Abtenau (Lammertal)
Abtenau has more of our Salzburg homes than anywhere else. It is the main village of the Lammertal, with a church square, supermarkets and an outdoor pool in summer. Its own Karkogel hill is small, but ski passes of a day and a half or more also cover Dachstein West, around 15 minutes up the valley. The Postalm plateau and the Lammerklamm gorge are close by for summer walks. Salzburg airport is around 45 minutes away.
Best for: Families who want a market village with shops and a small ski hill
Not for you if: You want to ski from the door: most homes are a short drive or ski bus ride from the lifts.
Rußbach am Pass Gschütt
Rußbach sits below the Gschütt pass, where the road crosses into Upper Austria towards Gosau. Lifts from the village climb into Dachstein West, the ski area that links Rußbach with Gosau and Annaberg, so you can cover a lot of ground without moving the car. In summer the Gosau lakes, with their view of the Dachstein glacier, are around 20 minutes away. Salzburg airport is about an hour by car.
Best for: Skiers who want lifts close to the house
Not for you if: You want restaurants and shops on the doorstep: Rußbach is a small village, and Abtenau has the wider choice.
Annaberg and Lungötz
Annaberg looks straight up at the jagged Gosaukamm ridge and the twin summits of the Bischofsmütze. Its lifts are part of Dachstein West, and Lungötz, a few minutes down the valley, has a smaller separate slope for beginners. Summer walks lead to mountain huts below the Gosaukamm, and Filzmoos, on our Pongau page, is just over the ridge. Allow around an hour to Salzburg airport.
Best for: Families and walkers who like a quiet village under big rock peaks
Not for you if: You want evenings out: Annaberg has a handful of inns and goes quiet early.
Salzburg city and Anif
Salzburg's old town packs Mozart's birthplace, the cathedral and the Hohensalzburg fortress into a short walk along the Salzach. Anif is a village just south of the city boundary, close to Hellbrunn palace and its trick fountains, and the Untersberg cable car is a few minutes further on. Buses run into the centre. The airport is around 15 to 20 minutes away, which makes this the easiest base for a long weekend.
Best for: Couples and music lovers on a city break
Not for you if: You want a wide choice of homes: we have only a couple here, so book early for the festival.
Bad Vigaun and St Koloman (around Hallein)
Bad Vigaun is a small spa village on the Salzach with a thermal bath and clinic. St Koloman sits higher, on a farming plateau above Kuchl, with walks up to the Trattberg. Hallein, a few minutes away, has the Dürrnberg salt mine, where you slide down wooden chutes between levels, and a Celtic museum. Salzburg airport is around 30 to 40 minutes by motorway.
Best for: Spa breaks and walkers who want the city within half an hour
Not for you if: Skiing is the main reason for the trip: the big lifts are a drive away.
