Where to ski (and not only) with children in Austria? Styria and the Schladming-Dachstein region

What region in Austria to choose for a family trip in winter? We had the opportunity to spend a few days in Styria, in the Schladming-Dachstein region, where many attractions and facilities for families with children await, even for those who did not come here to ski.… by the way, see for yourself!

But before we talk about the attractions on site, a few words of introduction about the region itself, as the name may probably not tell you much if you are planning your first trip to Austria.

Schladming-Dachstein is a picturesque region in the Alps located in western Styria. The name is a combination of the name of the town of Schladming and the name of the Dachstein mountain range, through which the border between Styria and Upper Austria runs. The aforementioned town is flanked to the north by the Dachstein and to the south by the Low Taurian Mountains, which in turn form the border with the state of Salzburg. So, as you might guess, Schladming’s such a picturesque location makes it a good base for exploring nearby mountains and attractions. Although mostly known as a popular ski resort, the region offers much more than just great infrastructure for winter sports.

Surrounded by the high peaks of the Alps, it has much to offer lovers of nature, sports and active recreation all year round. However, it is worth noting that the mountains here are not the highest Alpine peaks. In the Dachstein massif the highest peak, Hoher Dachstein, is 2995 meters above sea level, and in the Schladminger Tauern the highest is Hochgolling and its height is also 2995 meters above sea level.

Where to ski in Austria?

Schladming-Dachstein is part of the huge SKI Amade ski region offering a total of up to 760 kilometers of ski runs! There are ALSO 230 kilometers of trails in the region we were in ;) The local infrastructure also includes more than 80 railroads and lifts and 100 mountain huts.

Schladming’s Four Peaks Swing.

The most popular place with ski slopes is 4-Berge-Skischaukel, a ski area south of Schladming that connects four peaks: Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen and Reiteralm (sometimes this place is called the Swing of the Four Summits of Schladming). This is where you’ll find the most trails of all levels of difficulty, including World Cup trails, and on some slopes you can ski late into the evening (one is even open until 11pm).

Add to that the fact that you can go downhill on toboggan runs here, including the longest in the Alps (7 km!), and traditional local dishes await in atmospheric huts.

Riesneralm

We, however, went to the less popular, but ideal for learning to ski, Riesneralm ski resort, located in a valley, so that even when there is less snow in the area, there is a better chance for it here.

And actually the amount of snow did not disappoint! Even when most of it had already melted near Schladming, there were still snow-covered fields and meadows here. The slopes, of course, are snow-covered and prepared for skiers and snowboarders.

Riesneralm is considered an ideal place for families with children. A ski school, gentler slopes, chairlifts, T-bar and belt lifts for beginners make it a good choice for those who are not so advanced as well. Add the fact that it was here that Austria’s first children’s slopes were established, and now 5 lifts (including the longest belt lift in the country) and 5 slopes await young skiers and snowboarders.

However, to make the first steps safe it is worth learning under the guidance of professionals. There is a ski school on site, and you can also purchase individual rides with an instructor. We used the second option, and learned from Magic Snow Academy. The children took their first steps on a tiny and almost flat slope with a short belt lift (here we were surprised to find that the lift was free), and as they gained new skills and confidence they could move on to another one with a T-bar lift. The challenge, however, turned out to be the language: while the 7-year-old, who learned the basics of skiing a year ago, managed without any problems and had no problems communicating, the 5-year-old, who was just taking his first steps, didn’t understand English very well and, unfortunately, was more reluctant than his sister.

However, it is not just a place for beginners. There are about 20 kilometers of easy trails in Riesneralm, but there are also 9 kilometers of intermediate trails and 3 kilometers of difficult trails.

There is, of course, an equipment rental shop on site: Minimarkt & Sport Scherz, where you can not only rent equipment, but also stock up on sports equipment, accessories and buy something to eat.

How about sledding?

Those who don’t necessarily want to ski can head to one of the many tobogganing or cross-country skiing trails, of which there is no shortage in the area.

Our choice was the toboggan run in Riesneralm , almost 4 kilometers long, which is described as easy and suitable for families with children (as we mentioned, longer and more difficult runs can also be found in the area). The descent at times is quite fast and required braking, but for children it was a great attraction (children under the age of 6 should slide on one sled with an adult). The route winds along the stream, in sections right at the edge, and you need to be extra careful when going downhill (safety nets have been installed on sharp turns).

And if anyone thinks to themselves that it’s just a simple sled ride to add that you can also go down here after dark armed with headlamps, and you can go up the mountain by snow groomer (beware, the ride up will shake you up badly)!

There is no shortage of family-friendly accommodations and restaurants in the area, and you can find a list of those we recommend at the bottom of this post.

However, this is not the only route where you can go sledding. There are more than 10 of them in the Schladming-Dachstein region, the longest of which are even more than 7 kilometers long. Of course, there are also easier and shorter ones (about 1 or 3 kilometers), which can be ridden even with smaller children. A list and descriptions of the conventions can be found at this link(click).

Time to relax – thermal pools in Austria!

But after all, life is not limited to activities on the ski slope or toboggan run, right? There is a place not far from here where you can really get away from everyday life and take a dip in the relaxing thermal waters extracted from a depth of almost 2,500 meters. It is the Grimming Therme in Bad Mitterndorf.

Upon arrival, a variety of pools await, from a recreational pool with the option of going to an outdoor pool, to a sports pool, a wading pool for the youngest, and a waterslide for older children. Of course, there are water massages in the pools, which will make it a time of rest and relaxation overlooking the snowy peaks. Inside the complex, there are plenty of sun loungers available on several levels, and they can also be used outside in the summer.

There is also a restaurant on site, where you can satisfy your hunger after a tiring day in the water, and a separate area with saunas, where two more pools await.

There is a hotel operating next to it, and driving down Route 145 you can see the famous mammoth hill at Kulm.

What else is there to do in the area?

You can head to one of the many trails for Skitour, or walking on special skis. The region has more than 50 ready-made trails for people of different levels: both beginners and very experienced. Also, you can’t complain about the lack of cross-country skiing trails – there are about 220 kilometers of these here.

Those who prefer to have someone take them to the snowy scenery can take advantage of ready-made horse-drawn sleigh tours or take a gondola ride to the Dachstein Glacier, where a real treat awaits those without a fear of heights: viewing platforms, a suspension bridge or an ice palace.

There are also five ice rinks in the region.

What and where to eat in Styria?

What to try in the region and what to order in restaurants or hostels? Probably the first thing that comes to your mind is schnitzel (schnitzel), but local cuisine has much more to offer.

Try Kasnocken mit Steirerkäse – or layered dumplings with cheese, Kaspressknödelsuppe – soup with dumplings with cheese, Kaiserschmarrn – or Emperor’s Omelet (a fluffy omelet served sweet, in small pieces) or strudel with apples or cheese.

Below is a list of restaurants where we tried the local cuisine:

• Kinderhotel Stegerhof – this is a hotel for families with children in Donnersbachwald (Riesneralm), but on the first floor, opposite the reception, there is a restaurant open to all, where you can order à la carte dishes.
• Landhotel Gut Puttererseehof – a family-run restaurant featuring regional products and from local farmers.
• Dorfwirt Wöhrer – hotel and restaurant located in Lantschern, serving traditional regional dishes.

Restaurants for families with children

Every restaurant we went to had chairs for feeding children, many had special items on the children’s menu, and if those were missing we were always given extra plates to take one dish for company without a problem.

There were also corners or toys for children waiting in the restaurants, and even when we thought there were none, someone from the staff brought a big basket of toys from the back room :)

Practical information

Overnight stays in the Schladming-Dachstein area

The range of accommodations in the Schladming-Dachstein region is extensive, and there is something for almost everyone. We stayed overnight at the Hochhuberhof farm and it was a real hit. It is far away from the main road, access is via a rather narrow road uphill, where you have to give way to oncoming cars from the opposite direction, but that’s where the downsides end :)

The site is located in a quiet area with fantastic views, including. On the Dachstein and Grimming. The farm has a meadow and benches, which offer the most beautiful view of the mountains. But the farm is all about animals – there are cats, cows, geese, rabbits and chickens. Spending time here, you can accompany the owners in their daily chores and observe village life.

Accommodation is in a house where the owners also live. The rooms are very clean and neat, with family suites also available. On the first floor, there’s a place where breakfast is served – everything that ended up on our plates was local, from bread baked by the innkeeper, to preserves, cheeses and eggs straight from the hens.

This is the place we can wholeheartedly recommend to you and we would love to stay here for longer! You can book the facility here.

Other facilities we have seen on occasion and seem to be a great choice for families with children are:

• Kinderhotel Stegerhof – A typical hotel for families with children located near the Riesneralm ski resort. We only stayed here for the food, but we saw how wonderfully welcoming the children are to the facility, what amenities await families (including childcare for children over 3, a children’s buffet, an indoor pool). And one would like to stay here for longer!
• 
  JUFA Hotel Donnersbachwald
  – A hotel chain offering accommodation for families with children. We stayed overnight at this chain in Graz, but there are hotels all over Austria and beyond.

Prices in Austria

You are probably interested in what such a trip looks like in terms of price. While the prices of accommodations completely depend on the comfort you choose, and here the price range is quite large, equipment rental or ski passes are already fixed amounts that depend on whether they are purchased online or on site.

Prices of Skipasses (Ski Amade) in the high season:

Adults:

• 3 hours – from 53 to 63 euros,
• 1 day – from 63 to 73 euros.

Children:

• 3 hours – from 26 to 31 euros,
• 1 day – from 31 to 37 euros.

Youth:

• 3 hours – from 40 to 47 euros,
• 1 day – from 47 to 55 euros.

Prices of Skipasses (Ski Amade) in the low season:

Adults:

• 3 hours – from 49 to 58 euros,
• 1 day – from 58 to 69 euros.

Children:

• 3 hours – from 25 to 29 euros,
• 1 day – from 29 to 34 euros.

Youth:

• 3 hours – from 37 to 44 euros,
• 1 day – from 44 to 51 euros.

Of course, prices will be more favorable when buying passes for several days.

Other prices:

Equipment rental depends on the rental company, but you should count:

• A minimum of 7 euros per shoe per day,
• A minimum of 15 euros per ski per day.

These are the minimum prices per adult that we found when comparing different rental companies online. Equipment for children and teenagers is cheaper.

How to get to Styria?

Schladming is located in central Austria and Route 320 leads here. It takes about 2 hours (170 km) to drive from Graz, 1 hour 20 minutes (95 km) from Salzburg, and 3 hours 15 minutes (290 km) from Vienna.

The trip from central Poland could have taken us slightly more than 9 hours if we had driven non-stop, but we decided to stop along the way for an overnight stay in the Czech Republic, and on the way back (we were going to Zakopane) we stopped in Vienna itself (it was cheaper than staying overnight in Slovakia!).

When driving you need to remember a very important thing: vignettes! Both in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia there are toll sections where you need to have a vignette purchased (you can easily do it online – the devices read the license plates, no documents or stickers are needed).

In addition, going to/from Graz you need to know that there is an additional toll for the tunnel (also you can pay online in advance).

Styria on YouTube :-)

We also recommend you our one on YouTube from our trip, which is about Stryria and the Schladming-Dachstein region. See film ⛷️ Styria and the Schladming Dachstein region. Where to ski in Austria? ⛷️ “

Summary

We’ve only spent a few days in Schladming-Dachstein and are eager for more! Great infrastructure for winter sports, many amenities and attractions for families with children, makes it an ideal place for a winter trip. Even if you’re not a fan of skiing, you’ll find plenty of opportunities for family time here.

The entry was created in cooperation with the regional tourism organization Steiermark Tourismus and the Austrian Embassy in Poland.