Wagrain in Winter

Immerse yourself in a wonderful Wagrain winter!
Slice down slopes covered in powder, board on pristine deep-snow slopes! The biggest contiguous ski alliance in all of Austria, including the Salzburg Sports World, Schladming- Dachstein- Tauern, Gastein, Grossarl Valley and Hochkönig's Winter Kingdom ski areas, promises a superlative skiing experience. Which means, you will be greeted by an incredible 865 (!) km of outstandingly groomed slopes served by 276 state-of-the-art lifts - all on a single ski pass. Be there, live, in the heart of "Ski Amadé" !!

On nature's trail
... gliding along beautifully groomed cross-country routes, the pulses of cross-country fans race with pure excitement.  Your ideal partners for uninterrupted skiing enjoyment include our famous "Wagrain Ski School", along with numerous ski shops, where you will be able to pick up your always perfectly waxed skis. During the course of a beautiful day of skiing, you will always find time, of course, for a refreshment break at one or more of our many ski lodges. And when it's time to wind things down at the end of the day, our famous après ski watering holes serve as the perfect warm-up for the exciting night ahead.

Wagrain has plenty to offer non-skiers as well:

Wasserwelt Amadé:
Fun in and around the water, for big and small alike! 370 m² indoor water area with counter current, warm-water pool, bay in which to lounge, massage bench, mother-child area and wild-water canal - a source of constant excitement, even if the weather outside isn't quite perfect. Unforgettable experiences are promised by the Tatelwurm tube slide with its light, sound and video effects (50 m) as well as by the new Turbo Slide (also 50 m).

Sleigh Rides:
Open yourself to the enchantment of our pristine countryside and the heavenly peace and quiet of Wagrain away from the slopes. Experience Wagrain at its very best during a horse-drawn sleigh ride along magical, snow-covered pathways .. it doesn't get more romantic than this!

Winter Hikes
If you prefer a more leisurely pace, we invite you to set out on a pleasant walk through the snow-covered countryside in and around Wagrain. 20 km of winter hiking paths, plus our Culture Walk, all just waiting to be explored by you.

Ice Skating
The ice rink, which also features floodlights and pleasant music, lies right next to the valley terminal of the Flying Mozart lift. Perfect for young and old !!

Ice Stock
During a game of ice stock, it's not so much the sport itself, but rather than social aspects that take center stage. Don't just take our word for it. Enter one of our guest tournaments and spend a uniquely entertaining evening you'll not soon forget.

Tobogganing
It's hard to imagine anything more wonderful than an evening of sledding followed by a mug of hot spiced wine at an alpine hut.
After a day spent out on the slopes of the Salzburg Sports World, you'll definitely want to stop in at a traditional hut, before grabbing your sled and zooming back down to the valley below.

All Wagrain vacationers get to ride our FREE ski shuttles as well!
When you spend your vacation here in Wagrain, you also get a break from your car.  Enjoy your car-free getaway by taking advantage of our free ski-shuttle service. They run every 15 minutes between 8:30 and 5. We also offer regularly scheduled shuttle service to Schwaighof/Moadörfl and to Kleinarl.

Local History
Wagrain is first chronicled back in the year 1234 and is first noted as a market town in a document dating from 1285. After the end of the Goldegg family line in 1400, the community became a holding of Salzburg's princes in 1459. 1731/32 saw the expulsion of the protestants, which meant that many Wagrain residents were forced to leave their homes.  For centuries, until the middle of the 19th century, the local population lived primarily from mining, farming and through-travelers, as well as countless caravans of packers. Various changes caused the community to become poorer and poorer. A devastating fire destroyed many of the buildings on the market square in 1927. But after a period of hard times, tourism began a slow, though steady upswing in their fortunes.

Karl Heinrich Waggerl (author)
Karl Heinrich Waggerl was born in Bad Gastein on 10.12.1897. Returning from imprisonment in Italy, he married Edith Pitter ("Dita") in 1920,  moving to Wagrain and living in the Aigner House of that time. He begins teaching at the Wagrain Elementary School, but has to give up this job due to illness in 1923. In the subsequent years, Waggerl supports himself by working as an insurance agent, sign painter, a writer of advertising copy and as a secretary for the street department. In 1929, he makes his big breakthrough with his novel "Brot". In the 20's and 30's, he is intensively involved in photography. In 1940/41, he becomes mayor of Wagrain. On 4 November 1973, he dies from injuries resulting from a car accident and is buried in the cemetery in Wagrain. After the death of his widow, Edith, in 1990, the market town of Wagrain inherits the house with all of its contents, which - with the help of the Cultural Society - is remodeled into today's Waggerlhaus Museum.

Joseph Mohr - poet of "SILENT NIGHT"
Born on 11.12.1792 in Salzburg, he was admitted into the priesthood at Salzburg Cathedral in 1815.  He served as an assistant priest at various parishes within the archdiocese, penning the text of the world's most famous Christmas song, "Silent Night!", in 1816.  Teacher and organist, Franz Xaver Gruber, later composed the music we know so well today. In 1837, he came as a parish priest in his own right to Wagrain. Beloved and venerated by the locals, his first great work was the building of Wagrain's very first elementary school. Always committed to social causes, he completely reorganized the support system for the local poor.  As a singer and musician, who was able to play many instruments, he also led a large church choir, was a champion of the German hymn and was active as a composer. On 4.12.1848, Joseph Mohr passed away and was buried in the cemetery in Wagrain.