Check out the Alpbach piste map, the best ski schools, ski hire shops and après ski bars, in your essential guide to this charming resort - voted Austria's Most Beautiful Village.

Auffach ski resort is a charming traditional village in Austria's beautiful Wildschonau region, with slopes covering the key sectors of the Ski Jewel ski area, this region's most extensive linked ski domain.

Axams is a pretty, traditional Tyrolean village located on a sunny terrace above Innsbruck and surrounded by the breath-taking scenery of the Tirolean Alps. Both it and its neighbouring village of Gotzens share, the Axamer Lizum ski area 700 vertical metres above. This was a major centre for the Innsbruck Olympics of 1964 and 1976, hosting many of the downhill events. It's possible to ski back down to both villages when snow cover is adequate on black and red runs. The Axamer Lizum ski area suits all standards but there is no slopeside resort, just one very nice four star hotel and several restaurants. Most people choose to stay down in Axams, Gotzens or even Innsbruck. All villages, the city, seven surrounding ski areas and a bus service connecting them all are included in a multi-region pass.

From the Bad Gastein piste map to the best ski schools, ski hire shops and après ski bars, here’s the lowdown on the principal ski resort in Austria's Gastein Valley.

Bad Hofgastein is old spa resort in the centre of one of Austria's largest ski areas, the Gastein Valley. The area is famous for its thermal healing water, accessed by several spas as well as the huge and varied ski area linking several resorts in the region. The old village has a pleasant pedestrianised centre and a good range of restaurants, shops, hotels and other facilities to cater for most holiday needs. The centre is dominated by the Pfarrkirche church, built between 1498 and 1507. At its heart is a magnificent baroque altar which entered the annals of art as the great masterpiece of the painter Josef Andrä Eisl and the sculptor Paul Mödlhammer. Skiing came to the area in the difficult years straight after World War 2. The first lift, the "Haimalm" on the "Graukogel" was finished on the 30th December,1945. Chairlifts and then gondola followed over the next decade. After the building of the new Nassfeld alpine road (1970 to 1972) the area was finally joined together around Nassfeld for winter sports; the region "Sportgastein" was created. The Alpine World Ski Championships were staged here in 1958 when Toni Sailer (Austria) won three gold medals (Downhill, Giant Slalom and in the Combination. The Healing effect of Gasteins Thermal Water is due to its Radon content. Therapies range from classical Thermal Baths to the Gastein Healing Gallery and the Steam Bath. Gastein's more famous bathing visitors have included presidents, kings, queens, emperors, empresses and prime ministers from dozens of countries around the world. Of particular note Mozart's mother in 1750, followed by his widow nearly 90 years later in 1839, Johann Strauss in 1850, Mrs. Winston Churchill in 1912, during the Second World War Emma Göring, the wife of Nazi party member Marshal Hermann Göring who often visited his wife here while she was having a cure, as well as propaganda Minister Dr. Goebbels who came to Bad Gastein twice. Film Stars such including Douglas Fairbank Junior. with his family in 1950 and Thomas Mann a year later. The area was once famous for gold mining, originally perhaps by Celts, more than two thousand years ago and then by the Romans. Gold was said to be only about five metres below the surface.

From the Bad Kleinkirchheim piste map to the best ski schools, ski hire shops and après ski bars, here’s your essential review of this family-friendly Austrian ski resort.

Brand is a well established ski centre that has been fashionable since the 1950s. It is especially easy to reach on the autobahns from Zurich or Germany. In recent years tourism from further afield has tailed off a little as the masses have headed for the bigger and higher altitude ski areas. Although the spectacularly beautiful local mountain scenery includes peaks like Scesaplana, which towers 2000 metres above the village up to 2965 metres, the ski lifts only go up to 2000m. However as many of the afore-mentioned 'super resorts' become over crowded and the mass of downhillers who only reach the slopes for a week every couple of years realise that they don't actually need 'cities up mountains' and access to far more terrain than they can possibly ski, then Brand's attributes will no doubt return to the fore. Its unspoilt scenery and strong traditions will be major assets in the future. Queues here are rare and being located at the head of a valley, with no through traffic, means that most of the sounds you're likely to hear are those of skiing and après skiing. In the meantime the resort has continued to capitalise on its young, lively and fun image with an enthusiastic program of on and off slope events far beyond its size. Snowboarding and the still more recent 'new trend' sports have been adopted with gusto and there's a great choice of lively bars and things to do besides sliding.

From the Ellmau piste map to the best ski schools, ski hire shops and après ski bars in Ellmau, here’s the lowdown on a charming, family-friendly ski resort in Austria.

An integral part of Austria's giant Skicircus ski area, Fieberbrunn is both a family favourite destination and a red-hot spot for freeriders. From the Fieberbrunn piste map to the best ski hire, ski schools and apres-ski bars, here's the ringside seat to this Skicircus act.

Filzmoos is a pretty little village, perfect for families, with a long tradition and dominated by the twin towers of the Bischofsmütze mountain. Filzmoos was a successful mountain resort destination in the area before winter sports when the well to do arrived from Salzburg and Vienna to sample the air so the tradition of hospitality has been deeply engrained here for many generations. Today the resort stages a famous ballooning festival every January and other specialist balloonists gatherings through the season - the Night of Balloons when the balloons are floodlit from within at night time is especially spectacular. The small local ski area is best suited to non-experts, but the village participates in one of the largest lift pass areas in Austria, the Ski amadé. This offers nearly a hundred times as much skiing in neighbouring villages, some of which are lift-linked to one another although not to Filzmoos. In total there are nearly 870km (600 miles) of trails on the pass, served by more than 250 lifts. Back in Filzmoos there is also a big advantage against many of the other picturesque villages in Austria in that the gondola lift base station is right next to the centre and a short walk from most of the accommodation there - this differs from many where it's a long walk or a ski bus ride perhaps a kilometre or more out of the village to actually reach the lifts.

Finkenberg is a moderately sized Tyrolean village in the stunning Zillertal Alps with a long ski and tourism tradition. Located within the Zillertal nature park, the village has just over 1500 year round inhabitants, but they include Olympic champion Leonhard Stock in their number! Professor Peter Habeler, the first person to climb Mount Everest without an oxygen mask, is another local. The village is situated about three kilometres south-west of Mayrhofen and 200m above the River Ziller on a generally sunny, gently inclining terrace of the Tuxertal area. The highest mountain in the Zillertal Alps, the Hochfeiler (3510 m), is part of the widely spread community which stretches to the Italian border. In skiing terms, Finkenberg is located in the centre of the Ski and Glacierworld Zillertal 3000 ski area which runs from neighbouring Mayrhofen over to the year-round snowfields of the Hintertux glacier. Ski and Glacier World Zillertal 3000 is the largest single ski region within Austria's beautiful Ziller Valley; although anyone staying more than three days may well wish to purchase the full Zilley Valley lift pass which covers all the ski areas in the region and is one of the world's 20 biggest lift pass areas with nearly 800km (500 mils) of trails in total. Most of Zillertal 3000 is connected by a modern lift network, but a bus link is required between Finkenberg and the Tux glacier lifts. The village has a long history. In ancient times the Rhaeto-Romans drove their livestock herds to the Alpine pastures of the Zillergrund and the Tuxertal from the south across the Pfitscher Joch. The church, built in 1721 and dedicated to Saint Leonhard, contains early baroque stucco works. The Teufelsbrücke (Devil's Bridge), built in 1876, is a rare example of old Tyrolean woodworking. It spans the deep ravine through which the Tuxer Bach passes. The Teufelsbrücke reputedly got its name when the locals farmers, lacking the technical skills to build a footbridge over the deep ravine at Dornauhof, called on the Devil to help. He agreed to do the job if the locals handed over the first soul to cross the bridge after it was built. The canny farmers agreed to this but when the bridge was done, sent an unfortunate goat over first. Needless to say Satan wasn't happy and rode off into the air with the goat - followed by gales of laughter from the Finkenberg farmers.

Only 60 kms from Mozart's birthplace, Salzburg, lies Austria's very own Three Valleys ski area with over 300 kms of skiable pistes. At the heart of the three valleys and just off Autobahnen 66, lies the Austrian farm community of Flachau, with its traditional rustic chalets. An intermediate skiers' and snowboarders paradise, Flachau's own ski area has 56 kms of ski runs, all of them graded blue or red whilst the linked area of Salzburger Sportwelt consists of over 300km (200 miles) of pistes, most of which is intermediate terrain with the remainder for experts. If the local Amadé region leaves you wanting more, then the Flachau is also a part of the Ski Amadé. This offers more than twice as much skiing again - in total there are nearly 1000km (700 miles) of trails on the pass, served by more than 250 lifts.

Fulpmes is a large but attractive village in the Stubai valley. The Schlick 2000 ski area above the resort is one of four in the area, which include those above neighbouring villages Neustift and Mieders, as well as the glacier skiing of the Stubai. All, along with four more areas around nearby Innsbruck, are on a single area lift ticket. The Schlick 2000 ski area nestles above Fulpmes, in the impressive Kalkkögel mountains known as the "Dolomites of the Austrian Tirol". Thanks to the sheltered location, the high valley is snow sure with the Stubai glacier offering a further snowsure alternative. Whether beginner or free rider, skier or snowboarder, the Schlick2000 ski area offers something for every level of ability.

'It's an Alpine Idyl' said Ernest Hemmingway in 1926 and, sitting up at 1584 metres (5197 feet), Galtür is a skiing Idyl too. One of Austria's highest resorts, it is the highest ski village in the famous Silvetta Region which includes the lifts of Ischgl, Kappl, Samnaun and See im Paznauntal. The picturesque village, with a population of nearly 800, is of traditional Tyrolean style and at least 600 years old , and still centred on the old pilgrimage church. Apart from Ernest Hemmingway famous visitors have included Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Albert Einstein. Galtür offers 'the best of both worlds' to its visitors - Austrian traditional and quality, with modern facilities and a go ahead attitude. Among the natural assets is the fact that the village centre is compact, with all amenities, except the ski lifts1.8km (1.1 miles) away. But there is a good bus service, which is free of charge. The stunning scenery of the Paznauntal, the area in which Galtür is located, helps to add to the peaceful magic of the place.

Grossarl ski resort, close to Austria's popular Gastein Valley winter-sports area, isn't that well known to skiers and snowboarders from the UK, but is in many ways perhaps this region's best resort choice for families and for intermediate-level skiers.