With storybook snow-covered scenery, it’s hard to believe that skiing is relatively new here. It wasn’t until 1892 that skis were first introduced. But the sport rapidly gained popularity, and two years later a large consignment of skis arrived from Norway, paving the slopes for Kitzbühel’s first ski championship.

This once quaint village has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past decade. Today it is a real town with benign sprawl, well outside the old limits of the traditional village center (which is thankfully still its quaint self). Among the Austrian resorts, Kitzbühel is the most commercial, glamorous and expensive. New lifts like the 3S gondola connecting Pengelstein and Jochberg have made travel between villages faster. The new detachable 8-passenger Steinbergkogel (C6) chairlift will help eliminate long lines at the bottom of the bowl. Kitzbühel has also made significant investments to further expand its snowmaking systems.

The biggest news is the new connection of Kitzbühel and Kirchberg with the interconnected region of Ski Welt. This means now a skipass can be purchased that connects 250 lifts and 700 km. of trails.

If possible arrive in Kitzbühel before nightfall, when the wrought-iron entranceway lamps and flickering candles in the restaurant windows lend a special charm to the streets. You’ll hear the jingle of bells on a horse-drawn sleigh, and in the distance someone in a gasthaus will let out a hearty laugh that rises above the sound of a piano or zither. The exterior of Kitzbühel is old, lovely and quite romantic. The interior is modern and efficient. The atmosphere is bright, boisterous and never dull.

In Kitzbühel the skiing day is long enough to tire you out, and it’s followed by nightlife that can last forever. This is Austria’s winter entertainment capital, with top European performers appearing throughout the season. In January, during the famed Hahnenkamm Downhill World Cup (usually the middle weekend), Kitzbühel vibrates with action. The streets are filled even at midnight with music and laughter that ripple through the narrow alleyways. This is the perfect time (albeit the most expensive) to be in Kitzbühel.

Kitzbühel is a resort that a vacationer with plenty of pecuniary resources should consider. As at Aspen or Vail, you’ll rub shoulders with the rich and famous and be treated like royalty but at about half the cost. This is a town where tour operators can save you a bundle and one that careful planning can make very affordable.

Kirchberg, a smaller town 5 km. to the west, shares the same mountain and has become a major player in the area. Everything here is within easy walking distance. Filled with a younger crowd, at-tracting families and more dedicated skiers, Kirchberg has some of the wildest après-ski in Austria and somewhat lower prices than its flashier neighbor.
The strongest contingent of tourists in Kirchberg comes from Holland, Britain and Germany. They know how to have a good time and can define the best of wild après-skiers. If you are looking for that touch to a vacation, this is the place. Upvalley from Kirchberg the con-nection lift to Ski Welt provides connections to one of Austria’s largest interconneted areas.

Here is the Kitzbühel town map in pdf format.

Here is the Reith village map in pdf format.

Here is the Aurach village map in pdf format.

Here is the Jochberg village map in pdf format.

Here is the Kirchberg town map in pdf format.

Kitzbühel and Kirchberg Tourist Information:

Kitzbühel-Reith-Aurach-Jochberg Tourism, A-6370 Kitzbühel, Austria
Country code: 0043
Telephone prefix: 05356
Telephone:05356-777-0
Fax: 05356-77777
Email: info@kitzbuehel.com
Internet: www.kitzbuehel.com

Toursimusverband Kirchberg, Hauptstrasse 8, A-6365 Kirchberg,
Austria
Country code: 0043
Telephone prefix: 05357
Telephone: 05357-2309
Fax: 05357-3732
Email: info@kitzbuehel-alpen.at or info@kirchberg.at
Internet: www.kitzbuehel-alpen.com or www.kirchberg.at

Note: All prices are in Euros unless otherwise noted.

For more information on skiing and staying in the country of Austria, click the map.