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Best for non skiers

Best Ski Resorts for Non Skiers in Austria

The best Austrian resort for a non skier is Zell am See, a real lakeside town with year round walks, a thermal complex, mountain lifts for foot passengers and easy access. Bad Gastein follows for its dramatic thermal spa setting, and Kitzbuhel for its medieval town and shopping. Below we rank eight resorts on what a non skier actually does all day: town quality, spas, scenery, accessible mountain restaurants and how easy the place is to reach without skiing.

By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed July 2026

What matters

What makes a resort work for a non skier

A non skier needs different things from a skier, and the numbers that matter are not piste kilometers. We rank on five measurable factors: the quality and walkability of the town, the presence of a serious spa or thermal baths, the scenery and the number of mountain restaurants reachable by lift or train without skis, the choice of off snow activities such as cleared winter walking paths, swimming and shopping, and the ease of arrival by train or short transfer.

Real towns beat purpose built resorts here. A place that exists outside the ski season, with shops, cafes, a station and a spa, gives a non skier a full day without a lift pass. Austria is unusually strong on this because so many of its resorts are genuine valley towns rather than functional ski bases, and several sit on thermal springs.

Accessible mountain access matters too. The best non skier resorts let a foot passenger ride a gondola or rack railway to a sunny terrace for lunch with the skiers, so the group still shares the mountain. We weight that, plential cleared walking trails and a proper spa most heavily.

Person on a snow capped peak among clouds

The ranking

Our non skier picks for Austria

Ranked on town quality, spas and thermal baths, scenery and accessible mountain restaurants, off snow activities and ease of access.

Zell am See

Salzburg | lakeside town | best all rounder

The best Austrian base for a non skier, a real lakeside town with walks, a spa and easy lift access for foot passengers.

Zell am See tops the list because it is a complete town that happens to have skiing, not a ski base with a town attached. The frozen or open lakeside gives flat, scenic walks, there is a large thermal and swimming complex, the town has shops and restaurants, and foot passengers can ride the gondola to sunny terraces to meet the skiers for lunch.

Access is straightforward by train or a short transfer from Salzburg, which lowers the friction for someone not carrying skis. For a non skier who wants a full, easy day every day, nothing in Austria scores higher.

Bad Gastein

Salzburg | thermal spa town | scenery and baths

A dramatic Belle Epoque spa town built on hot springs, the strongest pick for a spa led trip.

Bad Gastein is unlike anywhere else in the Alps, a tall, faded grand town stacked around a waterfall and fed by natural hot springs. For a non skier the draw is obvious: thermal baths, spa hotels, striking architecture and scenic walks, with the radon gallery and an alpine spa complex as headline attractions.

It is reachable directly by train, which suits a non skier well. The town has a slightly bohemian, in between eras feel that not everyone loves, but for a spa and scenery trip it is our top contrarian choice.

Kitzbuhel

Tyrol | medieval town | shopping and dining

The most beautiful town in this list, with serious shopping, dining and a casino.

Kitzbuhel is the glamour pick. The medieval painted center is genuinely lovely to wander, the shopping and restaurants are a cut above most ski towns, and there is a casino, a spa and cleared walking trails for the non skier. Foot passengers can ride up to the mountain restaurants easily.

It ranks behind Zell am See and Bad Gastein only because it lacks the lake and the thermal springs, but for a stylish town with the best shopping and dining of any Austrian resort, it is hard to beat.

Lech

Arlberg, Vorarlberg | luxury spa village | premium

The premium choice, an upmarket village with the best hotel spas and fine dining in Austria.

Lech is where a non skier on a generous budget should look. The village is smart and snow sure, the hotels run some of the best spas in the Alps, and the dining is excellent. Cleared winter walking paths and horse drawn sleigh rides round out the off snow day.

It is expensive, landing in the $4,000 to $8,000 per person band for a comfortable week, and it is more village than town. For a luxurious, spa centered week with a beautiful setting, it is the standout.

Mayrhofen

Zillertal, Tyrol | lively town | spa and rail

A lively Zillertal town with a big alpine spa and direct rail access.

Mayrhofen is a real, busy valley town with shops, restaurants and a large alpine spa and pool complex, all reachable by direct train up the Zillertal. A non skier has plenty to do at town level, and foot passengers can ride the gondola for lunch with a view.

It is sociable and can be noisy, so it suits a non skier who likes a bit of life rather than quiet. For a town with a strong spa and the easiest train access, it scores well.

Saalbach Hinterglemm

Salzburg | lively resort | activities and dining

A lively, well equipped resort with sleigh rides, tobogganing and a busy dining scene.

Saalbach Hinterglemm offers a non skier a busy resort with plenty of organized activities, from cleared walking trails and tobogganing to sleigh rides, plus a strong dining and apres scene. Foot passengers can ride up to the sunny mountain restaurants with ease.

It is more resort than historic town and the focus is firmly on the lively side, so it suits sociable non skiers over those seeking calm. For activities and atmosphere, it delivers.

Schladming

Styria | valley town | thermal spa nearby

A practical valley town with shops, easy rail access and a major thermal spa close by.

Schladming is a proper working town with shops, restaurants and direct train access, and the large Therme thermal complex sits a short drive away. A non skier has a real town to enjoy and easy mountain access to meet the skiers for lunch.

It is more functional than glamorous, but it is easy, well connected and good value. For a no fuss town with a thermal spa option, it is a sensible choice.

Solden

Otztal, Tyrol | high resort | scenery and an Ice Q

A high, scenic resort with glacier viewpoints and a film famous mountain restaurant, but a thinner town.

Solden makes the list for scenery and a couple of standout attractions: a glacier road to high viewpoints, the Ice Q restaurant and the 007 Elements cinematic installation perched above 3,000 meters, both reachable by lift. The thermal Freizeit Arena gives a non skier a pool day too.

It ranks last because the town itself is more strung out and party focused than charming, with less to wander than the historic centers above it. For dramatic high mountain scenery and a film fan, though, it earns a place.

Compared at a glance

The Austrian non skier shortlist

Resort	Best for	Spa or baths	The verdict
Zell am See	All round non skier week	Yes, large complex	Lake town, walks and easy lift access.
Bad Gastein	Spa and scenery	Yes, natural springs	Dramatic thermal town, train access.
Kitzbuhel	Shopping and dining	Yes, spas	Beautiful medieval town and casino.
Lech	Luxury and spa	Yes, hotel spas	Premium village, best hotel spas.
Mayrhofen	Lively town and spa	Yes, alpine spa	Busy town, big spa, easy train.
Saalbach Hinterglemm	Activities	Some hotel spas	Sleigh rides and a lively scene.
Schladming	Practical and easy	Yes, Therme nearby	Working town, thermal spa close by.
Solden	High scenery	Yes, leisure pool	Glacier viewpoints, thinner town.

Save on the extras

Book the trip well

A non skier still spends on transfers, the odd lift pass for foot passengers and travel insurance, and a skiing partner will need lessons, a pass and ski hire. Booking these ahead usually beats the resort window price, and a sensible travel insurance policy matters as much for a spa trip as a ski one.

Book the extras and save

Lessons, lift passes, airport transfers and ski hire are where a ski trip quietly leaks money. Booking ahead almost always beats the resort window price.

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Keep planning

Austria non skier FAQs

What is the best Austrian ski resort for a non skier?

Zell am See is our top pick, a real lakeside town with scenic walks, a large thermal and swimming complex, shops and easy gondola access for foot passengers. Bad Gastein is the best spa led alternative and Kitzbuhel the best for shopping and dining.

Which Austrian resort has the best spa for non skiers?

Bad Gastein, built on natural hot springs, is the strongest spa town, with thermal baths and an alpine spa complex. Lech has the best luxury hotel spas, and Mayrhofen and Schladming both offer large public thermal complexes.

Can non skiers ride the lifts in Austrian resorts?

Yes. Most major resorts sell pedestrian lift tickets so foot passengers can ride gondolas and railways to sunny mountain restaurants and viewpoints to meet the skiers for lunch. Zell am See, Kitzbuhel and Solden all make this easy.

Which Austrian resort is easiest to reach without skiing?

Zell am See, Bad Gastein, Schladming and Mayrhofen all have direct or near direct train access, which suits a non skier traveling without bulky ski kit. A train to the resort removes the need for a car and a long transfer.

Is Kitzbuhel good for non skiers?

Yes. Kitzbuhel has the best shopping and dining of any Austrian resort, a beautiful medieval center to wander, a casino, spas and cleared walking trails. It lacks a lake or natural hot springs, which is why it ranks behind Zell am See and Bad Gastein for non skiers.

How much does a non skier trip to Austria cost?

Most comfortable weeks land in the $2,000 to $4,000 per person band including a good hotel, with luxury spa villages like Lech reaching $4,000 to $8,000 per person. Without a lift pass and ski hire, a non skier's costs are often lower than a skier's, spa entry aside.

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