Schladming ski resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Schladming
Resort reviews
Schladming is a medieval town dating back to 1322 in the Austrian state of Styria. It has since become a large ski resort and hosts various international skiing competitions. However, it has managed to retain its authenticity and charm - the historic town centre features a pedestrian zone lined with traditional wooden chalets, trendy boutiques, bars, cosy cafés, restaurants and hotels.
Après-ski
Après-ski in Schladming is low key so don't expect a thriving party scene after midnight. However, there is a great selection of cafes, bars and restaurants and a variety of shops around the pedestrianised main street (Hauptplatz).
Wellness & spa
There is a waterpark centre with a slide, lazy river, whirlpool and heated outdoor pool also open in winter.
Children
There are several day care centres and ski kindergarten clubs for your children starting from the age of 3.
| Key information (local area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 745m |
| Top lift | 2700m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 115 |
| Longest run | 2 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 250 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 1 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✔ |
| Glacier skiing | ✔ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxed and fun |
Schladming ski area guide
Schladming is part of The Schladming-Dachstein region which is a member of "Ski Amade" area where one lift pass gives you access to 860km of pistes serviced by 270 lifts over 5 superb and varied ski areas.
Ski Amade
This sounds like the ski terrain is far larger than say Les 3 Vallees which is true but the problem is that not all the pistes and resorts are linked - thankfully, there are ski buses to ferry you to the various lift stations. In terms of scale, the Amande area is similar to the resorts that make up thr Super Dolomiti area in the Italian Dolomites that includes resorts such as Val Gardena and Canazei.
Local area
The skiing around Schladming is spread over four connected mountains - Planai- directly above the village, Hochwurzen Hause, Kaibling and Reiteralm. Each area provides a different type of terrain but one thing they have in common is that they all face North meaning good reliable snow conditions.
Beginners
First timers are well catered for with an extensive beginners area on the sunny plateau at Rohrmoos. After a few days, there is gentle progression on long cruising blues towards the mid station on the Planai mountain.
Intermediate
The whole Schladming area is geared towrds intermediate skiers with the main areas being on the Planai and Hochwurzen mountains.
Advanced
For the advanced skier, there is not much on-piste to challenge you with most of the terrain suited to intermediates. However, the off-piste is exceptional with many back-country routes best explored with a guide and the possibility of 1159m of vertical from the top of the Dachstein glacier.
Snowboard
For snowboarders, there is a terrain park and 3 half pipes.
Cross country
There are 250km of cross country ski trails throughout the valley so there are plenty of options. The best bit about Schladming is the chance to go cross-country skiing at 2700m on the Dachstein glacier where there are 18km of trails!
Things to see & do in Schladming
If you don't fancy skiing or the weather is not that great, then there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied. One of the good fun places to check-out is the ice palace up at 2700m on the Dachstein glacier where you can also look deep inside of one of the magnificent crevasses!
- Ice skating
- Winter walking and snow shoeing trails
- Dog sleighs
- Tobogganing on the 7km long sledging run on the Hochwurzen mountain
- Parapenting
Featured ski chalets
The holiday rentals in Schladming-Dachstein is spread out along the valley in the main resort of Schladming and its beautiful satellite villages, all with their own easy access to local amenities and slopes.
Haus
Haus is a small market down 7km from Schladming and is a charming village with it's own golf and country club. At the foot of The Hauser Kaibling mountain in the 4-Hills Ski Area, Haus is a good base for ski safaris.
Pichl
Pichl is the western gateway to the 4-Hills Ski Area with wide open pistes and cross-country trails that link in to Ramsau's network. In summer, Pichl is a good base for families - it has a leisure park with a swimming lake and sunbathing areas, children's playground, beach volleyball courts, tennis courts and a football pitch.
Ramsau
Ramsau sits on a sunny 18km long plateau at 1100m and is just 7km from Schladming. Easy access to the Dachstein glacier and ideal for skiing and hiking. A little village that is full of character and charm.
Mandling
A quiet village just 11km from Schladming with several bars, cafes and restaurants.
Our View On Schladming - Dachstein
Ski holidays in Schladming are ideal for families with lots of green and long cruising blue pistes. For the ski touring enthusiasts, Ski Amade is heaven - not all lift linked but if you dont mind jumping on the ski bus, the options are unlimited. A few suggestions for your ski holiday...
- Try cross-country skiing on the Dachstein glacier up at 2700m - a bit different from motoring around the valley floor with spectacular views of the surrunding 3000m peaks
- in the winter season, one of the most sought after trips is a visit to the Dachstein Ice Palace where you can go right inside the Dachstein glacier. It's just 3 minutes walk from the Dachstein Bergstation, and well worth a visit, whatever the weather.
If you like being in a stunning mountain valley and being able to go summer skiing on a glacier, you may also want to look at Zell am See - Kaprun and Zermatt in the Valais region of Switzerland on the Italian border.
