Austria is a truly unique paradise for snowboarding aficionados. Widely known as the snowboard capital of Europe, Austria boasts of many magnificent resorts with jumps, half-pipes, quarter pipes and super terrain parks which make it one of the most sought-after destinations when it comes to winter sports. It has far better laid out slopes than those found in the rest of Europe. Most of these resorts are old traditional countryside villages adapted to accommodate modern tourists complimented by exceptional lodging (hotels, guest houses, B&B’s) and mountain facilities, modern lift systems, easy access and of course, that great Austrian hospitality.
Austria’s no less than 85 snow resorts brings in a hefty sum into the country’s tourism business, with the largest winter destination being Tirol region which apart from being at the middle of the Alpine states is also home to some of the most scenic locations and magnificent snowboard resorts in Europe. Tirol is also home to some of Europe’s widely-celebrated snowboarding events such as Air & Style snowboarding contest among others.
Several important things to note when traveling to Austria, bring cash, travelers cheques or Euro cheques because credit cards are not that widely accepted. Dishes contain mostly meat (beef, hams, sausages), so if you’re a vegetarian, good luck finding eats. The country’s bus service is first class – clean, on time and cheap but if you plan on driving your way to the resorts, you’ll have to purchase the Vignette, Austria’s autobahn tax sticker to avoid being fined if caught driving without it, which may prove costly and time-consuming.