Traditional town with tree-lined skiing and family-friendly activities.
Long, gentle runs where you can practise your turns.
Kid-only areas and a top-rated ski school to get little ones cruising confidently.
Pools, flumes and hot tubs – off-slope hours are sorted at the Panorama Badewelt.
St Johann’s compact ski area has everything you’d want if you’re heading to the mountains for the first time. There’s a big nursery area near the village to start you off, and a good mix of scenic blues and reds when you’re ready to progress. And if you’re here with the kids, the snow park and fun slope, with their bumps, boxes and banked turns, are bound to be hit.
St Johann has typical Tyrolean looks. Frescoed buildings line the streets, and an onion-domed church overlooks a central square. It’s not party central, but there’s a friendly, easy-going atmosphere at the end of the day. Join the locals for some après fun and sip a stein of beer from the town’s brewery. As for places to stay, there are some great hotels to choose from – whether you love that traditional Austrian feel or prefer something more modern.
After you’re finished on the mountain, head over to the youth centre to have a go at bouldering – it’s like climbing, but lower to the ground so everyone can get stuck in without needing ropes. Or grab your swim things and whizz down the slides at the water park instead.
Hotel Fischer
In St Johann in Tyrol, Austria
End the ski day with a drink in Michi’s après bar.
Unwind in the sauna and infrared cabin.
Free entry to resort swimming pool complex included.
You can’t get more central than Hotel Fischer – it’s a few steps away from St Johann’s traditional square, and as for hitting the slopes, the main gondola’s a short stroll away. But our fave thing about the Fischer? You’ll get some great extra perks, like daily entry to the Panoramabad public pool and free ski storage at the Park Hotel, just metres away from the lifts.
From the outside this place has an authentic alpine look, with dark wooden balconies and window frames. Step inside, and there’s a mix of modern and traditional Austrian styles. When the lifts close at the end of the day, head to Michi’s – the Fischer’s very own bar – for an après-ski drink. Or take the kids to the playroom, which is packed with toys and bits and bobs to keep them occupied.
You’ll be staying bed and breakfast here, and there's a hot and cold buffet spread to set you up for each day on slopes. And when you get back, the hotel serves up an afternoon snack of soup and toast to keep you going 'til your evening meal. Speaking of, you've got plenty of restaurants within a few minutes' walk – just step out and take your pick.
PART OF THE Freizeit Arena SKI AREA
Snow range
640-2,020m
Resort height
700m
St Johann in Tyrol 43km
(Freizeit Area 171km)
Piste type
Km of piste
Easy
16km (72km)
Intermediate
24km (68km)
Difficult
3km (31km)
Cross country trails
250km
APPROX TRANSFER TIMES
Innsbruck - 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours
Salzburg - 1 hour 20 minutes
Skiing in St Johann in Tyrol
St Johann’s 43km ski area is spot-on for families and first-timers, with its big nursery area, wooded slopes and wide pistes. Little skiers will love the bumps and banked turns on the Teufelsroute fun slope, while teens can play on the features in the snow park. If you fancy venturing further afield, upgrade to the Freizeit area pass and explore an extra 128km of runs across five nearby resorts.
Beginners
St Johann is a fab place for families to learn. There’s an easy-to-reach nursery area by the bottom of the Harschbichl gondola, and kids-only slopes on the mountain filled with colourful characters and slaloms – not to mention an excellent ski school to get everyone sliding with style. And when it’s time to take to the mountain as a team, you’ve got sheltered, tree-lined runs just above the village to explore.
Intermediates
With wide trails that wind through woods and past timber-framed chalets, the skiing here’s as pretty as a picture. Most of the pistes are fairly long too – take the Harschbichl gondola up to the resort’s highest point, then rack up over 1,000m of decent as you swoosh back to the valley bottom. There aren’t heaps of runs, but if you’re itching to tackle more terrain, you can upgrade to the area lift pass and explore five other nearby resorts.
Advanced
Powder hounds will enjoy the varied off-piste diversions offered by the Freizeit area pass, with excellent snow records and often plenty of powder opportunities, particularly on the Steinplatte. If you've got the legs for it, Black 7a is long, steep and an excellent challenge.
Snowboarding
Finding your feet on a board? Check out the blues from the Harschbichl gondola middle station, or head to the small snow park to test your balance on boxes and rollers. You won’t find much tricky terrain here, but experienced riders can have fun playing in the powder between the trees if the flakes start falling.
Cross-country skiing
Keen cross-country skiers can cover some serious kilometres in St Johann, with heaps of free tracks to explore. There are courses to suite both skating and classic styles, with routes to suite everyone. If you're trying the sport for the first time, try the gentle trails between the Wilder Kaiser and the Kitzbüheler horn. Or for more of challenge, check out the advanced loops around the Hinterkaiser and Kaiserbachtal areas.
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