Austria in February: Alpine Skiing and Another Batch of Holidays

The last month of winter in Austria is a celebration from every angle. The snow blanketed mountains and ski lovers have a field day on the immaculate slopes. In the capital, the pompous Vienna Opera Ball and the reckless street carnival go hand in hand. Meanwhile, the museums are empty — a great opportunity to browse the famous paintings in the Belvedere Gallery or the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Which holiday do you prefer? Read our Kidpassage review to find the best places to take your children on holiday in February.

Photo: pixabay.com

There are only three downsides to holidaying in Austria in February: the high prices in the winter resorts, the huge number of skiers and the unpleasant weather in the capital. You must comply with the first two, but the third can be avoided if you dress correctly. However, the benefits of travelling at this time of year are far more significant:

• The mountains offer ideal skiing conditions
• Shops are always on sale, including discounted ski equipment
• There are far fewer tourists in Vienna than in summer
• The weather is not an obstacle to visiting museums
• Holidays in the capital are significantly cheaper than in high season
• Children can enjoy themselves in Vienna as well as in the ski resorts

Are you going skiing in Austria in February? Prepare for a summer trip — demand for accommodation is high at this time of year, and it's almost impossible to find a room during the high season. A trip to Vienna, on the other hand, can be a spontaneous experience. But before planning where to go on holiday in Austria in February, it is a good idea to know what the weather forecast promises. Find out right now.

• The best Family-friendly Hotels in Austria
• What to see in Austria

Tourists travelling to Austria with a child in February bring clothes for all occasions. Apart from special items (such as a ski suit or an outfit for the opera), it's wise to bring waterproof and windproof clothing. The weather in February and March is not too cold but often cloudy, damp and windy.

Cold winds and rain can disrupt the plans of travellers who want to explore Vienna on foot. To avoid being frustrated by the weather's vagaries, ensure you have suitable clothing.

The mountains are ideal for skiing. The weather in early February is overcast, moderately frosty, snowy and virtually windless. The weather in Austria at the end of February stays mostly the same. There may be some cooling or warming, but winter is not about to give up.

The landscapes of eastern and western Austria are different, as is the climate. February in the east is warm but gloomy and windy, while in the west, there is snow and crackling frost in the mountains. Weather observations well illustrate the difference:

Temperature variations in Austria in February can be very noticeable. In Vienna, temperatures range from -8°C to +10°C, with most thermometers rising above zero. In the mountain resorts, it can be +5°C or -18°C, and at night the temperature can drop to -25-30°C.

Austria's ski resorts are top-rated. They offer various pistes of varying degrees of difficulty, modern infrastructure, a good après-ski programme and excellent conditions for holidays with children. Ski schools are particularly praised for their easy and fun way of teaching children.

February is the peak season for Alpine resorts, so plan your holiday well in advance. There may be queues at the lifts in the larger resorts.

Avalanches can occur in late winter due to temperature fluctuations. All resorts in Austria have an avalanche service, but taking safety precautions on the slopes is still essential. Where to go in Austria in February? You can choose a quiet family resort, a big ski centre or skiing at higher altitudes.

Photo: pixabay.com

This resort in the Tyrolean Alps near Innsbruck has hosted two Winter Olympics but is best suited to families. There are about 50 km of slopes, mostly blue runs for beginners. It also takes half an hour to get from the airport to the resort.

The weather in Seefeld in February is perfect for skiing. Daytime temperatures range from -5°C to +5°C, and at night the temperature can drop to -5-13°C with occasional heavy frosts at the end of February. Two-thirds of the time, the sky is cloudy, with rare snowfall.

The resort's slopes are between 960 and 2100 metres above sea level. There are five ski areas with 30 lifts. The Birkenlift & Geigenbühel and Neuleutasch areas are ideal for beginners. The Gschwandtkopf, Brandlift, and Rosshütte areas suit skiers of all levels. There is also a children's snow park at Rosshütte and a snow tubing track at Brandlift.

The ski schools in Seefeld offer courses for children aged 3, and kindergartens are in the resort for the youngest children. As well as skiing, other activities include tobogganing, inline skating, ice skating and forest walks. The swimming pools at the Olympic Sports Centre are the ideal place to warm up after a relaxing holiday.

Seefeld is close to Innsbruck, so getting around the city is easy. A trip to the silver mine in Schwaz or the picturesque village of Oberammergau in Germany is also worthwhile. Accommodation in the resort includes hotels of various categories and apartment hotels, apartments and chalets. Some hotels have a children's playroom and pool.

• Resort guide to Seefeld

Photo: pixabay.com

Like Seefeld, Mayrhofen is located in the Tyrolean Alps, but the resorts differ. The main reasons for choosing Mayrhofen are the challenging pistes, the Hintertux Glacier ski area and 'Harakiri', Austria's steepest black run. It is a holiday destination for experienced skiers, although beginners will also feel at home.

The temperature in the resort is often warmer than in early February. Daytime temperatures range from -10°C to +10°C, while at night, the thermometer drops to -3-15°C. Early February is often warmer than late February. Sunshine in February is rare, but snowfall is expected.

The ski resort of Mayrhofen is situated at an altitude of between 630 and 3,250 metres. Around 140 km of pistes, almost 100 km are red and black. The Ahorn is the most suitable for beginners.

If you want a thrill, you can ski on the Hintertux glacier, with blue runs and a special children's run. However, it can be freezing at over 3,000 metres in February.

For active skiing, you can buy a ski pass valid in all the resorts in the Zillertal, which gives you access to 500 pistes. All the ski areas have ski schools with children's sections. Children can start skiing between the ages of 3 and 5.

What else can you do in the resort? There are ski buses to the lifts from everywhere. Children will love the toboggan runs, the longest of which is 7 km long, and the snow tubing slide. The whole family can go hiking on the slopes of the Ahorn or take a trip to the Hintertux Ice Cave. Innsbruck and Schwaz are also within easy reach of Mayrhofen, and Trazberg Castle is nearby. Hotels and apartments are available in Mayrhofen and the surrounding villages.

• Resort guide to Mayrhofen

Photo: pixabay.com

This resort is located in Tyrol, in the Kitzbühel Alps. It has long been on the ADAC Guide's list of top winter resorts and has everything to instil a love of skiing in a child. The weather is overcast, mainly with occasional snowfall. February in the resort is not too cold. Thermometers show temperatures around zero during the day and -5-10°C at night.

The Kitzbühel-Kirchberg slopes range in altitude from 800 to 2,000 metres. The total length of the pistes is 170km, with an equal number of easy and difficult pistes.

The Hahnenkamm - Pengelstein and Jochberg - Resterhöhe areas offer the most varied skiing. Beginners tend to go to the Kitzbüheler Horn, which has freeride areas and a giant snow park. Evening skiing is concentrated in the Gaisberg area. Children are taught in playgrounds with separate lifts and colourful equipment. Kindergartens are available for children who are too young to start skiing.

Other winter activities are also available in Kitzbühel. Children love a trip to the Alpeniglu Ice Village. The family can relax at the Mercedes Benz Indoor Sports Centre, which has an ice rink, bowling alley, curling arena, climbing walls and tennis courts. The Aquarena Centre has several swimming pools and water attractions for children.

The resort is central to Innsbruck and Salzburg, so excursions to these cities are possible. A visit to the salt mine at Berchtesgaden in Germany is also recommended. Accommodation in Kitzbühel and Kirchberg is far from the lifts, and you will almost always have to take a ski bus. Hotel prices rise in mid-February and do not fall until mid-March.

• Resort guide to Kitzbuhel-Kirchberg

Austria's thermal waters seem to cure everything. And since the healing springs are accompanied by good hotels and all the tourist infrastructure, a holiday is rewarding and enjoyable. So which resort should you choose for a winter break?

There are thermal springs in or near many ski resorts. Kaprun, for example, has a large spa complex. It has swimming pools with medicinal water and a children's water park. Bad Gastein and Bad Hofstein also have attractions for children. For adults, there are indoor and outdoor pools.

Fügen, Altenmarkt im Pongau and other mountain resorts are great places to take the kids. The spa town of Baden, 40km from Vienna, is famous for its warm sulphurous springs. It is also an excellent destination for those who like to alternate between relaxing and sightseeing.

Photo: facebook.com/technischesmuseumwien/

Vienna's palaces and museums are packed in summer, but in winter, you can visit all the capital's main attractions at your leisure. One day we suggest you stroll through Vienna's City Hall, past the Hofburg to St Stephen's Cathedral and watch a performance of the Anker musical clock. Then head to a café for a Viennese schnitzel or a slice of Sacher cake with a Viennese coffee.

Vienna has museums, from the Habsburg Armoury to the Freud Museum, to suit all tastes. Many of the capital's museums are free for children under 18. Here are some ideas for places to visit with a child:

• Schönbrunn Palace. You can spend a whole day there, and even that's not enough time to see the palace's 45 rooms, the Carriage Museum and the Palm House. Younger visitors are welcome to visit the Children's Museum.
• Hofburg Palace. Among its many exhibitions are the study of Emperor Franz Joseph and the Empress Sisi Museum.
• Art galleries, including the Belvedere Gallery and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Their halls display world-famous paintings, including The Erection of the Tower of Babel and The Snow Hunters by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. See Albrecht Dürer's The Hare at the Albertina, which has a huge collection of graphic art.
• Madame Tussauds Museum. Wax figures of Empress Sisi, Mozart, Klimt and Freud help you imagine Austria in centuries past.
• Technical Museum. A working steam engine, a Tesla transformer, a hand-operated washing machine - with access to the real thing, children will forget about their toys.
• Natural History Museum. Kids love the dinosaur hall, but don't miss the ice mummy Otzi, found in the Tyrolean Alps.

To save money on sightseeing tours and travel around the city, buy the Vienna City Card.

A special place for children in Vienna is the Zoom Museum. It has rooms for toddlers, pre-schoolers, primary school children and teenagers, and the adults bite their elbows to stay on the sidelines.

On your way to the mountains, stop off in Salzburg. Its main attraction is the Mozart House Museum. Older children should visit Hohensalzburg Castle and Helbrunn Palace. Younger children will enjoy the Nature House and the Toy Museum. Innsbruck's most famous attraction is the Swarovski Museum, which resembles a fairytale underground dwarf's estate. The Hofburg Palace is also worth a visit.

In the warmer months, it's easy to keep the kids entertained, even in Vienna, the city of museums — an amusement park, playgrounds and high ropes courses. But what about February? If your child is very active, you can take him or her to Therme Amade or the indoor play centre Family Fun.

Quieter children who like to watch the animals can do so at the Schönbrunn Zoo, the 9-storey Sea House, and the Butterfly House open year-round. Children of all temperaments will love a visit to the House of Music. Experimenting with sound is fun, especially when you dive into the Sea of Voices or wander through the Forest of Consciousness.

The 5D attraction Time Travel combines education and entertainment. It is a time machine ride through the ages, from the Roman settlement of Vindobon to modern-day Vienna, for adults and children alike.

And the most Viennese pastime is going to the opera. If your traveller is too young to sit through an adult performance, take them to a children's opera. Salzburg doesn't offer much children's entertainment, although the Magic Flute at the Puppet Theatre (which provides a shorter version) is a delightful experience for the child. Innsbruck's Alpenzoo is the highest zoo in Europe.

Photo: pixabay.com

There are no significant holidays in Austria except Valentine's Day on 14 February in February. However, the last winter month can surprise tourists with balls and carnivals.

The Viennese ball is a long-standing tradition on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The balls begin in November and last until just before Lent. The Vienna Opera Ball, one of the largest, is held on the eve of Ash Wednesday.

The dates of the winter carnivals depend on when Easter falls. The festivities usually take place in mid or late February. The carnival procession through the streets of Vienna and other cities attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators. The carnival programme also includes entertainment and refreshments.

Prices in Austria vary in February, with holidays in the capital falling and those in the ski resorts rising. That's because the weather is less conducive to city walking, but the mountains are ideal for skiing.

Airfares

Flights to Vienna are among the cheapest of the year. They are around 5% cheaper than in January or March. Flights to Innsbruck and Salzburg are similarly priced, but a flight in late winter is slightly more expensive than a flight to Vienna.

Accommodation

In the last month of winter, holidays in Vienna are cheaper than at any other time. Accommodation prices can drop by half compared to January. Ski resorts are flooded with tourists, so accommodation prices increase by 10-20% compared to January. In March, accommodation prices in the capital rise by 20-25%, while in the mountains, they fall by 10-15%.

Package tours

February trips to ski resorts are pretty expensive: they are comparable in price to Christmas and New Year holidays. Costs only start to fall in the second half of March.

Food

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Eating out in Austria is a big part of the travel budget. In most cases, prices depend on the prestige of the establishment and its location: restaurants in the tourist centre are the most expensive. An approximate cost for breakfast in Vienna is 12-15 euros per person, and for lunch or dinner, you should expect to pay between 17 and 20 euros. Hotels in ski resorts include breakfast only or breakfast and dinner at the accommodation price. The approximate cost of lunch in a café in a ski resort is €10-15 and in a restaurant €20-25.

• Food Prices at Ski Resorts and Other Resorts in Austria
• Austrian Cuisine: Not Just A Schnitzel

Winter sales continue into February with discounts of up to 50-70%. If you are holidaying in Austria, look out for clothes and shoes made by local manufacturers: the quality and design are excellent. You can also find bargains on well-known brands in the boutiques. Downhill skiers can take advantage of discounts on clothing and equipment. Reviews of holidays in Austria in February show that there are already discounts on new collections, although the best shopping is usually at the end of the season.

• What to Buy in Austria: The 19 Best Souvenirs for Adults and Kids

Preparing for a winter holiday is always a little more challenging than preparing for a summer holiday. As the tourist infrastructure in Austria is quite comfortable, all you need to worry about is bringing suitable clothing for the whole family and, if you're travelling with a baby, baby care products. Here are a few tips to help you pack.

1. The best clothing for a February holiday in Austria with children is three layers: thermal underwear, a jumper or fleece and windproof outerwear. It's not just for the mountains. The humidity and wind in Vienna can make it chilly even when the temperature is above freezing.
2. Evening dress is not necessary for the Vienna State Opera; casual attire is sufficient, but having a light change of shoes is comfortable.
3. Take medication for the symptoms of a cold: fever reducers, decongestant drops, and the usual cough and sore throat remedies.
4. If you are taking your preschooler to a ski resort, bring toys, board games, and colouring books — children often have to organise their leisure time.

Hotels in Austria rarely operate an all-inclusive system, and travellers will eat out or cook their meals. To help you budget for your meals, read Kidpassage's article on prices in shops and restaurants. You'll learn how to avoid unnecessary costs and organise meals for your children.