Favourites
Customer portal
Tucked away between the Austrian Alps, Italy and Slovenia, Carinthia isn’t widely known, but it absolutely should be.
The country’s southernmost ski region is blessed with an abundance of sunshine, as well as unique Alpine-Adriatic culture and cuisine (such as cheesey pasta parcels and deep-fried pastries), and snow-sure slopes that rise to over 3,000m and support a December to April ski season.
Carinthia is still overlooked by many UK skiers, but that’s part of the appeal: the slopes tend to be quieter and the prices lower than the big name Austrian resorts. A 6-day peak season pass is around €100 cheaper than an equivalent pass for Ski Arlberg or the Skicircus, while (according to Iglu's own data), a half board package trip is anything from £300-£800 cheaper.
And it’s not just the prices that are attractive. Its traditional mountain villages are home to year-round communities, giving them an authentic, lived-in feel. The relaxed pace of life, affordable prices and off-slope activities make Carinthia great for families, while the region’s thermal spa culture offers an alternative to après-ski centered around bars and clubs.
The wide, perfectly-groomed slopes of Bad Kleinkirchheim
Ski Resorts in Carinthia
The three main resorts are Bad Kleinkirchheim (BKK), Heiligenblut and Nassfeld.
In BKK, you’ll find a heady mix of skiing and spa, while Heiligenblut is all about quiet slopes and expansive freeride terrain, and Nassfeld boasts a livelier town and a short ski over the border to Italy. All three of Carinthia’s main ski areas are a brilliant choice for families, couples, and intermediates, as well as seasoned skiers looking for somewhere new to explore and a real sense of adventure.
| Resort | Ski area size | Altitude range | Transfer time | 6-day lift pass price range | Localski schools | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Kleinkirchheim | 103km | 1,087m to 2,055m | Klagenfurt - 1 hr | Ljubljana - 1 hr 45 mins | Salzburg - 2 hrs | €336 / €351 | Ski & Sportschule Krainer | Qualitätsskischule Brunner | Quality Ski School Brunner | Intermediates, beginners, families, couples and spa lovers. |
| Heiligenblut | 55km | 1,300m to 2,902m | Klagenfurt - 2 hrs | Salzburg - 2 hrs 30 mins | Innsbruck - 3 hrs 30 mins | €246.50 / €299.50 | Grossglockner/Heiligenblut Snowsports School | Heiligenblut ski school | Families, confident intermediates and freeriders who value quieter slopes and scenery. |
| Nassfeld | 110km | 610m to 2,020m | Klagenfurt - 1 hr 30 mins | Salzburg - 3 hrs | Venice - 2 hrs 30 mins | €353 / €381 | Skischool Sunnyside | Skischulleiter | Die Skischule Nassfeld | Skischule Thommi Nassfeld | Families, mixed groups and intermediates who like a livelier town. |
Bad Kleinkirchheim
BKK is a proper Austrian village with a tradition of thermal bathing that dates back to the 12th century, thanks to spring waters that are naturally heated to around 34°C.
The resort is located in the Nockberge Mountains, so called because of their dome-shaped peaks – nock is derived from the old German for dome. The 103km ski area is predominantly made up of red runs, making it particularly good for intermediates who like to enjoy long days of cruising on quiet slopes followed by a lengthy spa session. Beginners are also well looked after, with ski schools, nursery areas and a gentler atmosphere than you would find in Austria’s more full-on resorts.
BKK has two public thermal spas, including the family-friendly St. Kathrein Thermal Baths and the Thermal Römerbad, which has dedicated kids and adult-only areas. It’s common to ski in the morning, have a proper lunch, do a few more laps in the afternoon and then spend the evening in thermal water and saunas.
That makes it especially appealing for couples, families and mixed-ability groups that like to unwind for as long as they like to ski. In fact, bathing is so much a part of the culture in BKK that you can buy a ski + thermal bath pass, and the standard pass can be used to access either the slopes or the baths.
BKK is also popular with Italian visitors, many of whom know the area from summer holidays and have second homes, giving the village a slightly more local vibe. The lift system is a mix of old and new, but the terrain is well rounded, the mountain is easy to get around and there’s enough skiing to keep most casual skiers entertained for a week.
Heiligenblut
Sitting beneath the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain, and with its iconic Gothic church, Heiligenblut is probably the most atmospheric of Carinthia’s main ski resorts.
It’s higher, quieter and more remote than BKK or Nassfeld, with the ski area rising to over 2,902m.
On paper, Heiligenblut has a modest 55km of pistes, but that doesn’t tell the full story. The ski area is wide, open and excellent for freeriders, with off-piste terrain across the mountain that’s equivalent to around 2,300 football pitches. Unlike in many large, busy resorts, the powder remains largely untouched to the side of the groomed runs, while families and cautious intermediates will appreciate the lack of crowds.
The lift infrastructure is quaint and capacity is limited, which keeps the pistes pleasingly quiet. You might not get heated seats, but you’re far less likely to spend the week shuffling through busy lift queues.
Heiligenblut is not for groups who want late-night bars or more pistes than they could ever ski. It’s for skiers who want scenery, space, snow, value and a village that still feels authentically Austrian. Heiligenblut really is one of Austria’s more interesting hidden gems – in fact, it’s so hidden that it tends to avoid the influx of weekend skiers common in many resorts.
High-altitude Heiligenblut offers acres of off-piste, quiet slopes and picture-perfect scenery
Nassfeld
Nassfeld is the largest and most developed of the three Carinthian resorts, with 110km of slopes and 29 lifts, many of them recently upgraded.
It has more of a 'main resort’ energy than BKK or Heiligenblut, with a few slopeside bars like Bärenhütte at the Millennium Express valley station, and NIVIS, providing classic après-ski vibes.
Its location is a big part of the appeal. The resort sits in the tri-border area between Austria, Italy and Slovenia, which makes it popular with Central and Eastern European skiers as well as Austrians and Italians – in fact, around a quarter of its pistes spill over into Italy. You’re sure to notice this in the number of languages you hear spoken around the resort and in the unique Alpine-Adriatic cuisine.
There’s a bell summit of the Rosskofel (2240m), which was erected in 1998 to mark the 50th Nassfeldkirchtag, a cross-border festival that celebrates the friendship, peace and shared alpine culture of Italy and Austria.
The skiing is varied and especially suited to intermediates, though with enough blue, red, and off-piste terrain to keep mixed-ability groups happy. It’s also excellent for families, with three children’s practice areas and a funslope, and non-skiing activities like ice skating on Lake Pressegg, floodlit toboggan runs, horse-drawn carriages, and indoor swimming pools.
There’s a variety of accommodation in Nassfeld, with premium hotels, bed and breakfasts and apartments offering options for all needs and budgets, and some-ski-in-ski-out properties in the higher villages. Food is another major selling point. Nassfeld has the Austrian mountain-hut staples you would hope for, but its proximity to the border means you can ski over for an Italian lunch and a change of scenery.
While generally the priciest of the three Carinthian resorts, it’s still good value compared with many better-known Alpine areas (we included it in our ranking of Europe’s most affordable ski resorts). Add in the abundant sunshine and lively après-ski bars, and Nassfeld is a compelling alternative for skiers who want something a little bit different from the usual but familiar enough to be comfortable.
Ski Holidays in Carinthia
Here are just a few reasons you should choose Carinthia for your next ski holiday:
Great value skiing
Carinthia is one of Austria’s best-value ski regions, especially when compared with the country’s bigger-name resorts. Lift passes, mountain food, drinks and accommodation are all generally well-priced, but the region still boasts all the things skiers come to Austria for: well-groomed pistes, proper mountain huts, and adventurous skiing.
Heiligenblut is the standout for value, while Bad Kleinkirchheim and Nassfeld are still affordable compared to many of Austria’s more famous ski areas.
Quieter slopes and a more relaxed atmosphere
Less crowded slopes, shorter lift queues, traditional towns and villages, and a gentler pace all contribute to a generally more relaxed atmosphere in Carinthia. You still get scenic mountains and well-groomed slopes, but without the same crowds, prices or après-led atmosphere you can find in other resorts.
Instead the focus is on wellbeing, with thermal baths (especially in BKK) and spa treatments, and Slow Food experiences – Carinthia is the world's first certified Slow Food Travel destination, a movement focused on local, seasonal, eco-conscious eating.
Brilliant for families and mixed-ability groups
Families are one of the best audiences for Carinthia. The affordable prices and relaxed atmosphere are a big part of that, of course, but also the dedicated kids ski zones, like the Young Stars Area and Skimovie race tracks in Nassfeld and the children's ski course in Heiligenblut. On top of that, there are generous family ski pass discounts. In BKK, parents get a €1 per day kids ski pass for every 6-day adult ski pass purchased.
Nassfeld’s Kids Surprise ticket allows kids under the age of 10 to ski for €10 every Saturday of the season, and Heiligenblut’s Snowman Card allows kids up to 10 to ski for €10 with the purchase of any adult day pass.
A unique culture
Carinthia sits on the sunny southern side of the Austrian Alps (the region enjoys around 100 more hours of sun than northerly areas), close to Italy and Slovenia, so everything from the food to the climate and the atmosphere are a little different from your typical Alpine ski area. Nassfeld is one of the best places to experience this, with its cross-border skiing and Italian mountain lunches lending it a cosmopolitan flavour.
But you can also indulge in Bad Kleinkirchheim’s Roman-inspired spa culture (visitors have been enjoying its thermal waters for centuries), or take in Heiligenblut’s gothic architecture and dramatic Alpe Adria scenery.
Delicious cheese-filled pasta parcels are just one example of Carinthia's unique cuisine
Group ski holidays in Carinthia
Carinthia works well for the right sort of ski group.
For example, it’s a very good option if you’re a bunch of friends looking to enjoy quality time together and a more relaxed week on the mountain – one that involves long lunches and group spa sessions, perhaps. That said, there’s enough of an apres-ski scene to provide partygoers with options for a fun night out. This is especially true of Nassfeld, which also offers the greatest scale and variety of terrain for mixed ability groups. Head to BKK if the gang is game for some thermal bathing.
Heiligenblut is more specialist. It suits smaller groups of confident skiers who like scenery, off-piste skiing and quiet slopes, or families and friends who simply want to avoid the busier Austrian resorts.
Beginner ski holidays in Carinthia
Beginner skiers don’t generally need hundreds of kilometres of terrain.
In fact, the kind of compact resorts and uncrowded slopes you find in Carinthia are ideal for novices, offering a more relaxed environment for learners that can encourage faster progression. While Nassfeld is particularly good for intermediates, there are accessible nursery slopes and beginner areas around Sonnleitn and Tressdorfer Alm, and great ski schools with English-speaking instructors.
Bad Kleinkirchheim is probably the best of the three for beginners, with a number of ski schools to choose from, gentle nursery slopes right around the village, and inviting blues over in St Oswald and the base of the Kaiserburg peak. The thermal spas might also help to soothe those aching ski legs and get you ready for the next day.
Heiligenblut is better for improving beginners and cautious intermediates than absolute first-timers, because most of the pistes are graded red. For nervous skiers, however, its quiet pistes are a huge bonus.
Carinthia: Key Information
Where is Carinthia located?
Carinthia is in southern Austria, on the sunny side of the Alps, bordering Italy and Slovenia. Its ski resorts sit across the southern Austrian mountains, with Nassfeld close to the Italian border, Bad Kleinkirchheim in the Nockberge mountains, and Heiligenblut in the Hohe Tauern region beneath the Grossglockner.
Where is the nearest airport to Carinthia?
The nearest useful airport depends on which resort you are visiting. Klagenfurt is the closest regional airport for many Carinthian resorts, with Bad Kleinkirchheim around 55km away. Ljubljana is also an option, especially for Nassfeld and BKK, while Salzburg has the most flight options for UK skiers but can involve longer transfers, particularly to Nassfeld and Heiligenblut.
What is the highest point in Carinthia?
The highest absolute point in Carinthia is the 3,798 m high Grossglockner. Heiligenblut has the highest ski area, with lifts rising to around 2,902m. In the wider Carinthia ski region, the Gletscherjet chairlift reaches heights of 3,122 metres in the Mölltaler Gletscher resort.
What’s the longest run in Carinthia?
Nassfeld’s Carnia is the longest run in Carinthia, running from the Zweikofelbahn station down through a forest corridor towards the town of Tröpolach. The full descent is around 7.6km, with a vertical drop of 1,212 meters.
What’s the most difficult run in Carinthia?
Franz Klammer in Bad Kleinkirchheim is widely-regarded as one of the most difficult runs in Carinthia. Named after a champion downhill racer, this 3.2km black piste descends 842m and has a maximum gradient of up to 80% at its steepest point.
Are there any glaciers in Carinthia?
The wider Carinthia ski area includes the Mölltaler Gletscher, the only glacier resort in the region. Open from November to May, the glacier offers 17.4km of pistes, 6km of off-piste terrain, and a snowpark. You can reach Mölltaler Gletscher by road from Nassfeld, Bad Kleinkirchheim or Heiligenblut (the closest), and access its slopes with a Kärntner Skipass, which is valid for 31 Carinthia and East Tyrol resorts.
What are the top apres bars in Carinthia?
Carinthia’s après-ski is more relaxed than the big Austrian party resorts. Nassfeld has the liveliest mountain and après scene of the three, with a few lively bars, including Bärenhütte, which has a sunny terrace and hosts parties on Friday and Saturday, and NIVIS, which is home to an après-ski conservatory and outdoor area.
How much does a Carinthia lift pass cost?
In Nassfeld, a six-day, adult ski pass for the 2026-2027 season ranges from €353 in the low season to €381 in the high season.
The standard BKK multi-day pass gives you access to either the pistes or to the Thermal Römerbad baths. A six-day pass costs €336 in the low season and €351 in the high season. You can also buy a ski and thermal bath pass that gives you access to both for an added fee.
A six-day pass for Heiligenblut ranges from €246.50 to €299.50, with prices varying from week to week.
If you want access to the entire Carinthia ski region and beyond, check out the Kärntner Skipass. Six-day adult prices start from €353 in the low season to €381 in the peak season. Considering it gives you access to 31 resorts and 845km of slopes, it’s exceptionally good value.
Discover the best deals on Carinthia Ski Holidays
Carinthia is ideal if you want a great value Austrian ski holiday, with quieter slopes and a slightly different flavour from your classic Alpine trip. Choose Bad Kleinkirchheim for intermediate skiing and thermal spas, Heiligenblut for quiet slopes and scenery, or Nassfeld for the biggest ski area, modern lifts and a livelier town.
Browse our latest Carinthia ski holiday deals or speak to our ski experts to find the best resort, accommodation and travel options.