Mayrhofen has the chameleon quality that is the strength of so many Austrian resorts – it will be what visitors want it to be, and a very successful one at that. It can rock, it can rap, it can be the king of cool, where even the gnarliest snowboarders like to hang out and interact with skiers.
For decades, Mayrhofen has been one of the most popular Alpine holiday resorts for Brits, both on skis and snowboards, and the center of a Tyrolean valley full of ski areas. It has 142km of pistes and 60 lifts, and a reputation for reliable snow over a long season, with the pistes usually between 1,650 and 2,500 metres, despite the village being at a modest 630 metres.
The pistes are perfectly suited to decent intermediate runs, full of red standard runs (although many are blue on the piste map) – but Mayrhofen also has Austria’s steepest slope, the Harakiri.
Keep up to date with the key facts about the resort below and scroll down for our insider’s guide to a day on the slopes, expert reviews and advice. For more Mayrhofen inspiration, check out our guides to the resort’s best accommodations, restaurants and après-ski.
In this guide:
Within the resort
This once traditional village in the Zillertal – the Ziller Valley – was one of the original draws for British skiers in the 1970s, and its appeal has never faded. Holidaymakers have been coming to Mayrhofen for over 100 years and providing hospitality is a way of life for the locals.
Mayrhofen has a busy center and is easily accessible with equipment rental, clothing and luxury winter fashion shops. The après is particularly lively here: it starts in huts on the mountain when lunch is just over. Bars, including the Pilzbar with its oh-so-Austrian umbrella bar, surround the top of the Penken gondola at 1,800 metres, and more await in the village as Europop blares from the loudspeakers.
Mayrhofen also hosts a number of major events, none bigger than Snowbombing, a week-long snow sports and music extravaganza held every spring. The Zillertal is also known as one of Austria’s most musical valleys – almost every family has a member of a band, whether folk, rock or oompah. This stretches all the way to the mountain, and music sounds across the slopes from every mountain hut.
All this is surrounded by a picturesque, rustic village of heavy half-timbered houses, which has strictly preserved traditional Tyrolean architecture as it grew.
Outside the mountain there are several toboggan runs, ice skating, winter hiking trails, snowshoeing, ice climbing, paragliding and hang gliding, horse riding and sleigh rides.
New for 2023/24 is Visorium Mayrhofen, a new indoor recreation facility with various activities focusing on the historical stories, legends and sights of the Zillertal region.
On the slopes
It may come as a surprise that Mayrhofen’s slopes are largely above treeline, as the resort sits at a modest altitude of 630 metres. Yet most slopes are between 1,650 and 2,500 meters, which means that they are relatively snow-sure during a long season.
Mayrhofen, with interconnected Hippach, Finkenberg and Lanersbach, has 142 km of pistes and 60 lifts – in the Zillertal as a whole there are 542 km of pistes and 180 lifts, which also covers the areas Fügen, Hochfügen, Kaltenbach, Zell am Ziller, Gerlos , Koningsleiten and Hintertux. All multi-day passes cover the entire valley.
In Mayrhofen there are 66km of red runs, 44km of blue and 32km of black – although, this being Austria, some of the blue runs here in other resorts could easily be rated as red. The slopes are particularly good for confident intermediate skiers, with many of the red runs presenting quite a challenge.
More expert skiers and snowboarders will have plenty to enjoy – and Mayrhofen is home to Austria’s steepest slope, the 78 percent Harakiri (clearly this could only be a small part of the total run). And after fresh snow there is a fair amount of good off-piste not far from the marked pistes. For advanced skiers, steep options are available at each lift.
Beginners will find designated areas where they can start their adventures, but not necessarily in places where it’s easy to meet up with more experienced friends for lunch. The best practice slopes are on the Ahorn, a separate ski area near Penken. Beginners take a cable car from the city (the Ahornbahn, Austria’s largest cable car, with room for up to 160 passengers) and return home the same way at the end of the day. But there are also some beginner slopes near the top of the Penken gondola, and some steep slopes that run from Ahorn to town, so there is room for group negotiations.
For variety, there are alternatives available for the start of the day. Some people go to the Ahorn cable car and have two or three warm-up runs – the slopes back down from Ahorn are pleasantly steep and deserted in the morning, and usually freshly groomed. The challenging 5.5 km ValleyRun with its spectacular views over the Zillertal is good for advanced skiers and snowboarders.
Another option is to take the ski bus to one of the alternative gondolas that go to the main area. Lanersbach has a gondola to the isolated Eggalm sector, and another to the Rastkogel area of Penken. Finkenberg has one to the Penken area, and Hippach has a gondola to the valley between Penken and Horberg.
The PenkenPark in Mayrhofen is widely regarded as one of the best terrain parks in the Alps. At 2100 meters altitude, under the Sun-Jet chairlift on Penken, it is full of kickers, boxes and rails. It has a separate children’s area, also with its own lift, as well as special areas for intermediate, advanced and pros.
You can experience even more excitement during the FunRides on Mount Ahorn and Penken. The RacingParadise Unterberg on Piste 15 offers three permanently timed giant slalom courses gold, silver and bronze. The SkiMovie Run on slope 16, the BlackAttack at the Möslbahn provide a filmed descent and you can download a free video based on your ski pass number.
Who should go?
The slopes in Mayrhofen are excellent for decent averages. They are especially good for those looking to build confidence, with many of the red wines presenting quite a challenge. With 542 km of slopes in the Zillertal, there are plenty of kilometers to cover. Its location also makes it popular on weekends. Snowboarders also love it in Mayrhofen, thanks to its world-famous terrain park. Just as famous is the après scene, both on and off the mountain, and the busy program of festivals and events, including Snowbombing, meaning party animals are well catered for.
Know before you go
Essential information
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British Embassy Vienna: (00 43 1 713 1575; gov.uk), Jauresgasse 12, 1030 Vienna
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Emergency services: Call 112
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TOURIST OFFICE: See mayrhofen.at, the Mayrhofen tourist office website, for weather reports, lift status, webcams, traffic information and local event listings. You can pick up maps, leaflets and other information from the office at the bottom of town, in the conference centre.
The base
Local laws and etiquette
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Formal greetings are the norm when you meet someone, and you’ll hear ‘Grüss Gott’ (greeting the almighty), or the more worldly ‘Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend’, pretty much everywhere you go, and it’s common to return the greeting to send . The locals love their titles, so if you meet someone who has a university degree, not only are you expected to know this, but you are also expected to use the title while shaking hands, for example ‘ Grüß Gott Herr Doktor’ in cafes and restaurants the waiter expects to hear a ‘Herr Ober’ (Mr. Waiter) from guests seeking attention.
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Tips are not included and it is not customary to leave them on the table. After the waiter gives you the bill, add about 10 percent and ask for it to be added to the total.
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A simple thank you is ‘Thank you‘; ‘Bitte’ means both ‘please’ and ‘you’re welcome’.