NavanTravel

Getting There

After a quick Two & a half hour flight from Dublin to Salzburg and a transfer of 2 hrs to the resort of Soll, I checked into the 4* Tyrol Hotel.  After a well deserved meal I headed to the Red Horse Pub to sample the local beer, but not too many, as I had an early start the next morning up on the slopes!  Well the baby ones anyway!

Ski School Soll

Bright and early the next morning I took a twenty minute walk through the town of Soll to the ski rental store based at the bottom of the gondola. The ski rental shop was huge and I made my way up through the building getting kitted out with boots, sticks, skies & the lift pass. I looked the part but that was about it as I made my way to the slopes to meet the Austrian Instructor, Simon.  As I was a first time skier he had his work cut out! Beginners luck!  I managed to learn how to snow plough, turn left & turn right....sure what else did I need to know!

 

Time for Lunch on the Slopes

After a quick two hour lesson I took the gondola up to the Grundlalm Restaurant for lunch, a traditional Austrian designed building with stunning views of the snowy mountains all around.  I ended my day with a walk around the picturesque village of Soll with its winding streets and beautiful church. During peak season Soll would be very popular for its après ski, but as it was end of season it was a bit quieter.

    

St Johann

Time to say farewell to Soll and take the short 30 minute transfer to sunny St.Johann.  Once here I visited the oldest cafe in the village, “Rainer” a very traditional cafe popular with both the locals & tourists. The local baker gave a quick demonstration of how to make their famous apple strudel, which to my delight I got to sample....yum! From St Johann there is a  river walk (relatively flat) were you can walk to Kitzbuhel in about 2 & ½ hours and you have the option of taking the train back! During the summer there is live music and farmers markets in the square.

 

Active St Johann

After lunch in the local Brewery I made my way to Horn Park, set in a forest amongst the amazing peaks.  Horn Park is a high ropes course consisting of platforms installed in the trees and connected by various configurations of cable, wood, and rope to form bridges and zip lines. This is a must if visiting St.Johann especially for thrill seekers! After zip lining through the air it was time to get my feet back on the ground (well sort of!) and take a Segway tour of the village of St.Johann!  

 

Back to the slopes!  I met with my new instructor and I was only too happy to show him what I learned the previous day, however, that was short lived as I think I was worse than day one!  But with the patience and encouragement of the instructor I got back into the swing of things and I was soon showing off!

Salzburg

That afternoon I took the 1hour 30min journey to the beautiful city of Salzburg, famous for being the birth place of Mozart & the original shooting location of the Sound of Music. The city is divided into the Old & New town by the Salzach River. I walked through the winding streets of the Old Town filled with cafes, designer shops, market stalls & beautiful churches. The Old Town is internationally renowned for its baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps.

Austria, a Coutry for All Seasons

This was my first taste of a ski holiday and first time to visit Austria and I cannot wait to return. There really is something for everyone from the thrill seekers and explorers to the cultural enthusiasts. St Johann is a great place to base yourself with Kitzbuhel only 8 minutes by train, Zell am See 45 minutes and Salzburg 2hrs 22mins by train (but only takes 1 hour by car).  I can see why Austria is so popular as a winter, city & summer destination.  Whether you're planning a ski holiday, city break or discovering the lakes & mountains Austria ticks all the boxes.