Filzmoos

Photo: TVB Filzmoos. The Austrian village of Filzmoos, home to fewer than 1,500 people, has a picturesque setting at the foot of the Bischofsmütze (2,458 m), the highest point of the Gosaukamm range. Just 60 km from Salzburg (11 km from the A 10 motorway exit at Eben im Pongau) and conveniently close to the borders of the federal states of Styria and Upper Austria, it draws mountain lovers, and winter sports fans in particular. This small, charming resort, set among Alpine peaks at more than 1,057 m, belongs to Ski amadé, Austria's largest ski alliance, which covers 25 villages, 860 km of pistes and 270 lifts in total. Filzmoos itself has 16 km of pistes of varying difficulty (intermediate and beginner runs predominate; expert skiers have one black piste) and 9 lifts (1 gondola, 2 chairlifts and 6 T-bars). There are ski schools and rental shops in the village. Filzmoos is quieter and has more atmosphere than resorts such as Kitzbühel or Lech am Arlberg. It is ideal for people who like to spend their holidays in quiet corners. Its small scale does not affect the quality of what is on offer: there are many cosy rooms in guesthouses and private homes, and anyone who prefers anonymity and luxury to a family atmosphere will easily find a suitable apartment in one of the many hotels. The same goes for après-ski: the hours after skiing can be spent in quiet little bars or in livelier venues with entertainment for guests. The local leisure park offers spa and wellness (pool, massages, sauna, solariums), as well as a bowling alley, a cinema and interesting play areas for children. The season in Filzmoos starts in the first days of December and lasts until early April. The terrain here is great not only for skiing (including cross-country) but also for snowboarding, ski touring or snowshoe trips, curling and tobogganing. And anyone who does not want to exert themselves really does not have to do anything: you can take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the area every day, stroll along well-kept, easy footpaths, take in the view of the Dachstein or watch the hot-air balloons that greet you from the sky above the village, especially colourfully in January. Filzmoos is exceptionally family-friendly: the nursery slopes are right next to the accommodation, and the good ski and snowboard instructors mean parents (or grandparents) can leave their little ones in safe hands. That way every member of the family gets something out of the trip. The guest kindergarten takes children from the age of three. The village is known for its good food, and its world-famous figurehead is Johanna Maier: in 2001 the renowned chef became the first and only woman in the world to receive the distinction of four toques (anyone keen to try her dishes should visit the "Hubertus" restaurant).