Alpinos Hopfgarten children's ski school.
Choosing where to go with children is not too difficult. In the main villages there are family-friendly hotels with a playroom, animation (mostly in winter), cots and high chairs, special children's menus.
In addition, the widespread half-board concept with a breakfast buffet makes it possible to find a meal suitable for a child. Occasionally, hotels have a corner with ready-made meals for babies.
For a self-catering holiday in the SkiWelt with children, apartments with kitchens are a good choice. It is a good idea to check if there are restaurants, shops and a ski bus stop nearby. Some apartments offer free transport to the ski lifts.
Other ski resorts and ski areas near SkiWelt are good in the summer when you don't have to go to the slopes.
The closest airports to the resort are Salzburg (70-80 km, depending on the location), Innsbruck (80-90 km) and Munich (140-150 km).
How to get to SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental from the airport
The nearest major train stations to Ski Velt are Kufstein and Wörgl. Direct trains to these stations run from Salzburg, Innsbruck and Munich and take between half an hour and an hour and a half. In winter there is a direct Snow Express from Hamburg on Fridays.
You can then take the train to Brixenthal and Hopfgarten, or continue by bus or taxi to the other resorts. The distances to the resorts are 10-20 km from Vergle and 13-18 km from Kufstein. Train timetables are available on the Austrian Railways website at https://www.oebb.at/.
Bus no. 4051 goes from Wörgl to Brixenthal (you can also take it to Kitzbühel), bus no. 4060 runs between Söll, Scheffau, Ellmau and Wilder Kaiser. You can find out about the timetable and buy tickets at http://www.vvt.at.
How to get to SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental
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