St Johann in Salzburg | Ski Resort Review

St Johann in Salzburg, also known as St Johann im Pongau, and affectionately dubbed 'Jo', is a lively small town in the middle of the SalzburgerLand and in a hugely convenient location for skiers. Just 45 minutes from Salzburg airport, it's part of the Snow Space Salzburg with 210 km of perfectly groomed slopes. It's also part of the Ski Amadé domain, with its 760 km of slopes.

For ski visitors, the tourist heart of St Johann is the the Alpendorf district - 3km from St Johann centre - with plenty of top-class hotels and restaurants, and direct access to the St Johann-Alpendorf slopes. With huge of investment in snow-making over recent years,  98 percent of the slopes in the Alpendorf are now equipped with snow-making facilities. Add in rustic huts, well-established wellness centres, a showy snow park, cross-country ski runs, toboggan runs and horse-drawn sleigh rides, and you can see how this resort has become a favourite for families in search of an all-round holiday spot.

St Johann in Salzburg - Ski Map & Pistes:

Beginners and families will enjoy the 7km of slopes on the Hahnbaum hill, right in the centre of St Johann. Served by a T-bar and button lift, it's a quieter spot for those just getting started.

The main ski slopes are accessed via the Alpendorf gondola and and onwards via the Obergassalm into the Snow Space Salzburg area, with its mile upon mile of intermediate-friendly blue and red runs, with the altitude topping out at 2,650m. Head over to the slopes above Flachau or Zauchensee if you want to try out the two World Cup downhill runs.

The new connecting Panorama Link between Snow Space Salzburg and the neighbouring ski resorts of Flachauwinkl and Zauchensee enables skiers and snowboarders to enjoy skiing on 12 peaks, down 5 valleys and across 210 kilometres of slopes. Conquer all 12 peaks during your ski holiday, and you'll get a special surprise before you leave. The entry point of the 12 Peaks Tour in St Johann is the Alpendorf cable car.

Freestylers will appreciate the Alpendorf Snowpark, which offers more than 30 fun features. The Teufelsroute (devil route) adventure slope is recommended for little daredevil skiers.

St Johann in Salzburg - Off-Piste, Backcountry & Ski Touring:

St. Johann in Salzburg makes an ideal starting point for small and large ski tours, both for beginners - with a couple of routes on the Hahnbaum - and hardened tourers in the nearby valleys, such as the Grossarl or the Kleinarl Valley, or at the foot of the Tennen mountains or the Hochkönig.

St Johann in Salzburg - Restaurants, Bars & The Town:

Most of the tourist accommodation is in Alpendorf, and a few bars and hotels cater to the post-ski crowd, with the Restaurant-Bar Butz & Stingl handily placed to catch skiers coming off the slopes. Up the mountain, the Buchau Hut is great for a chilled daytime beer. St Johann itself is 3km away, but the main centre has more than 40 bars, restaurants and cafes, serving everything from high-end gourmet to fast food. As a year-round community, not just a winter resort, there is a lively, relaxing buzz in St Johann, and it's a very family-friendly place.

St Johann in Salzburg - Ski Hire:

For ski hire in St Johann in Salzburg, try the Snowshop or the long-established Sportsshop Kerschbaumer in Alpendorf, or the city centre branch in St Johann.

St Johann in Salzburg - Ski School:

If you want to learn to ski in St Johann in Salzburg, head for the Skischule Alpendorf, the Red-White-Red Austrian Ski School or the Ski School Toni Gruber.