Making the most of your stay
The chalet is located about 400m from the nearest ski lift, the Panoramabahn. The lift is up a reasonably steep road and can be hard work for children/less able people particularly wearing ski boots and carrying skis. There is free parking near all of the ski lifts so it is possible to simply drive and park and have a flat, small walk to whichever ski lift you want to use.
Turracher Höhe has lots of activities on offer in both summer and winter seasons and we recommend checking out the local website to see what events are happening during your stay (www.turracherhoehe.com/en). The ski area has a fantastic snow record and consists of 38km of pisted slopes with a couple of snowparks. It is not the right place for you if you are looking for a vast, challenging ski area such as the Three Valleys in France but it is ideal for families, intermediates and beginners alike with plenty of off-piste and ski touring for the more adventurous.
We would strongly recommend you hire a car (and snow chains in the winter are a must). As there is no supermarket within the village it is necessary to do your shopping either en route to the chalet or the nearest major town which is 15 mins drive away at Bad Kleinkirchheim www.badkleinkirchheim.at BKK has two big supermarkets at the far end of town and also comprehensive spa facilities in the centre.
Winter tyres are required by law in Austria from 1st November until 15th April. The road leading to the village is however very steep and can become impassable in snow very quickly. We would highly recommend snow chains even if the roads look very passable in the lower regions. It is a good idea to make sure you know how to put them on before you need to in cold, snowy conditions. Please keep this in mind when you are planning your return journey to the airport.
A car will also enable you to explore the surrounding area. The village consists of mountains huts, restaurants, hotels and equipment hire shops. The closest "hut" to the Chalet is about 10-12 mins walk perfect for a few beers! The mountain huts are awesome and excellent value too particularly compared with other more expensive ski resorts in Europe. If you stay for longer than a week you might consider buying a "Top-Ski Pass" which enables you to ski at other resorts in the area including Bad Kleinkirchheim which has over 100km of skiing and is approximately 15 mins away, Nassfeld (440km of pistes), Katschberg (66km of pistes) and Gerlitzen (45km of pistes).
Although there are a lot of activities in the immediate vicinity, there is plenty to explore in the surrounding areas too. We have mentioned BKK before with its spa facilities but there are also clay tennis courts, a golf course and horse riding facilities too. Check out www.carinthia.at which highlights all the region has to offer.