The beautiful country of Austria, being surrounded by the great Alps, offers innumerable ski opportunities for practicing alpine skiing.
Almost every mountain and valley has at least one or two ski tracks.
Among the most important of these are found in the regions of Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg.
The greatest ski resorts in the Austrian Alps pride themselves with about 100 lifts and over 250 kilometers of ski slopes, for example the Zillertal Valley, the Wilder Kaiser ski area and the Arlberg, the "cradle" of alpine skiing.
There are also various ski areas on big glaciers, where skiing is possible all throughout the year (for example Solden, one of the most impressive glaciers in Austria).
Many towns and villages in Austria are often settings for world cup trials, amongst which we notice the men's Streif - Kitzbuhel descent.
Innsbruck, the capital of the state of Tyrol, has been the host of the Winter Olympics twice, in 1964 and 1976.
These are just some of the reasons why alpine skiing is one of the most important attractions in Austrian tourism, which is the main economic sector of the country.
In European tourists' minds, the word "Austria" is a synonym for skiing, snowy mountains and winter sports.
Rarely you can find a scenery to match so perfectly a tourist's desires: the predominant colors of winter and spring are the pure white of the snow and the perfect blue of the skies.
Such a scenery can only invite one to take a week off and do all the winter sports that could come to one's mind: no only classic ski, but also alpine ski, carving, snowboarding and breathtaking slope runs during the day, and even during the night.
For whoever loves the fascinating winter landscapes, and wants to see them and savor them in peace, Austria is very well prepared for cross country skiing too, with signposts for each difficulty level on high grounds and other various features.
Alternatively you can put on your snowshoes and go through the snowy mountain passes and enjoy a wonderful day, and maybe you can relax in the evening at the spas and thermal baths of the resorts you are staying in.
When returning from the ski run, your muscles only ask for a little relaxation and warmth, and that's why a perfect vacation is when you can combine sports with spas and well being.
These are things that you will easily be able to find at the majority of ski resorts in central and western Austria.
Thanks to various programs focused on relaxation and well being, your Austria ski holiday will become a great opportunity for reestablishing your inner balance and recharge your mental and physical energies, making it easy to engage your day-to-day life with your newly found enthusiasm.