The small town of Lienz with 12,000 inhabitants is located in the middle of the Alps in the East Tyrol region. Whereby "in the middle of the Alps" is really apt: Coming from the north, you first have to leave the Kitzbühel Alps and the Felbertauern behind, and from the south the Dolomites or all of Carinthia.
This central location makes for a very special climate: large amounts of snow are mainly present when there is an Adriatic low coming from the south. With a northwesterly current, precipitation usually does not arrive in East Tyrol. In addition, the region is considered very sunny, with over 2,000 hours of sunshine counted annually.
Zettersfeld or Hochstein?
Lienz includes two sub-areas that are not connected to each other in terms of lifts: Zettersfeld and Hochstein. The larger of the two areas is Zettersfeld on the northern edge of the city with a magnificent view to the south over Lienz and to the Lienz Dolomites. The second ski area - Hochstein - on the other hand is almost the better known, as it is where the women's ski world cup makes a stop every 2 years.
Families feel at home in Lienz
Although the World Cup slopes are quite challenging, the two ski resorts tend to be quieter. Families and beginners in particular feel right at home here. In addition, there is a lot on offer around Lienz away from the alpine slopes. In addition to many cross-country ski trails, there is also a wide range of ski tours. In the small town center you can also go shopping and stop for a bite to eat. A highlight: The all-season toboggan run OSTTIRODLER at the Hochstein, an Alpine Coaster with a length of almost three kilometers.
Although both sub-areas are separate from each other, we give them a joint rating here. This is due to the fact that they are used with a common ski pass and vacationers also like to take advantage of both sub-areas.