Europe Ski Trip: Austria, Slovenia & Italy

Our trip begins in Salzburg, Austria’s fourth-largest city. The old baroque town center is incredibly well-preserved, making Salzburg a sought-after destination. Famous as the birthplace of Mozart and the former home of the Sound of Music’s real-life Von Trapp family, Salzburg is packed with historic palaces, castles, and museums. We recommend arriving a day early so you have time to settle in and explore the beautiful city before we meet as a group. 

On Sunday afternoon, we’ll meet for a trip overview and group dinner. In addition to discussing what to expect over the coming week, you’ll also have a chance to get to know the guides and fellow travelers. 

Lodging: Salzburg, Austria. Included meals: Dinner. Included activities: n/a.

Located in the snowiest region of Austria, Obertauern ski resort guarantees snow from November until May. Obertauern is shaped like a bowl, and you can ski on both sides of the town. There are even bridges and ski lifts running over the main road! 

The resort has 19 chair lifts, 1 cable car, and 6 T-bar lifts taking you to over 60 miles (100 km) of marked ski trails. With a wide variety of trails ranging from beginner to expert, Obertauern is a fantastic destination for skiers of all skill levels. 

The ski trails extend from between 1630 meters (5347 ft) and 2313 meters (7588 ft) above sea level, with panoramic views of the Alps at the top. There are also 26 miles of cross-country trails for those who prefer Nordic skiing. 

After a fun day on the slopes, you can enjoy Obertauern’s famous aprés ski scene or relax at the hotel before dinner. 

Lodging: Obertauern, Austria. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Included activities: Choice of downhill skiing/snowboarding and cross-country skiing. 

Today we take a break from the slopes and explore one of Europe’s most picturesque lakes – Lake Bled. After breakfast in Obertauern, we have a 2-hour drive to Bled in Slovenia. The area has been known as a paradise for centuries, impressing visitors with its natural beauty, wealth of legend, and alleged powers to restore well-being. 

The most beautiful view of Lake Bled and its surrounding alpine peaks is from the hiking paths wrapping around the lake. We will walk one of the loop trails around Lake Bled so that you can experience the beauty of this area. Weather permitting, we’ll also hike up to an overlook where you’ll have an unforgettable view of the lake, Bled Island, and St. Mary’s Church. The walk will take about 3 hours and is an easy level of difficulty. 

In the afternoon, you’ll have some free time for lunch and an optional visit to Bled Castle. Before dark, we’ll reconvene and drive about 40 minutes to a stunning alpine lake located within Triglav National Park – Lake Bohinj. After settling into the hotel, we’ll meet for a group dinner. 

Lodging: Lake Bohinj, Slovenia. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Included activities: Guided walk around Lake Bled. 

After breakfast at our hotel next to the lake, you’ll have your choice of three different activities: 

1. Skiing/Snowboarding Vogel Ski Area: Getting to the Vogel ski area is an adventure in and of itself. We’ll take a cable car from the lake’s shores that quickly reaches dizzying heights of 1000 meters (3280 feet) above the lake. In addition to stunning views of Lake Bohinj, you can take in the views of Mount Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain, and its surrounding peaks. Vogel has nine different lifts that take you to ski trails ranging from easy to intermediate levels of difficulty. 
2. Cross-country Skiing Bohinj: The Bohinj area has over 43 miles (70 km) of maintained cross-country trails. We recommend skiing in the Upper and Lower Bohinj Valley, which has mostly flat and circular trails. Alternatively, you can take the gondola up with the group and ski at Vogel, where you’ll find shorter trails with breathtaking mountain views. 
3. Spa Day: If you’d like to unwind at the hotel wellness center, you’ll have access to Finnish and Turkish saunas and an outdoor thermal pool with mountain views. Entrance to the spa area is included in the trip price. Any additional treatments or massages are available to purchase extra at the hotel. 

After the day’s activity we’ll meet back up as a group and drive about one hour to Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, where we’ll have dinner and spend the night. 

Lodging: Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Included activities: Choice of downhill skiing/snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and spa day.

Since our hotel is situated at the base of the ski slopes, you’ll be able to head out on today’s adventure practically from our doorstep. You can choose from the following three activities: 

1. Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding Kranjska Gora: Slovenia’s oldest ski resort offers 18 trails ranging from 800 m to 1215 m (2625 to 3990 feet) above sea level. There are trails suitable for beginners as well as advanced skiers. 
2. Cross-country Skiing: The valley stretching from Kranjska Gora to Mojstrana features a groomed, easy cross-country ski trail with gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains. 
3. Ski Touring: Head off-piste with a guide to explore some of the more remote areas surrounding Kranjska Gora. 

On request, we can also arrange a winter hike in a local nature reserve. After the day’s activity, we’ll meet back up as as group and drive about 30 minutes to Tarvisio, Italy. We’ll settle into our hotel for the next two nights and have dinner as a group.  

Lodging: Tarvisio, Italy. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Included activities: Choice of downhill skiing/snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and ski touring. 

Today you’ll enjoy the unique experience of skiing back and forth between two countries! In the morning we’ll drive to Sella Nevea and take a gondola up to the ski slopes at Kanin-Sella Nevea Ski Resort, split between Italy and Slovenia. 

Kanin is the highest ski resort in Slovenia and reaches an altitude of 2300 meters (7546 feet). Known as a free-ride paradise, the resort is a popular spot for advanced skiers and snowboarders to venture off-piste. 

While the resort is small, it makes up for it in views. Around almost every turn you’ll have a new and breathtaking view of the Julian Alps and Soča Valley down below. On a clear day, you can even spot the Adriatic Sea sparkling in the distance. 

There are two restaurants at the resort – one on the Slovenian side and one on the Italian side. You can take your pick between sauerkraut and sausage at one restaurant, and pasta dishes followed by tiramisu at the other. Don’t forget to warm up at the end of the day with Bombardino, an Italian winter specialty. 

We’ll spend one more night in Tarvisio and have our final dinner there together as a group. 

Lodging: Tarvisio, Italy. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Included activities: Downhill skiing/snowboarding. 

Our journey comes to an end today. After breakfast, we’ll start our drive towards Venice. The drive should take about 3 hours. We can drop you off either in the city of Venice or at the Marco Polo airport. 

We recommend adding a day to explore the city of Venice and its mesmerizing canals on your own. If you select our departure from January 28 to February 3, you’ll even be there for the famous Venice Carnival celebrations. 

Lodging: n/a. Included meals: Breakfast. Included activities: transfer to Venice.