New ski holiday attractions in Austria this winter

Following our recent blog highlighting new attractions in French resorts, we now take a look at what some of Austria’s popular resorts have to offer on and off the piste this season.

Ischgl

Harry Potter comes to the mountains

Ischgl is giving its annual snow-sculpture exhibition a magical twist this winter, with Harry Potter providing the inspiration.

The resort’s Shapes in White competition takes place from 10–15 January 2027, when 20 international artists will create 10 enormous snow sculptures based on the wizarding world.

Once completed, the sculptures will be displayed around the ski area from 16 January, offering skiers the opportunity to encounter some familiar characters and scenes while exploring the mountain.

There is another unusual attraction, too. A life-size LEGO Technic McLaren P1 will be displayed at Idalp, giving motorsport and LEGO enthusiasts something to admire at 2,300m.

The LEGO Experience World runs from late November 2026 until early April 2027.

Niederau

Children’s snow park

Families visiting Niederau in the Wildschönau valley will find a new attraction designed to make learning to ski more entertaining.

Opening in December 2026, JUKI’S Schneejuwel is a new children’s snow park on the Markbachjoch, featuring playful characters, undulating snow runs and a modern magic-carpet conveyor at the mountain station.

The idea is to give young beginners an enjoyable environment in which to develop their skiing skills, rather than simply following an instructor down an ordinary nursery slope.

It will be particularly appealing to families introducing children to skiing for the first time.

Alpbach

The return of a legendary halfpipe

Freestyle enthusiasts visiting Alpbach, can tackle the legendary halfpipe on the Wiedersberger Horn which is making a comeback for winter 2026/27.

Rather than being designed exclusively for accomplished skiers and snowboarders, the emphasis is on helping visitors develop their balance, confidence, and basic skills.

Situated at Hornboden, the halfpipe will feature gentle waves and relatively low walls, making it suitable for families and skiers and snowboarders wanting to experiment with freestyle for the first time.

Soll

A new indoor playground for children

Parents with younger children will welcome a new indoor attraction at Söll, part of the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental.

The Kükennest, which translates as Chick’s Nest, is a themed indoor playground in the Blaues Wunder self-service restaurant area.

Its centrepiece is a wooden egg ride previously associated with the resort’s summer Hexenwasser attraction, now being brought indoors for the winter.

The play area will be staffed at weekends and offers families somewhere to entertain their youngest members while taking a break from skiing.

It may not be quite as exciting as tackling a black run, but it could be a considerable attraction for parents who have spent the morning trying to persuade reluctant youngsters to put their ski boots on.

Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn

MUST Rides

Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is introducing a new way for skiers and snowboarders to discover some of its most interesting areas through an initiative called MUST Rides.

MUST = Most Unique Skicircus Tracks.

Four existing descents have been selected for the 2026/27 season. They include the legendary Black Beard run on the Schattberg, located above Saalbach, the Schneekristall piste on the Zwölferkogel, the scenic Steinberg descent in Leogang and the challenging Reckmoos Nord in Fieberbrunn.

Each offers a different skiing experience, from demanding terrain to spectacular mountain scenery.

The idea is to encourage visitors to explore beyond their familiar runs and discover some of the more distinctive skiing and snowboarding available across the extensive Skicircus area.

There is an additional reason to celebrate this winter, as the ski connection between Saalbach and Leogang marks its 50th anniversary. A special anniversary day on 19 December 2026 will feature a €50 ski pass.

For more information on the resorts mentioned above, and the vast choice of packages, flights and accommodation available through Ski Line, talk to the experts by using the contact details below, or online chat facility. You will find these contact details on the Ski Line website.