Gerlos ski resort guide & reviews Ski areas, apres-ski, things to see & do in Gerlos
Overview
Ski holidays in Gerlos - a beautiful resort at the heart of the Zillertal Arena ski area in the spectacular Ziller valley. With just 800 inhabitants, Gerlos is tiny but it certainly punches more than it's weight when it comes to facilities both on and off the slopes.
Après-ski
Gerlos is well known for its après ski and for those staying within earshot of the après ski bars might find it a bit nosiy. There are 20 cafes & restaurants, 6 bars / pubs and 1 nightclub to choose from.
Spa & Wellbeing
The "Erlebnistherme Zillertal" thermal spa in Fügen has a spa and sauna area to relax in - perfect on one of those bad weather days where skiing or anything outdoors is just not going to be fun.
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| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1246m |
| Top lift | 2499m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 169 |
| Longest run | km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 200 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 1 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✔ |
| Glacier skiing | ✔ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively and fun |
Gerlos ski area guide
The local ski area of the Zillertal arena stretches from Zell am Ziller at the entrance to the valley to Hochkrimml with Gerlos sitting roughly in the middle. There is ample skiing for a weeks ski holiday with around 170km of pistes but if you fancy venturing out and exploring the rest of the Ziller Valley, you can also ski in Fügen-Kaltenbach, Mayrhofen (13km)-Hippach, and Tux-Finkenberg which includes the mighty Hintertux Glacier.
Beginners
Beginners and children are very well catered in Gerlos. The kid's beginner area is just on the edge of the resort and there is a further area at the top of the gondola.
The nursery areas are very well connected to the gentle blue pistes meaning its easy to start exploring the mountain on skis after two to three days of lessons.
Intermediate
A paradise for intermediates with 113km of red pistes to tour around and if you want a change of scenery, the other Ziller valley ski areas are close by such as Fügen-Kaltenbach.
Advanced
There are 10 black pistes in the Zillertal Arena to test the expert skier and snowboarder and stacks of off-piste in Gerlos and the neighbouring area of Konigsleiten. To get the best out of the back-country terrain, hiring a local guide is your best option.
For more challenging terrian, Mayrhofen and the Hintertux glacier are close by on the free ski bus..
Cross-country
There are 200km of cross-country trails across the Zillertal Arena area that range in level from medium to challenging.
Snowboard
Gerlos has a specialised boarding park and halfpipe for snowboard fans.
Things to see & do in and around Gerlos
Gerlos and nearby Krimml both have floodlit toboggan runs and there is the Alpine Coaster toboggan run near the bottom lift station in Zee. Take in the sights of the highest waterfalls in Europe in Krimml which is just 11km from Gerlos. These often frreze over in winter and are used for ice climbing. A toll fee is charged for the road from Gerlos/Koenigsleiten to Krimml. Gerlos also provides some exciting and varied programs for children including the “Freizeitpark Zell” leisure park and the Arena Skyliner.
Even if you do not want to ski, a trip up to the top of the Hintertux glacier is worth a visit. Spectacular views and there is nothing like eating a veal snitzel with a cold beer or glass of wine on the sun terrace of the mountain restaurant!!
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Our view on ski holidays in Gerlos
We think Gerlos is an ideal resort for family ski holidays combining on and off-piste entertainment. Similar ski resorts to Gerlos include Alpbach and Maria Alm in the Hochkönig Massif.
