Saint Anton
St Anton in Austria is the favorite vacation choice of the experienced skier. Situated at the base of the road up to the Arlberg pass, St Anton is the birthplace of alpine skiing. Take a vacation at what is widely regarded as the best ski area in Austria and you will be charmed not only by the level of skiing but by this lovely town as well. St Anton has a distinct Tyrolean charm despite the fact that the village has grown over the years. Today it is a long, sprawling mixture of traditional and modern buildings crammed into a narrow valley with an ambience and atmosphere like none other anywhere in the world.
The St Anton area has a consistent snow record and is among the places in the Alps that are guaranteed snow. It offers skiing for all abilities with its varying terrain and has 270 kilometers of prepared pistes or trails, 170 kilometers of deep powder slopes and 83 cable cars! The vast ski area extends into St Christoph, the neighboring resort and offers wide, gentle pistes down to the village. There are gentle slopes below the mid station and the wide cruisers following interesting routes at the bottom of steep-sided valleys.
The terrain gets more demanding as you go higher up the mountain. The Valluga 2 lift accesses the most difficult terrain in the area. You can only get here along with a qualified guide. The cross country skiing trails are absolutely stunning. The area is also popular for hiking and snowshoeing through the wintry landscape with its gently packed snow all around.
Surprisingly, despite the rising costs throughout major ski countries, St Anton still remains good value for money. It is the skiing vacation ground of famous personalities and celebrities and has a unique character that is traditional yet modern, sporty yet easy-going, family-friendly yet cosmopolitan. There is a great choice of accommodation for all budgets. You can rent a self-catering chalet located along the valley on the way to St Christoph or opt for apartments that are available on a ski-in, ski-out basis.
