Mooserwirt in St Anton should definitely be on your bucket list
Austria is one of the world’s leading countries for skiing, with pristine slopes, vast ski areas - and of course an incredible après-ski scene in lots of resorts.
If you plan for your ski holiday to revolve around live music, dancing on tables and partying through the night, then look no further than the following resorts, which are the best Austria has to offer for après.
And if you’re new to the world of skiing, then have a read of our guide explaining what après-ski actually is - it’ll make you want to be in the mountains in no time.
With a slightly more wild and crazy culture compared to France, keep reading for Austria’s top après-ski resorts.
READ MORE: Have a look at what we've got for the best après-ski resorts in France!
Austria's best ski resorts for après-ski are:
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St Anton
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Ischgl
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Mayrhofen
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Sölden
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Saalbach
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Zell am See
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Söll
1. St Anton
If you’ve watched Chalet Girl, you might have got a glimpse of St Anton’s après culture - wild, if you’re in any doubt.
The party starts on the slopes at one of two major après institutions which are right next door to each other - Mooserwirt or Krazy Kanguruh. These are both incredibly lively with music and dancing performances to mesmerise you, before a wobbly ski back into town.
From here, you can continue the fun at Basecamp, where a saxophonist makes regular appearances throughout the night, interspersed with other live music.
Taps and Scotty’s are good options for bars in town which remain very lively, before heading to Postkeller or The Kandahar for some nightclub action deep into the night.
Iglu Ski’s Alice Barlow can tell you all about Taps - she recalls on her season “standing on the bar pouring shots into people’s mouths, all while dressed as a pirate!”.
There’s plenty more to be discovered as well - read our complete guide to St Anton’s après and nightlife hotspots for all the important details.
Krazy Kanguruh is very close to Mooserwirt and is great fun
2. Ischgl
Ischgl is a very close call with St Anton, and it has incredible party venues in town.
Paznauner Taja is just one of the slopeside après venues up in the mountain, while the fun gets even better down in town, where Kuhstall and Schatzi Bar lead the way with their live music and raucous atmosphere.
Nightclubs in Ischgl include Livingroom and Mad Cat Club, and there are a huge number of pubs and bars to be discovered too.
Ischgl also puts on an opening and closing concert every season, with massive names turning up like Elton John, Robbie Williams and Helene Fischer. Ellie Goulding opened the 24-25 season.
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Paznauner Taja in Ischgl is brilliant fun - especially when the weather's nice
3. Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen is a fun (and fairly good value) party town found in the Zillertal Valley, and just a 90-minute drive from Innsbruck Airport.
A favourite of Iglu Ski's Iwan Williams, he says: "It’s got a beautiful main street filled with bars and restaurants, offering a strong selection of après and nightlife spots. It’s also home to a music festival and a comedy festival, underlining how much more than just a ski resort it is."
He advises that "for up-the-mountain après make sure you visit either the Pilzbar or the Elchbar. Both are right next door to the top of the main gondola station and have huge sun terraces where tabletop dancing is encouraged."
Back down in town there’s the Brück'n Stadl and the Ice Bar where you’ll find plenty of live music and DJs to take you through to the later hours, before you can then head down to the Arena Club in the Sport & Spa Hotel Strass where there’s house, techno, drum and bass, and much more.
Have a read of our complete guide to Mayrhofen’s après and nightlife scene for all the key details.
The Brück'n Stadl in Mayrhofen gets very lively every day
4. Sölden
Sölden is certainly a fun place to go out, with Iglu Ski’s Head of Commercial Gordon Ritter describing it as “the liveliest resort in the Oetz Valley with a truly international feel”.
He says that “all the fun takes place on the main street with a great choice of bars and clubs - my favourite being Halli Valli which is open from 3pm ‘til 6pm and has a party atmosphere and a uniquely Austrian combination of disco lights and mulled wine."
Other places to look out for include the Fire & Ice, which is open from the mid-afternoon and doesn’t close until about 3am, providing more of a club atmosphere.
The Black & Orange Rock Bar is the perfect venue for fans of rock music - and you can also sample its huge range of whiskies and gin. If you want more of a DJ vibe then head to the Schirmbar which has an electric atmosphere and will warm you right up until 8pm, before you head on into the night.
The Black and Orange Rock Bar in Sölden is a very unique place to relax in
5. Saalbach
Home to a whopping 40-odd bars and clubs, Saalbach is another resort which has an above average après and nightlife scene.
A top option for slopeside après in the area is the Goaßstall in connected Hinterglemm (ß is pronounced as ss) which has a huge sun terrace with regular DJs playing bangers to the packed crowd.
Iglu Ski’s Dec Baker-Irons loves Saalbach, and says it’s got “something for everyone”, with his favourite being the Hinterhag Alm next to the Kohlmais piste, where he “often found them playing the ultra long horn”, to its energetic partiers who likely came straight from skiing. The venue also starred in the Sound of Music film during the Edelweiss song - although it probably had a different vibe back then.
He says the Off-Piste Bar in town is another of his favourites, which has “live music most nights - and you can get to know people over a game of Hammerschlagen (hammer throwing)."
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Goaßstall in Saalbach-Hinterglemm gets absolutely rammed - it's an unbelievable atmosphere
6. Zell am See
Zell am See has fantastic connections to nearby Kaprun and Saalbach, and you can also enjoy its après scene, too. Known for its wonderful lakeside setting and views, it’s a really unique resort to have fun in.
For genuine slopeside spots up in the mountains, look no further than the SchnapHans Bar which has a huge outdoor terrace that gets very lively. The Parasol Schirmbar is also up at 2,000m in front of the Alpincentre where several gondolas converge.
A must-visit in town is the Villa Crazy Daisy, which welcomes a live band every day of the week, drawing in huge crowds. It’s also got a rooftop terrace with blankets and heaters for when you need a breather, and serves plenty of delicious food.
Have a read of our complete guide to Zell am See’s après-ski and nightlife scene for more information.
Villa Crazy Daisy is a favourite in Zell am See - it's intimate but very fun as well
7. Söll
Söll is a solid choice for après - especially for the younger crowds. Found in the huge SkiWelt ski area, it’s got roughly 30 restaurants and bars to choose from, with open air places up the mountain and inside pubs and clubs in town.
Salvenstadl is located on the edge of town and is a dancing-on-tables type of place which stays open until the early hours, while further up you can enjoy the Gasthof Stockalm at the middle gondola station, or the Hexenkessel at the base gondola station.
The Whisky Mühle in the town centre has been around since 1969 and welcomes 700 people to dance right through the night until 4am, with a variety of music in its 2 rooms.
More sophisticated options include Bella Vita and Rossini Cafe, which are great for genuine chatter and watching live sports.
Discover Austria's après-ski scene for yourself with Iglu Ski
If Austria sounds like it could be the country for your next après-filled ski holiday, then have a look at our best Austria ski holiday deals, where you can book online.
If you’re not sure yet, then let us help you. Make an inquiry if you want more details, and we’ll get back to you quickly with our best advice. Alternatively, give us a call on 020 3848 3700 if you’ve got any questions about your next ski holiday.
Everyone at Iglu Ski has done a season in the mountains and visited plenty of resorts, so we really are the industry experts. We’re the UK’s largest ski travel agency and we’ve been sending people on incredible ski holidays for over 26 years.
If you’re booking for a big group of mates then we know it can be a bit overwhelming - have a read of our group booking guide for some advice.
