Kirchberg in Tirol , Austria

Some say that Kirchberg is a smaller, quieter version of Kitzbuhel. The two are lift-linked, but Kirchberg is a resort in its own right. It's a largely unplanned village, lively and crowded, with lots of young Germans, Scandinavians and Brits here to enjoy the nightlife. It's quite attractive and the hospitality is excellent. Prices are generally lower here than some more mainstream resorts in Austria, although they are still comparatively high.

The skiing favours intermediates, while beginners are somewhat isolated on the Gaisberg area, found on the other side of town. It can be a difficult resort to ski if you are in a mixed ability group. Advanced skiers don't have an awful lot except for off-piste and the famed Hahnenkamm. Boarders have a specialist park and a half-pipe, while 'langlaufers' have 40km of trails. Because of its link to Kitzbuehel, there are occasional queues and the bus to the lift often gets crowded, as well as car traffic in the village. If you want more skiing, you can always invest in the 'Kitzbuheler Alpen' pass, for nearly 700km of unlinked pistes. This is particularly helpful when the snow isn't good. Accommodation and eating are mainly hotel-based, but there are some excellent mountain restaurants for daytime grub.

Overall, Kirchberg in Tirol is a good alternative to Kitzbuehel, with great nightlife and accommodation, but inconvenient slope accessibility.

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