St. Johann in Salzburg is one of the closest ski areas to the provincial capital, which lies just 37 miles to the north, but you’ll feel you are a world away in this relaxed small town with its family-friendly atmosphere and beautiful natural environment.
Skiers will delight in the 210km of slopes in Snow Space Salzburg which links St. Johann in Salzburg to neighbouring villages and is just a part of the larger Ski amadé regional pass of which the village is also a part.
Family in St. Johann-in-Salzburg © josalzburg-com Chris Perkles
Along with traditional St. Johann in Salzburg, the resort is home to the altitude village of St. Johann Alpendorf which offers ski-in, and ski-out holidays where you click into your skis right outside your hotel door.
Speaking of hotels, St. Johann in Salzburg has a reputation for the great quality and friendly welcome of its establishments, as well as a good choice of pensions and apartments as well as hotels of all grades.
Larger than many ski villages but not THAT large, the small town has a little urban flair with great shopping opportunities here as well as lots to do off the slopes.
Playing in the Snow St. Johann in Salzburg © Mirja Geh
Families are at the heart of St. Johann in Salzburg’s efforts to deliver the perfect holiday location. There’s a whole mountain dedicated to families above the resort, specialist ski schools and much more. But the resort wanted to go further and set up a special JO Family Partners team to ensure every need is met and every aspect considered. So expect very detailed information on family facilities in property listings as well as everything from separate children’s buffet or children’s meals to special family rooms in hotels.
Making sure everything is right and your holiday is as close to perfect as it can be so it is one you always remember makes sense to everyone. In Austria that feeling of having everything right is called “Lebensgefühl” and we all need a little bit of that!
The Ski Areas
St. Johann in Salzburg’s local slopes is known as The Snow Space Salzburg ski area. It has a total of 210 kilometres of slopes spread over 12 peaks and dipping down into five valleys. If that’s not enough for you, the region is part of the larger still Ski amadé pass which covers about four times as much terrain again, giving access to neighbouring ski areas a short bus ride away.
The Snow Space Salzburg covers St Johann in Salzburg’s local Hahnbaum mountain and is connected to the skiing above the neighbouring resorts of Flachau, Wagrain and Flachauwinkl/Zauchensee to create one of the five largest ski areas in the Austrian Alps, complete with 100 % guaranteed snow.
The region is famed for its 69 fast, comfortable, state-of-the-art lifts, wide, well-groomed slopes with something for all tastes and abilities, stunning views and welcoming mountain huts.
There are plenty of runs for recreational skiers and indeed for experts on and off-piste. One fun option is the permanent racecourse with electronic timekeeping that sets off automatically as you pass through the start gate, linked to your lift pass.
Skiing St. Johann in Salzburg © Mirja Geh
St. Johann in Salzburg’s home mountain, The Hahnbaum, is the perfect ski area for families thanks to its very wide, gentle slopes, perfect for mastering those first turns. There are no crowds here so it’s a wholly stress-free place to progress.
Ski touring has become increasingly popular in recent years and if that’s your thing, or you’d like to give it a try, St. Johann in Salzburg’s Hahnbaum mountain has a second side as the perfect place for tourers too! An official ski touring route was created here way back in 2012 before ski touring became so popular, and a second ascent option has now been added. These set routes increase safety for ascending and descending winter sports enthusiasts and allow ski tourers to enjoy the tranquillity of nature on the ascent. The route consists of a mix of easy climbs and steeper sections with a choice of starting point, the greatest possible vertical being 500 metres.
Winter in St. Johann in Salzburg © TVB St. Johann in Salzburg Art of Sights
There are four great ski schools to choose from at St. Johann in Salzburg and Alpendorf. Each can offer the full range of tuition from complete beginners and children in skiing and snowboarding through the highly skilled experts wanting to refresh and improve their skills still further. All and any equipment needed can be hired too.
Activities
St. Johann in Salzburg has a great choice of things to do away from ski slopes if you’re a non-skier, or just wanting to do more than whizz down the pistes.
There are 50km of cleared and signposted winter hiking trails in the peaceful, pristine natural world away from the busy ski slopes of the village.
Winter in St. Johann in Salzburg ©TVB St. Johann in Salzburg_Art of Sight
You can also hike or take the lift up to plenty of viewpoints around the resort to take in the stunning scenery from above. The Gernkogel summit, Kreistenalm and Sternalm huts all provide fabulous views of the surrounding mountains and from Gipfel Hochgründeck you can see as far as the Dachstein glacier and even over to the German Berchtesgaden Alps.
St. Johann in Salzburg is also home to three cross-country loops with a total of 14km of trails through the beautifully snowy landscape. The gentle Plankenau trail is great for those just learning how to cross-country ski whilst the high-altitude trail in Alpendorf is more of a challenge.
For some tobogganing fun, there’s a natural run on the Hahnbaum delivering fun for the whole family.
Or for some truly magical moments, why not enjoy the timeless romance of a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the beautiful natural landscape of St. Johann in Salzburg, wrapped up in cosy blankets with a warming drink?
Dining
The mountains above St. Johann in Salzburg are full not just of ski slopes and fabulous mountain scenery, but also of warm, cosy and welcoming mountain huts where you’ll find a hearty welcome, big smiles and a great atmosphere await …along with exceptional food of course, created to traditional recipes by the latest generation of local families who will also grow or source all their ingredients in the valley.
St. Johann in Salzburg ©Tvb-St. Johann in Salzburg Chris Perkles
Pastries, or ‘pofesen’ are a particular speciality of the region and you should definitely treat yourself to a hearty slice of Sachertorte during your visit. You can take a winter hut hike to sample the food at several of them, or of course ski between them too.
There are many great ski huts dotted around the slopes with the Kreistenalm, Oberforsthofalm, Gernkogel, Buchauhütte and Gut Berg Stadl among the most popular.
The Pongauer Bauernladen is the place to stop for locally-produced organic farm produce, produced by the area’s hard-working farmers, here served up as healthy breakfasts and lunches for lucky diners.
Finally, one spot especially worth a visit, located high above the Salzach Valley, at 1,000m in nearby St. Johann im Pongau, is the Hedegg schnapps distillery, run for many generations.
Events
There’s always something going on at St. Johann in Salzburg.
An unusual parade, which only happens once every four years in the village, is due to take place on 5th January 2025, the 12th day of Christmas. The Pongau Perchtenlauf sees locals parade through the centres in costumes and elaborate masks.
Parachute Ski World Championship ©Tourismusverband-St. Johann in Salzburg
One big event coming up this winter is the Parachute Ski World Championships from March 13-16, 2025 which will see the planet’s best skiers with parachutes tackle the steep slopes.
There’s also a special week for families and kids from the 14th to the 18th of April 2025, the JoKiWo Winter Edition.
More Info
Main Image – Family in St Johann-in-Salzburg ©Tvb St. Johann-in-Salzburg Chris Perkles