sLOVEnians travel

Tukaj lahko preberete članek v slovenščini // Here you can read the article in Slovenian

Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is by far our favourite ski resort in Austria. With its 270 kilometres of slopes it provides unforgettable memories on snow, all the rest is just the cherry on the cake. We opened our skiing seasons in the past two years here, but when I was invited to the blogging event Storybase 2018 I was jumping for joy. Alongside with 14 influencers, bloggers, photographers I was able to get to know the destination completely and make some new friends along the way. 😉 I was able to test almost everything the Skicircus has to offer and was blown away by the diversity of activities provided. That is why I am presenting a list of 10 favourite activities in Skicircus SHLF in random order.

1. Skiing (The Challenge)

The main reason why most people visit the Skicircus is skiing. With its 270 kilometres of slopes it is one of the biggest in Austria. All the slopes are well connected, easily accessible and this gives you a sensation of traveling on skis. The best example of it is The Challenge where you ski to all 4 villages of the Skicircus, ski more than 72 km of slopes and do more than 12500 vertical metres. Doing this you will need at least 7 hours so make the most of your time. You can also do smaller tours, for example The Saalbach circuit, Hinterglemm circuit, Leogang circuit or the Tyrol circuit. All the lifts are modern and fast which means chairlifts and cable cars with heated seating, easy access and speed. Season usually starts at the beginning of December and ends in the middle of April. During this time, you can ski your heart out (if such a thing even exists), because The Skicircus provides a very powerful snow making artillery in case snow decides to come later. The resort is in what they call Scneeloch in German. The community next door, Hochfilzen boasts with a statistical proof of being the snowiest community in Tyrol.

2. Freeriding

For all lovers of this growingly popular version of skiing, Skicircus is the right choice. Due to its vast surfaces and proximity of lifts Skicircus is a great choice for free riders. With most of the terrain being based between 1000m and 2000m it gives you an excellent vertical difference. Due to so many lifts you just go to the top and find your very own fresh track. Because of so many snowy days you get to devour the fresh powder more often than in other resorts. A true free rider’s heaven is Fieberbrunn which hosts the Freeride World Tour every March.  Personal note: I never really understood what all the fuss was about, but after trying free riding, all I can say: “Skiing will never be the same again.”

3. Paragliding

Now, this is something that you probably wouldn’t think of on a skiing holiday, but you should. With all the views you get from different peaks, you kind of want to see everything from a bird’s eye view. When the conditions are favourable you can do paragliding with experienced paragliders. The take-off is from Schattberg West which is easily accessible by Westgipfelbahn. After take-off the whole valley of Glemm opens, with Saalbach in the east and Hinterglemm in the west. A must for everyone who loves an adrenaline kick now and then.

4. Snowmobile riding

My childish wish finally came true during Storybase 2018. I was quick to discover that it is not as easy as it looks. We were instructed to “help” the snowmobile in the turns. The more you lean into the turn the faster you can go. After some getting used to this, I finally got a hang of it and loved every second of it. Safety is well taken care of here. The snowmobile tracks are not on the slopes and snowmobiling is allowed only in designated areas.

5. Llama trekking

You are probably thinking what do llamas have in common with a ski resort? Those were my thoughts exactly. Imagine my surprise when I realized they have 3 llamasa living at a typical Austrian homestead in Fieberbrunn. After receiving further instructions about the schedule at Storybase 2018 I realized that we can go on a hike through winter wonderland with them. Small tip: the white llama named Loriot likes taking selfies a lot more than the brown one (Ronaldo).

6. Schnaps tasting

This is something that you should do after a day full of the activities above. Tasting different types of “fire water” (Williams pear, gin, rum, liquors…) can be done in many places. I tried out two distilleries, one in Fieberbrunn and one in Hinterglemm and both were exquisite.

7. Sledding

When was the last time you went sledding? Can’t recall? Well coming to Skicircus means that you have come to the right place, or should I say places. 😊 We combined sledding with a traditional dinner with Kasspätzle and Kaiserschmarn. After dinner we sled downhill with rented sleds. An evening like this can be a perfect ending to a day where everyone gets what they want, parents and kids.

8. Christmas markets

Prior to Storybase 2018 we have already visited Skicircus twice, both times in Christmas time. You know that Austria is famous for its Christmas markets, but probably one of the most unique is held on 3rd Advent Sunday in Hinterglemm where they transform the shortest cable car (12er Express with its 236 metres) into a Christmas market. Each cabin is a different Christmas stall. During the ride you can try the local products and you can of course buy them. At the top and bottom station there is Christmas music (live), stands with food and mulled wine. Food and mulled wine are for free, because the event has a charity note. You can donate to Child cancer foundation Salzburg.

9. Indulging in food

After being that active you are bound to get hungry. Luckily Skicircus has 60 winter huts where you can feast on traditional Austrian food. The prices are reasonable, and the quality is high. Secret tip: try the Topfen Nockerl. (If someone is counting calories I am not going to translate that😊)

10. Enjoying the views

Skicircus is situated in the heart of Austrian Alps so it offers breath-taking views. For the view of the main Alpine ridge (Grooßglockner and Kitzsteinhorn) go to Westgipfel. For the view towards Fieberbrunn and Kitzbühel go to Spieleckkogel. For the view of the entire Glemm valley take the Schönleitenbahn all the way to the top. The best view of the mountains above Leogang is from Kleiner Asitz. All these peaks can be easily reached by chairlifts or cable cars and require no hiking at all.

The list could go on and on, but I decided to share my favourite 10 activities. As mentioned, the order is random, except for the activity No.1 – skiing. This is and always will be my favourite winter activity (free ride became a serious contender for the top spot this year, but it is technically still skiing). So when can I expect to see you in the Skicircus, or directly in one of the distilleries? 😉

For more impressions check our video: