By telling us the age of the children who are traveling with you, we are able to provide you with a more accurate price.

Find accommodation

For the best price on bookings of 6 or more rooms, please contact us.

1: Holiday destination

Please select a country

or browse destinations

2: Travel dates

Arrival date

Duration of stay

nights, ending 9-Dec-2008

3: Accommodation

Children under two travel free – and do not need to be included your search.

Rooms

Room 1:

Adults Children

4: Your nationality

This helps us find the right hotels at the best prices for you.

5: Apply discount (Optional)

Booked with us before or got a voucher code? Enter your email address / code below.

Travel guide – st anton

Go back to travel guide home

Overview

St Anton is a top destination for British skiers and snowboarders, attracted by both the first-class skiing and the beer-fuelled après ski sessions. Along with its neighbours, Lech and Zürs (only a short bus ride away), St Anton offers extensive skiing for intermediate and advanced skiers but is possibly not the best choice for beginners or non-skiers as lower slopes can get crowded and there are not many off-slope facilities. The resort, which sprawls along the bottom of a narrow valley, is a Mecca for ski-bums attracted by the excellent off-piste runs - the best Austria has to offer. St Anton's south-facing slopes can get slushy by the end of the day, particularly in spring, and partly for this reason the collection of bars on the slopes above town get packed by around 3pm. The most famous is the Krazy Kangaroo, which has live bands and is filled by Austrian and English revellers dancing in ski boots till the bar closes, when the short run home in the dark becomes a challenge to some.

Shopping

Shopping along St Anton's pedestrianised main street is a little touristy, although quite laid-back, with plenty of cosy bars and cafes where shoppers can rest their feet. Shops tend to be expensive, but the quality of merchandise is good. There are numerous skiwear and ski-equipment outlets stocking the name-brand goods, but also good jewellers, music stores, antique stores and clothing boutiques. It is well worth checking out the local arts and crafts work, particularly traditional woodcarvings.

Restaurants

Dining out in St Anton is a diverse and satisfying experience, with everything from burgers to vegetarian meals on offer at establishments that keep cooking until well after midnight. For five-star dining try the luxury hotels like the St Antoner Hof or Alte Post. Traditional Austrian fare is sought after by active skiers seeking a hearty meal. Some of the best is served up at the Sporthotel, where a variety of sausages can be savoured with an accompiniment of potatoes and sauerkraut, at reasonable prices. Game and dumplings also appear on most local menus. Fondue can be enjoyed at The Montjola, one of the oldest restaurants in the area.

Nightlife

The club and bar scene in St Anton is very lively, and less expensive than some of the other European ski resorts. The 'in' places are the Krazy Kangaroo Bar on the mountainside, and the Moosewirt Bar, both usually packed with skiers and snowboarders after a day on the slopes. Alcohol flows freely to the tune of rock and hip-hop. The night is long at the numerous other discos and clubs, but for those seeking something more sedate there are quieter, sophisticated bars in the hotels.

Activities

Skiing, snowboarding and partying are the main activities on the agenda at St Anton, but the town does offer some alternatives. The Championship Hall convention centre offers spas and swimming facilities, and there are indoor sports facilities for racquetball, bowling and tennis. A unique open-air heated pool on the wooded mountainside with its playground and waterslide is extremely popular in the summer.

Climate

Although cold, the high alpine resorts are usually much sunnier in winter than below in the valleys where fog and cloud persist, but in summer the Alps may become cloudy during the hotter part of the day. In autumn and spring some alpine valleys (particularly those running from south to north) experience the warm and very dry wind known as the foehn, which can quickly melt snow and trigger off avalanches on the mountain slopes.

Health

No vaccinations are necessary for business visits or general tourism. There is, however, a risk of tick-borne encephalitis for long-term visitors who expect to be visiting rural or forested areas in spring or summer. These travellers should consider vaccination and ensure they take precautions against tick infestation. Water and food are safe. Medical facilities are excellent. Medical insurance is advised unless from the UK - citizens of EU countries can get free emergency medical treatment at public hospitals in Austria on production of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Bird flu was found in dead swans in the southern province of Styria on 15 February 2006 and stringent measures are being taken to contain the outbreak. The risk is very low for travellers, but all close contact with wild, domestic and caged birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution.

top of page

Travel Guide by www.wordtravels.com
Disclaimer: By its very nature much of the information in our travel guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Winter Sunshine Holidays & Globe Media cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.