Winter holiday ideas: Austrian Alps with the Lonely Planet

MOUNTAINS are about more than just winter sports: explore thermal springs, resorts and nature parks.

Austrian Alps. Picture: Austrian National Tourist Office.

Skiing is part of the cultural fabric in this snow-blessed country but there are plenty of other winter activities to enjoy.

SOUTH Schareck At this 2604m peak by the village of Heiligenblut, skiers can play on 55km of snow-sure slopes in the shadow of Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain. Schareck is the perfect terrain for beginners and the more easygoing alpine sport enthusiast. See heiligenblut.at Felsentherme Bad Gastein The resort of Bad Gastein is famous for its 45C thermal waters, which gush forth at 18 springs in the area. A great place for a soak is at Felsentherme Gastein, a spa that shelters grotto-like pools and an outdoor thermal bath with pummelling massage jets, as well as stellar views of the region's snow-covered peaks all around. See felsentherme.com Nassfeld The Millennium-Express cable car, Austria's longest, climbs for nearly 6km from the valley station at Tropolach, up to the ski resort of Nassfeld, on the border with Italy. This is one of Austria's most popular winter resorts, with 30 ski lifts and 113km of groomed pistes, including the 7.5km Carnia run. There are also snowboard and free-riding areas, and one piste is open for night skiing on Saturdays. See nassfeld.at Austrian Alps. Picture: Austrian National Tourist Office. CENTRE AMD EAST Wienerwald The Wienerwald (Vienna Woods) covers hills west of the Austrian capital. This forest, beloved by Beethoven and Franz Kafka, forms the north-eastern end of the Alps. Its walking trails are often overlooked by tourists. Walking route maps are available for free from local tourist offices. See wienerwald.info or bpww.at Eispalast From the ski resorts of Ramsau and Schladming, a No. 960 bus links to a gondola that ascends to the Dachstein Glacier, which offers ski touring and a panoramic restaurant. More unusual is the Ice Palace, rooms and sculptures carved into the ice of the glacier. More than a little kitschy, it's impressive all the same, and feels a bit like getting lost inside a giant ice cube. See ramsau.com or derdachstein.at Krippenstein Above the village of Obertraun, a cable car climbs to the peak of Krippenstein (2109m), affording views of white-topped houses below and the curving lake of Hallstatter See. At the top of the lift, the eerie 5 Fingers viewing platform juts out boldly over a precipice. In winter, Krippenstein becomes a free-riding area, with no set areas or tracks, for skiing and snowboarding. See krippenstein.com WEST Rodelbahn The 4km toboggan run in the village of St Anton am Arlberg is an exhilarating way to work up a thirst sledders stop to defrost over schnapps at Rodel-Alm. The run is floodlit on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for night-time runs. See stantonamarlberg.com or rodelalm.com Innsbruck From a series of stations designed by Zaha Hadid, a funicular and two gondola lifts whisk you up to a station under the peak of Hafelekar (2256m). The Alpenzoo, accessible by funicular on the way down, is home to a variety of species including ibex and chamois. See www.nordkette.com or alpenzoo.at Kaunergrat Snowshoeing makes a great alternative to skiing, especially when you have plenty of fresh powder snow. In the Kaunergrat Nature Park, the visitor centre offers a range of routes, from beginner level to six-hour expeditions. See kaunergrat.at Austrian resort of Lech. Picture: supplied. AUSTRIA ESSENTIALS Transport Austria's main rail provider is OBB, which has an extensive countrywide network. See oebb.at Postbuses run to most towns and villages outside the train network. See postbus.at Staying there The Hotel Weisses Kreuz in Innsbruck has played host to guests for 500 years, including a 13-year-old Mozart. Guestrooms feature country-style decor. See weisseskreuz.at Seehotel Gruner Baum is superbly set in Hallstatt, by the village's namesake lake. Most rooms have balconies or patios looking out on to the water. See gruenerbaum.cc Royalty and A-list actors have all stayed at Hoteldorf Gruner Baum, a cluster of alpine chalets in a side valley near Bad Gastein that's more hamlet than hotel. There's a thermal spa as well. See hoteldorf.com REGIONAL FOOD Vienna: Wiener schnitzel (breaded and deep-fried veal) and tafelspitz (beef simmered in broth and served with a variety of sauces). Carinthia: Karntner nudel (thin dough dumplings with savoury or sweet filling). Upper Austria: Knodel (a large dumpling made from potato or bread). Styria: Backhendl (fried chicken) with kurbiskernol (pumpkinseed oil). Tyrol: Tiroler grostl (a fry-up of pork, potatoes, onions and herbs, topped with a fried egg). Salzburg: Salzburger nockerl (a sweet souffle dumpling, served warm). TOP TIP Good online resources include bergfex.com , ifyouski.com and onthesnow.co.uk, for accommodation listings, reviews of resorts and piste maps. Snowbrainer.com offers big discounts when pre-booking ski equipment. Further reading: Try Lonely Planet's Austria for the lowdown on the country or download specific chapters from lonelyplanet.com Check austria.info for more. Thomas Glavinic is an acclaimed Austrian author try his 2006 novel Die Arbeit der Nacht (Night Work), in which a man wakes up and realises that he is the only man on Earth.