Things to Do in Kitzbühel

Winter or summer: which Kitzbühel are you visiting?

Pick the season first, because it changes almost everything on this page. Winter Kitzbühel is a ski town. The Hahnenkamm and the Kitzbüheler Horn fill with skiers from early in the season, the evenings are about après-ski and the old town, and in January the Hahnenkamm race takes over the town for a week. Summer Kitzbühel is a mountain town that happens to have lifts. The same cable cars carry hikers and bikers, the Schwarzsee becomes the place to spend a hot afternoon, and the streets are noticeably calmer.

Who each season doesn’t suit matters as much. If nobody in your group skis, January and February give you less for your money than July. Prices are at their peak and much of the town’s life happens on the slopes. There’s plenty to do (see Kitzbühel without skiing), but you’re paying ski-season rates for it. If you want hut lunches with a view and long walks, summer is the better trip. If you want snow, skiing and a bit of glamour, come in winter.

The in-between months are quieter and cheaper, with a catch: some lifts close for maintenance in spring and late autumn, and the weather is less predictable. Our best time to visit guide goes through it month by month.

How many days you need

Three days is the honest answer for a first visit in either season.

With one day, choose one mountain. In winter that’s the Hahnenkamm if you ski. In summer we’d choose the Kitzbüheler Horn over the Hahnenkamm, because the alpine flower garden near the top and the wide views make a short visit worth it. The one-day plans higher up this page lay it out hour by hour.

With three days, you can do both mountains plus a slower day in the old town or at the Schwarzsee. A typical shape: Hahnenkamm on day one, the Horn on day two, and on day three either the lake and the old town, or a trip out to Salzburg or the Saalfelden area. We’ve written that out in a three-day plan.

With five days or more, you’re on a ski week or a hiking holiday, and the question changes to where to base yourself. That’s covered below.

The old town, and what costs nothing

Kitzbühel’s centre is small enough to cross on foot in a few minutes. The two main streets, the Vorderstadt and the Hinterstadt, run side by side and are lined with painted houses, cafés and shops. Walking them in the early evening, when the light is low on the facades, is one of the simplest pleasures of a visit and costs nothing.

Above the town sit the parish church of St Andreas and the Liebfrauenkirche, a short walk up from the centre. From there you get a view over the rooftops towards the Kitzbüheler Horn. Window-shopping is a sport in its own right here. The luxury brands are real, but you don’t have to buy anything to enjoy the streets. Our guide to luxury and watch shopping covers what’s where.

Free in winter: watching the skiers come down the last run into town, and the Advent market in the weeks before Christmas. Free in summer: the lakeside paths, the walking trails that start at the edge of town, and the Hahnenkamm’s lower slopes on foot.

Getting here and getting around

Most visitors arrive through one of three cities.

Munich has the biggest airport and the most flights. From there it’s a drive or a train journey with two changes, and the route is covered in our guide to getting from Munich Airport, including transfers.

Salzburg has a smaller airport and a beautiful old town worth a stop on the way. The Salzburg to Kitzbühel guide compares the train, bus and car.

Innsbruck works well if you’re coming from the west or combining Kitzbühel with other Tyrol resorts; see Innsbruck to Kitzbühel.

Once you’re here, you don’t need a car for most of what’s on this page. Both mountains have lifts within walking distance of the centre or a short bus ride away, and the station is in town. Parking in peak season is the main headache for drivers. The details on buses, ski buses and parking are in getting around Kitzbühel.

Where to base yourself

The town centre is the right base for most first visits. You can walk to the Hahnenkamm lift, to dinner and back, and you don’t have to plan around buses. It’s also the most expensive option.

Kirchberg, a few minutes west, is livelier and often cheaper, and it shares the same ski area. Reith and Aurach are quieter villages, good for families and anyone who wants peace in the evenings. Jochberg, to the south, puts you close to the upper part of the ski area and Pass Thurn. Our guide to which area to stay in goes through who each one suits.

Is Kitzbühel expensive?

Yes, by Austrian standards, especially in winter and during race week. Hotels, ski passes and restaurant meals all cost more than in smaller Tyrolean resorts.

It’s less extreme than its reputation, though. Apartments in the neighbouring villages, lunch at a mountain hut instead of a restaurant in town, and a summer visit instead of a winter one all bring the cost down a lot. We’ve broken it down in what a trip costs.

Where to go next

If you’re coming in winter, start with things to do in Kitzbühel in winter, then the skiing guide. For a summer trip, go to things to do in Kitzbühel in summer. Not skiing at all? Read the non-skiers guide, and if you want something different for a day, our page on skating and sledging in Saalfelden Leogang is under an hour away by direct train.