Sitting at 1600m, the Austrian village of Obertauern has a reputation for being somewhat of a hidden gem with relatively reliable snow from December to April. Nestled in the state of Salzburg and perched on the Radstädter Tauern mountain pass, it has a large, bowl-like feel with incredible 360 views. Based between 1630 and 2313m, the ski area itself offers over 100km of pistes with a healthy mix of gradients and our Snomad community consistently praises empty pistes and the lack of queues.

Winter sports have been enjoyed here for more than 100 years, but it wasn’t until the 40s and 50s that the resort really took off, and purpose-built facilities were added. Then, in March 1965, the resort’s popularity was boosted even further when the Beatles spent a week here to record the film Help! Rumour has it that they also threw a private gig for guests staying in their hotel, the Edelweiss. You’ll find the bars, hotels and even the surroundings of Obertauern littered with Beatles memorabilia.

There are many reasons why people choose to return here year after year, not least the ease of access - you can reach the resort within two hours from Munich. There’s also a considerable après scene, with a dedicated ‘Après Ski Mile’ consisting of 25 ski lodges providing a great party atmosphere on the mountain.

Ultimately, Obertauern is a scenic resort with something for everyone, from freeriders to families.

What is the skiing like in Obertauern?

A sprawling valley serviced by 3 gondolas, 19 chairlifts and 5 T-bars, Obertauern’s ski area is a paradise of cruisey blues and reds, which make it a great resort for learners and beginners. There’s also a decent selection of black runs, two of which snake steeply down from the higher reaches of the Gamsleitenspitz peak in the northeast of the resort.

The resort has a good reputation for pockets of powder too, with a wide range of freeriding and off-piste options up above the resort. Beginners can start with the Hundskogelbahn while more experienced riders will head to Zehnerkar or the Seekarspitze. Ultimately, it’s the Gamsleiten II that most freeriders know thanks to it being one of the steepest slopes in Europe. What goes a long way in terms of safety and reassurance is that the drops are well connected to facilities along the pistes.

Obertauern is somewhat unique in its absolute ease, particularly for families. You can ski the entire resort by following The Tauern Round, and everything feels incredibly intuitive. What makes another exciting addition to any ski week agenda is the possibility of night skiing, when the pistes are illuminated by floodlights and there’s a unique, electric atmosphere in the slopeside bars.

There’s also a fun park with jumps, rails and pipes for freestyle enthusiasts, reached by taking the Kehrkopfbahn lift. On the smaller side, The Bibo Bear Park is a perfect haven for families with interactive features such as the slalom run - this is located next to the Edelweissbahn in the centre of the resort.

Where to eat out in Obertauern?

With both restaurants and mountain huts distributed generously throughout the resort, you’ll have a selection to choose from for all meals during your stay. At the base station of the Seekarspitzbahn lift, Kringsalm offers both a la carte and self-service dining, which is perfect if you’re looking for a more casual lunch atop a sunny terrace (but there are indoor dining rooms too if the weather isn’t up to it.) Also on the mountain at 1850m, The Edelweissalm (which quickly turns into an après destination after lunch) is also a great place for casual salads, burgers and pastries. For dinner, restaurants are mostly made up of both impressive and quaint establishments serving traditional Austrian, German and Italian food (there’s lots of polenta going on), but restaurants such as the Lazy Flamingo bring some international variety with an upmarket American diner vibe.
Herzenslust and Freiwild offer a more haute cuisine experience, but all restaurants have a good selection of wines available.

What is the Après like in Obertauern?

Situated in the world-leading country of après ski, Obertauern has a lively après scene (those 25 mountain huts, remember) that begins on the mountain at the likes of Edelweissalm, Treff 2000 and Hochalm before trickling down into the resort bars of Gruber Stadl, Lürzer Alm and Der Turm. There’s also a range of umbrella bars should you be pushed to find space in the more well-known spots. In true Austrian style, you’ll enjoy dancing on tables, attractive female bar staff in dirndls and live DJ sets, but it can be very expensive!

Is Obertauern Family Friendly?

Obertauern is geared towards families, with a range of on and off-snow activities for children to enjoy. There’s the Bibo Bear Ski Park mentioned above, the scary forest piste section at the Schaidbergbahn, race routes with timed sections to test your speed, snow bike rentals, cross-country skiing and a tobogganing experience that takes you to the top on a Skidoo.

For non-skiers and other activities, there are winter walks and snow-shoe trekking, yoga classes, horse-drawn carriage rides and of course, a range of spa facilities on offer in the resort’s luxurious hotels.

Accommodation in Obertauern

While there is a wide range of accommodation options available throughout Obertauern, you’ll want to do some research as to where you’ll be based because some of the hotels and apartments are based further away from the centre, and so you’ll be required to get the bus in and out.

Some of the conveniently located hotels include the Hotel Steiner, Hotel Montana, Hotel Cinderella and Hotel Enzian. If you’d rather opt for self-catering apartments, the Freja Apartments are clean and simple but on the edge of town, while the [Places] Hotel by Valamar offers a chic and central setting with an ingenious flexi half-board option.

Is Obertauern Eco-Friendly?

Almost the entire resort of Obertauern is heated using eco-friendly biomass and regular ski buses promote the usage of public transport.

Pros & Cons of the Resort

Pros

• Great for families
• Large après scene
• Night skiing

Cons

• Expensive
• Quite a small resort with spread-out accommodation