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When it could be your only ski holiday of the year, it’s understandable that you might want the reassurance and familiarity of a big-name resort, even when that means paying higher prices and sharing the mountain with thousands of other skiers.
But when you’re taking the kids, your priorities change. Rather than hundreds of kilometres of pistes and a lively apres-ski scene, you might prefer an easy journey to the ski school meeting point, uncrowded slopes, and some fun things to do when tired legs bring the skiing to an earlier finish.
That’s where Carinthia, Austria’s sunny, southernmost region, comes into its own. Still relatively unfamiliar to British ski families, it’s this hidden-gem quality that makes it such a good choice for a more relaxed family ski holiday. The slopes tend to be quieter and the prices more reasonable, without compromising on the quality of the skiing.
Most importantly, it provides the chance to enjoy the holiday together, rather than spending half of it negotiating lift queues, crossing busy resorts or trying to make full use of an expensive lift pass. Here’s why you should consider Carinthia for your next family ski trip.
Quality skiing at a manageable scale
“Hidden gem” can sometimes be a polite way of saying small or limited. That’s not the case in Carinthia, which is home to resorts large enough to provide variety, but manageable enough that you can quickly learn your way around.
Nassfeld, the region’s largest resort, has 110km of pistes, while Bad Kleinkirchheim (BKK) offers 103km – more than enough terrain to keep you occupied for a week. With their long, well-groomed red runs, dedicated learner areas, and top-notch ski schools, the resorts are particularly good for experienced parents who can feel confident leaving their children in the hands of English-speaking instructors while they make the most of the mountain.
Alternatively, families with a few ski holidays under their belt can enjoy exploring the ski area together at a leisurely pace, free from the pressure of rushing around the mountain simply to justify the cost of the lift pass.
“The ski area is bigger than it looks with lots of red runs that are great for progression rather than absolute beginners. Our two daughters both enjoyed ski lessons with English speaking instructors.
“There are two main areas and meeting points so do be careful when you book your lift passes and ski lessons that they’re in the right place. Kids’ lessons were in the morning, and rather than skiing the area end to end, we used the frequent buses to get up to Nockalm and ski back. The Nockalmbahn is a charmingly retro gondola.”
Skip the crowds and save
If your children are school-age, you’ll probably be travelling during one of the season’s most popular ski weeks. Half term, Christmas and Easter can make avoiding peak crowds and prices difficult wherever you ski, but choosing a quieter region like Carinthia can take some of the pressure off.
Uncrowded pistes are especially beneficial when your kids are progressing from nursery slopes to the more challenging terrain of the wider mountain. They have the freedom to practise linking turns without competing for space with too many ski-school snakes and overconfident speed demons. The compact resort of Heiligenblut is the perfect place to enjoy this aspect of the region. Its smaller-scale lift network helps keep the number of people on the slopes down, leaving families with more room to ski and less time standing around. Perched beneath the Großglockner, Austria’s highest mountain, Heiligenblut also offers spectacular scenery.
Lift passes and accommodation are generally more affordable than in Austria’s most famous resorts – in fact, Nassfeld is one of Europe's most affordable resorts. Six-day passes are as much as €100 cheaper, and there are discounts available for parents and kids skiing together. At Heiligenblut, the Snowman Card allows children up to the age of ten to ski for €10 per day. Nassfeld’s Kids Surprise ticket gives under-tens a €10 day pass every Saturday during the season. In Bad Kleinkirchheim, you can reduce children’s lift passes to €1 a day when you book selected partner accommodation.
“We travelled to BKK in the Half Term holidays and it was great value compared to other Austrian resorts and far cheaper than the big French resorts.”
Après-ski that brings families together
There are lively bars if you fancy a drink, particularly around the main lift stations in Nassfeld, but drinking and dancing doesn’t dominate once the lifts close the way it does in the party resorts. A typical afternoon or evening in Carinthia is more likely to involve a sunny mountain-hut terrace, a long meal or an activity the whole family can join in with.
In Bad Kleinkirchheim, the obvious alternative to skiing is a visit to the thermal baths. The resort’s spa tradition dates back centuries, and its two public baths (St Kathrein and Thermal Römerbad), with their dedicated kids’ pools, mean taking to the naturally heated water is an activity that families can enjoy together, rather than an adults-only indulgence. That said, parents can still take turns slipping away for a sauna, massage or spa treatment.
Elsewhere, families can try floodlit tobogganing, snowtubing, ice skating or the Kaiserburg roller bobsleigh. For something gentler, there are horse-drawn sleigh rides, winter walking trails and guided snowshoe excursions.
With less of a focus on skiing and partying, families can spend more time enjoying everything the mountain has to offer together without feeling that they’re missing out.
“We went ‘natural sledding’ at the Maibrunnbahn end of town, which we arranged through the hotel. It was very fun – you’re taken up the mountain in a trailer pulled by a tractor, and then you use an old-fashioned wooden sledge to go all the way back down on tracks through the woods.
“We also did a horse-drawn carriage ride through town (on Valentine’s Day, in fact!), which was lovely to do with the kids at dusk. And make sure to bring swimming costumes. Most of the big four-star hotels have pools, but we also enjoyed a family trip to the thermal baths.”
An Alpine ski holiday with an Adriatic flavour
There’s a thrilling sense of adventure to visiting Carinthia as a British family, especially if you’re used to skiing in the Northern Alps. The region will feel familiar in many ways, but with a unique character that’s sure to make a lasting impression on kids and parents alike.
For example, in Bad Kleinkirchheim, the dome-shaped, forested summits of the Nockberge Mountains look quite different from the sharp, jagged peaks found further west. And the villages below, with their traditional architecture and year-round populations, feel lived-in rather than purpose-built for tourism.
Nassfeld's position near the Italian and Slovenian borders makes it one of the best places to experience the ‘Alpe Adria’ culture. You’ll hear it in the languages spoken, see it in the architecture, and taste it in the food.
Many of the mountain huts and restaurants embrace the Slow Food philosophy, which involves using delicious, locally-sourced ingredients and preserving regional food traditions and specialities. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean delicacies that kids are likely to turn their noses up at – on the menu you’ll find Kärntner Käsnudel (pasta pockets filled with cheese or sometimes covered in honey butter), local lamb and lake trout, and Reindling, a yeast cake with sugar and cinnamon. Failing that, the region’s proximity to Italy means you're never too far away from tucking into a big bowl of pasta or sharing a pizza.
“If you’re in BKK, visit Ciketto for traditional (and big) Austrian dumplings and the classic bratwurst or schnitzel. It's not fancy, but it is very authentic and has a cosy atmosphere, with locals sitting at the bar.”
Book your family ski holiday to Carinthia with Iglu Ski
Won over by Carinthia? Whether you fancy mixing skiing with spa sessions in BKK, experiencing the unique culture in Nassfeld, or enjoying the space and scenery of Heiligenblut, you can book your family ski holiday to the region’s best resorts through Iglu Ski.