Kitzbühel

December to March is ski season, and the Hahnenkamm races take place in January. June to September is good for hiking, cycling and lake swimming. April–May and October–November are quiet, with some lifts and hotels closed. Winter is cold and snowy. Summer is mild.

• Hahnenkamm is the main ski mountain, home to the Streif downhill. In summer it is a hiking area.
• Kitzbüheler Horn is a second mountain with a toll road, cable car and a flower-rich summit.
• Pfarrkirche Zum Heiligen Andreas is the parish church in the old town, with a Gothic structure.
• The Liebfrauenkirche is the church above the old town, which has two levels.
• Museum Kitzbühel shows local history, art and winter sports.
• Strandbad Schwarzsee is a small lake with a warm beach and a good swimming spot.
• Alpenblumengarten is an alpine flower garden on the Kitzbüheler Horn.
• Schleierwasserfall is a waterfall near town, reached on a short walk.

• Ski or ride the lifts up the Hahnenkamm.
• Walk or drive up to the Kitzbüheler Horn for summit views.
• Swim at Schwarzsee in summer.
• Hike a Gipfelrunde on the Kitzbüheler Alpen trail network.
• Walk the old town shops and cafes in the evening.

• Zell am See is a lake town with a ski mountain, about 45 minutes by car.
• Saalbach is a big ski area in Salzburgerland, about 45 minutes by car.
• Innsbruck is about 1 hour 15 minutes by train.
• Salzburg is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.
• The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a scenic mountain road reached in about 1 hour by car in the summer season.

• Zell am See and Saalbach are the closest preferred destinations.

• By air: Innsbruck and Salzburg airports are both about 1 hour 15 minutes away by car. Munich is about 2 hours.
• By train: Kitzbühel has two stations. Direct trains from Innsbruck take about 1 hour 15 minutes, and Salzburg takes about 2 hours with a change. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: Kitzbühel is reached via the Inn valley and the B170 road.

The town is small and walkable. Free ski buses run in winter. Local buses reach the lakes and valley stations. Cable cars leave from the edge of town.

A car is not needed in town. It helps for the lake and side valleys. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. Parking in the old town is limited and metered. Motorways in Austria need a vignette.

Tyrolean food is hearty, with Kasspatzln, Tiroler Gröstl and Kaiserschmarrn. Many mountain huts serve simple dishes. The town has many fine restaurants, bars and a lively après-ski scene in winter.

Kitzbühel is very safe. On the slopes, stay on marked runs and follow avalanche warnings. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.

Kitzbühel was a mining town in the Middle Ages, with copper and silver mines nearby. It received town rights in 1271. Skiing arrived in 1893, when a local brought the first skis from Norway. The Hahnenkamm race began in 1931 and became a classic.

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