Lying 10kms south of Salzburg, the ski resort of St Johann im Pongau is situated on a sun-drenched terrace on the right bank of the river Salzach, with Alpendorf 200m higher up the mountain. St Johann / Alpendorf is linked to the vast Amadé ski area with more than 860kms of slopes and some 270 lifts, offering one of the best value lift passes in Austria. The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier offers summer skiing.

St Johann town is full of traditions, and is an important shopping and tourist centre in the entire region. Famous for the nearby scenic Liechtenstein gorge and for its beautiful twin-towered cathedral, St Johann is a lively town boasting a wide range of facilities and some 59 restaurants. A kindergarten is also available.

There are 3,700 beds in the area to choose from, ranging from suites in five-star establishments to private pensions and farmhouses; a total of 32,000 beds are available in the Salzburg Sports World region. The après-ski scene is lively and exciting with plentiful cafés and restaurants, 16 bars (including four ice bars), and four discos as well as concerts and folklore evenings.

St Johann / Alpendorf ski resort has a modest number of ski possibilities directly above St Johann, but much more terrain, groomed and off-piste, above Alpendorf. There are 97kms of prepared runs with a longest run of five kilometres. There are 59 lifts, including 10 gondolas, 33 chairlifts and 16 draglifts, with a capacity for 56,000 skiers per hour; this well known ski lift network is called the Dreitalerskischaukel (Three-Valley Ski Swing).

If you're a nature lover, St Johann is a good base for visiting the Grossarilbach Valley, to the south of the town, and the mouth of Wagrainer Tal, to the north. The eastern Alps' most spectacular gorge, the Liechtensteinklamm, is just south of St Johann and boasts 300-metre rock walls accessible via a path. Nearby Zell am See is also worth a trip.

The ski season runs from December to April, with special rate packages before the Christmas holidays and in late March. The most convenient way to get here is to fly to Salzburg International Airport, take a shuttle or bus to Salzburg railway station, and then a train to St Johann.