Hopfgarten - village
Hopfgarten is in many ways the perfect Tirolean village – picturesque and friendly, but also with something of a bustling and purposeful air. It’s set off the main road and is compact enough to get to know it quickly, with most accommodation being within a few minutes’ walk from the gondola.
Itter is a tiny village, with a hotel and a number of gasthauses, some of them in farms above the village – it’s the perfect choice for those who want a gloriously peaceful holiday in an idyllic location.
Kelchsau is a lovely village set round an imposing twin-towered church, and full of beautiful old timbered houses.
Wörgl is a busy little town, just off the A12 autobahn that is the main artery of the Inn Valley, but it has a pleasant partly-pedestrianised centre with plenty of bars and restaurants. The villages of Kirchbichl, Angerberg, Mariastein and Angath are all archetypal Tirolean communities, full of chalet-style houses, heavily timbered and set against a backdrop of wooded slopes and craggy peaks. Mariastein, a tiny village of just 300 inhabitants, is known as a place of pilgrimage – a visit to the church, and a 150-step climb to the chapel in the tower, is worth the effort.
Accommodation
Hopfgarten has a good range of accommodation, with the four-star Sporthotel Fuchs (00 43 5335 2420) superbly located next to the Salvenbahn gondola. The Gasthof Unterbrau is a popular three-star choice, with guests well looked after by Marcus and his family. In Itter, the Clubhotel Edelweiss (00 43 5335 40232), run by Peter and Alison Neurauer, is next door to the nursery slopes and the lifts that connect with the gondola. Nearby is the three-star Tirolerhof (00 43 5335 2690), with an excellent wellness area including indoor pool and sauna. Kelchsau, Wörgl and the villages of Kirchbichl, Mariastein, Angerberg and Angath similarly offer good value accommodation – the latter four villages particularly attractive for the budget-conscious, and all easily reached from the station at Wörgl.
Ski/snowboard equipment hire
In Hopfgarten, Intersport Oberhauser (00 43 05335 2254) has a shop in the village centre and one by the gondola station. They offer various money-saving rental deals, such as seven days for the price of six and a 50 per cent discount for youngsters up to 14 – or if two parents are renting gear, all children up to ten get their stuff free. You can switch to different skis or boards to try out other models, as well as having rental gear serviced for free anytime you want. Also in the village is Ski Short. As well as Fox Sports in Itter, there is Ski-Sport-Salvista (00 43 5332 74883). Kelchsau has Intersport Flörl (00 43 5335 8198) and Wörgl has Ski School/Rental Kecht.
Non-ski activities
Throughout the Hohe Salve region, the non-ski fun to be had is endless. The Wörgl Water World (00 43 5332 77733) should be visited – you’ll find tyre flumes, tunnel flumes, race flumes, as well as various pools, one with ocean surf. Plenty of saunas too, all in a Roman-style environment. Great fun. Wörgl is also a good town for shopping, with plenty of designer stores. You can try skating, curling (a particular favourite of ours, with plenty of schnapps and glühwein usually involved), winter Nordic walking, snowshoeing, hiking on cleared paths, and of course sleigh-riding. Salzburg, Innsbruck and Kitzbühel are all easily-reachable by train for a day out.
Childcare
The ski schools here pride themselves on being very child-friendly, and most have well-organised kindergarten arrangements. There are dedicated instructors for children. The tourist offices can often help arrange babysitters. Hopfgarten has a nursery for children aged from one to three.