Hopfgarten is a traditional Tyrolean market village in Austria's Kitzbühel Alps, sitting at 620m in a wide and pleasant valley. Known as the sunniest village in the Brixental, it's a proper working community with a cobblestoned centre, a twin-steepled baroque church, and a warm, unhurried Tyrolean atmosphere shaped by centuries of market tradition. From the village centre, a gondola takes you directly to the summit of the Hohe Salve at 1,829m, which is the highest point in the SkiWelt, one of the largest interconnected ski areas in the world.

From the top of Hopfgarten, 275km of pistes and 81 lifts are spread across nine villages in every direction. Terrain is predominantly wide, well-groomed blues and flowing reds that suit intermediates beautifully, with steeper blacks and off-piste options higher up for confident skiers. Hopfgarten's own highlight is the 7.3km valley run from the summit, dropping over 1,200m back to the village on a varied red that's one of the longest non-stop descents in the entire SkiWelt. Snowmaking covers 229km of pistes, and the season runs from early December to early April.

Away from the slopes, Hopfgarten has a relaxed rhythm that suits the village's character. The sun lingers in the valley longer than most spots in the Brixental, so terrace lunches stretch well into the late afternoon. The market square is a pleasant place for evening strolls, with restaurants, cafés, and local shops, and the Salvenaland recreation area has a frozen lake for ice skating and curling. Horse-drawn sleigh rides through the valley and cross-country skiing in the Kelchsau add variety to the week, and with over 80 mountain huts across the SkiWelt, the dining alone could fill a holiday.

Check out Hopfgarten ski deals to start planning your trip.