The stunningly picturesque medieval city of Kitzbuhel, in the Tyrol, is one of Austria’s best known, swankiest winter sports centres. Famous for the world’s greatest World Cup downhill ski race, the Streif descent on the celebrated Hahnenkamm, it’s the ultimate traditional Austrian ski resort.

The ski-ing terrain, which includes the nearby villages of Kirchberg and Jochberg, as well as the Kitzbüheler Horn, is extensive, the après-ski formidable, and the surrounding scenery dramatic.

There are six ski schools here, and 165km of piste in a well laid-out mountain area, aimed mainly at beginner and intermediate level skiers, but also so with some pretty challenging advanced and unexplored off-piste runs, although the true expert could find these slightly limited.

There has been considerable recent investment in ski lifts, and this has reduced queues. Equally, extensive use of snow making machines now compensates for the problems this resort used to have during milder winters, given its relatively low altitude.