Are you skiing in St Anton this season?
As one of our top 12 ski resorts we know how popular St Anton is with holidaymakers, but even if you’ve been to St Anton several times there are still some forgotten gems that often get overlooked in favour of the resorts famous restaurants and Aprés bars.
With over 360km of pistes to enjoy and a great town there are many hidden gems in St Anton, here are a few of our favourites.
3. Secret Skiing
Maybe you’ve been to St Anton before and feel like you need a change of scenery or perhaps it’s the school holidays and you’re looking to avoid the crowds and lift queues for the day.
Look no further than Sonnenkopf; the Arlberg’s hidden resort.
Sonnenkopf can often be forgotten when exploring the Arlberg but it’s a great location for a day away from the crowds of St Anton, Zurs and Lech.
It is a little more difficult to access as it requires skiing into Stuben and catching a bus, getting the train from St Anton central station or getting a taxi (roughly €60 so not too costly if 8 people can fill a taxi).
However once there it is definitely worth the extra effort. For those Powder hounds among you, this is the best place to find untouched powder days after the last snowfall.
And while it might only have a limited number of runs there is plenty to keep you going for a full days skiing as well as runs to suit all abilities.
Top Tip: Make sure you head to Sonnenkopf on a weekday, many of the locals tend to ski here over the weekend and it can get pretty busy.
2. Traditional Austrian Apres
St Anton is known around the world for one of the best Apres scenes but there a are several Apres bars that are often forgotten about in the shadow if the infamous Mooserwirt and Krazy Kangaruh.
Not to be missed by the giant Lederhosen on the piste, Senn Hutte from the outside looks like a lovely alpine restaurant with a great sun terrace that catches the sun right until the end of the day.
During the day it serves traditional Austrian dishes and is a fantastic place to stop for some food and a glass of wine or Aperol Spritz over lunch, however, once it hits 3 pm Sennhutte comes alive, with a live band playing 80s rock classics until 6 pm.
It is definitely worth going just to watch the traditional horn playing if nothing else!
From here you also have to ski past the Mooserwirt and Krazy Kangarh to get back to town (both of which shut at 8 pm) so you can even pop in for another beer and a Jager or two before heading back to your Powder White chalet or hotel for dinner.
Top Tip: Ask for a hot widow, a shot of hot plum liquor with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkled on top. Delicious!
1. The Best Lunch Spot
With the Hospiz Alm in St Christoph, many people don’t look elsewhere here for a pit stop during the ski day.
Often overlooked is the Arlberg Thaja, set on the piste just above the Hospiz Alm.
The sun catches the outside seating here until it goes behind the mountain around 4 pm and with its stunning views of the mountain it a great spot to enjoy an afternoon Gluhwein stop.
The cosy inside of this restaurant and bar is also the perfect place to warm up with a hot chocolate on a freezing white out day.
The food at the Thaja is some of the best on the mountain; a great place to try out some traditional Austrian dishes!
The goulash soup is amazing value at around €7 and along with the Kasespatzle and Tiroler Groschtl all coming in under €13, it is the place to try some Austrian favourites and not break the bank.
Beautiful views, great food, good value, a winning combination.
My Recommendation: Try the Thaja specialities the ‘Toast Arlberg’ or Thaja Alm Sandwich’. You will not be disappointed.
So there you have it, my top 3 recommendations for your visit to St Anton this season!