The two mountain villages of Saalbach and Hinterglemm have long been conventionally considered one resort: they lie only 4 kilometers from each other, they are united by a common system of trails and lifts, and quite a few inexpensive boarding houses have been built between them.
These resorts are located in the Glemm Valley, on the border between Salzburg and Tyrol . They lie at an altitude of 1003 m on picturesque slopes. Ski tours in Saalbach and Hinterglemm are quite popular among European skiers, mainly due to the large skiing area, good snow and relatively low prices for holidays.
The tracks here are designed in such a way that no matter where you stay, no matter in which part of the resort you stay, you can easily reach the lifts from any point and easily return after skiing directly to the door of the hotel. Local slopes are suitable for skiers of any level. Stages of the Alpine Skiing World Cup are regularly held there.
In total, the Saalbach and Hinterglemm resorts have 124 tracks with a total length of about 200 kilometers. They are located at a low altitude from 1003 to 2098 meters, thanks to which it is almost never too cold here in winter. In the upper part of the resort area, snow is guaranteed from December to April, and in the lower part, for insurance, there are snow guns on almost every track.
The easiest, wide and well-rolled slopes, ideal for beginner skiers, lie right next to the villages. In Saalbas, they are located mainly on the southern slope, which is constantly illuminated by the sun, and in Hinterglemm – on the northern, where there is almost no sun, but an excellent snow cover is guaranteed. There are 8 ski schools operating at two resorts, the instructors of which will quickly put both adults and children on skis. The longest route in the Glemm Schattberg-Ost-Jausen valley, which is marked in blue, is also popular.
The difficult “black” route Schattberg-Nordabfart is designed for true professionals, impressive with a complex landscape and sharp turns. About 100 km 2 is occupied by the region set aside for skiing on virgin snow. Only here it is better to go only accompanied by an experienced instructor.
Ski tours in Saalbach and Hinterglemm are sure to please and fans of snowboarding – the local fan park consistently receives top marks. There is a halfpipe, high jumps, long mogul tracks, some of them are even illuminated in the evenings.
You definitely won’t be bored at these resorts! Various festivals, carnivals, snow shows, sports competitions among guests, even outdoor discos right on the slopes are constantly held here! If you wish, you can go curling, paragliding, ride horses, go sledding at night along a lighted track, and take a walk around the neighborhood. Many people will like local restaurants (some are located high in the mountains), and discos, and bars.
In short, the resort towns of Saalbach and Hinterglemm will definitely appeal to everyone who likes good skiing during the day and fun entertainment in the evenings!
Infrastructure of the Saalbach/Hinterglemm resort
Skiing Saalbach is one of the most prestigious resorts in Austria, so the infrastructure here is excellent. About 700 chalet hotels and more than 200 cozy cafes and restaurants have been built near the mountain slopes.
People come to Hinterglemm to take a break from the daily hustle and bustle of metropolises, so the resort has a lot of traditional Austrian winter entertainment: sledding and skating, archery, horseback riding. There is also an opportunity to fly on a paraglider and a helicopter, ride a quad bike. No one will have to be bored in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The resort offers a lot of entertainment: a sports center with an indoor pool, nine discos, night clubs, fine restaurants, cafes, ski eateries, beauty salons, indoor courts, a bowling alley, an outdoor floodlit ice rink, squash (indoor courts), and even skating horse-drawn sleighs.
Free time can be used to visit the museums located on the 1567 farm: the Saalbach Heimatmuseum, the Schimuseum ski museum. Museums are open on Mondays and Thursdays from 15.00 to 18.00.
In numerous fitness and SPA centers, you can have a massage and wellness procedures, visit a bathhouse or a swimming pool. Among the most interesting options are cactus massage, fish pedicure or rest in a snow cave.
In almost all hotels of the Saalbach resort, you can buy an excursion to Lake Zell, during which tourists will visit not only the picturesque lake, but also climb to the observation deck of the Kaprun glacier, and also visit the gallery of the National Park. There is still an opportunity to go on a trip to the big cities of Austria (Salzburg, Innsbruck).
Parties and costume shows are often held at the resort.
Where to stay?
Ski hotels are famous for their hospitality and comfort. Every year, the Saalbach and Hinterglemm hotels become more beautiful. New ones are opened, and old ones are reconstructed. There are different categories of accommodation and level of hotel service. Everyone can choose them to their taste.
There are many hotels in Saalbach, but it is a very popular resort, so accommodation should be booked in advance.
In January-February, the cheapest room will cost 1,510 € for two people for 6 days – these are large apartments with all the necessary equipment and a large bathroom. The room has free Wi-Fi, kitchen facilities and the room is suitable for people with disabilities.
The average price for accommodation for 6 days is about €1,800. Rooms with this price are designed for two people and are equipped with the latest technology. This price most often includes breakfast (buffet), barbecue parties, free travel on the cable car and various bonuses.
Saalbach/Hinterglemm in summer
Although Saalbach/Hinterglemm is a classic winter resort, there is plenty to do in the summer too. The most popular pastime is hiking in the mountains. The resort has many hiking trails, the total length of which is 400 km. You can travel in the mountains both as part of a group and independently. During the walk, tourists can see mountain lakes, fairy-tale forests and meet the dawn on one of the peaks.
Another popular pastime is mountain biking (extreme mountain biking). The Saalbach Hinterglemm resort is considered the best place in the country for this activity. For extreme lovers, there are 5 routes with a total length of 300 km. There are many bike rental/repair shops in Saalbach.
A number of cable cars also operate in summer: Reiterkogel, Schattberg X-press, Westgipfel and Kohlmais. With their help, you can easily climb the famous mountain peaks.
One of the favorite activities of vacationers is geocaching (treasure hunting). Tourists hide small gifts under trees, in bushes or on stones, and the following travelers find them. Thus, pleasant trinkets are exchanged. The length of the route is slightly less than 15 km.
In addition, the Hinterglemm resort has a family park with attractions, a horse farm, children’s playgrounds in the mountains, obstacle courses, and a rope park. Also, Saalbach often hosts mountain races and other sports competitions. Families with children should pay attention to educational tourist routes. An experienced tour guide will show you the flowers and trees that grow in the mountains, tell you about how people used to live in this area, and also give a lot of useful information about the resort.
In general, Saalbach is beautiful both in winter and in summer. It will definitely not be boring here.
How to get there?
The nearest airports are in Munich (Germany), Salzburg and Vienna (Austria), so it is best to get to the Hinterglemm resort from these cities.
From Munich
The distance from Saalbach to Munich is 193 km. There are regular buses from Munich Airport. The price for a one-way trip is from 91 euros, for a return trip – 173. You can also take a shuttle bus to the Austrian resort (they run 7 times a day). The price of a one-way ticket is €98.
If you arrived in the country by car, you can get to the resort by taking the Munich-Salzburg A8 highway to the Sigsdorf exit. A taxi ride will cost ≈ 190 euros.
From Salzburg
The second option to get to the Austrian resort is to fly to Salzburg airport (the distance between the cities is 95 km). The price of a bus ticket is €39 one way, €74 for two. The cost of a shuttle from Salzburg is €44 one way (88 round trip). A taxi ride will cost ≈ 150 €.
You can also get to Saalbach by train. In Munich, at the train station, you need to board a train going towards Heiligenburg or St. Johann im Pongau (south-east direction) and get off at the Zell am See station . If you are leaving from Salzburg, then you need to get on the train going in the southwest direction (Innsburg) at the railway station of the city and also get off at the Zell am See station.
Saalbach Hinterglemm is one of the best resorts in Austria for active recreation with the whole family.