St Johann im Pongau , this nice ski resort is located on a riverside sun-drenched terrace only 60kms south of Salzburg that will take you about an hour’s drive. The river Sazach nearby and the mountain landscape around the resort are breathtaking and the little town is an attraction on its own. The atmosphere is lively and it makes you feel happy the moment you arrive. Happiness is contagious here and no matter what kind of mood you are in it will definitely get better.
It is one of the most accessible resorts and getting is easy if you choose to fly into Salzburg Airport and from there you can take a bus to the railway station and hop on a train that will lead you to the resort. This choice is preferable if you do not intend to move around a lot and visit the area. In case you would like to visit the surroundings it is much better to come by car or rent one from Salzburg as the public transport in the area is not so great.
The resort is opened to the tourists all year round having activities for both winter and summer seasons. In summer tourists enjoy hiking and breathing in fresh air while in winter skiing is the king sport and favored pastime activity.
The skiing season lasts December to April and you have 97 km of slopes to ski on and they come for all levels of skiers. Those who would like more have the possibility to get to the Amade ski area which has 860kms of slopes. One of the longest runs is of 5 km. Most of the ski runs in the resort are dedicated to intermediate and beginners but around 10 per cent is for the more advanced ones.
Getting around is done with the help of 52 lifts and cable cars, a network also known as Drei-Taler-Skischaukel (Three-Valley Ski Swing).
There are a lot of opportunities to see the area and every day of your stay you can visit a new place. Close to the resort is the Grossarilbach Valley, a beautiful area that can be enjoyed both in summer and winter. Then there is the Wagrainer Tal, the ice caves in Werfen, the Krimmler waterfalls and Austria’s highest mountain Großglockner (3.798m). The city of Salzburg is also a good choice for a day’s visit. And last but not lest the Liechtenstein Gorge 3km south of the resort, that is 1.5km by road to Grossarl and from there an hour on foot on marked trail. This gorge attracts thousands of visitors who want to see this wonder of nature. The waterfall at the end of the gorge is spectacular with a drop of about 61m.
The resort itself has a few highlights and among them is the twin-towered Pfarrkirche or Parish Church dating 1855. Time can also be spent shopping as there are quite a few shops all of them worth a peak. Dining in St Johann is excellent and the restaurants are classy, other facilities like cafés, bars and discos enhance the fun.
There are plenty of outdoor activities to choose from horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice-skating, tobogganing, mountaineering, curling, hiking, mono-skiing, paragliding, but the indoor ones are just as many tennis, swimming and gyms.
The resort can accommodate up to 3,700 tourists in hotels, guesthouses, pensions or farmhouses.
With plenty to do in and outside the resort St Johann is sought by those who want diversity during their stay and they sure have a lot of fun visiting all the sights and trying out all the activities.
