Things to Do in Kitzbühel

Hahnenkamm downhill course

The Streif's 3.3km of ice-covered terror drops 860 vertical meters through terrain that would challenge a mountain goat. Standing at the Start House, you'll feel the wind whip past as it does during January's race when 100,000 spectators roar from the slopesides. The course's Mausefalle jump compresses skiers to 5G forces. Walk it in summer. Feel your stomach lurch imagining 140km/h speeds.

Schwarzsee lake swimming

This dark moor lake warms surprisingly to 24°C on summer afternoons, its black-bottomed waters reflecting the Wilder Kaiser peaks like polished obsidian. You'll hear dragonflies zipping between reeds while locals splash off the wooden diving boards, their laughter carrying across water that supposedly heals skin ailments with its high peat content. The lakeside path smells of pine needles and wild mint where barefoot hikers tread between grassy beaches.

Medieval town walls walk

The 800-year-old fortifications snake behind Vorderstadt's shops where you'll brush fingers along original stonework while peering into secret courtyards. Morning light catches the copper roofs of St. Catherine's Church as you trace the defensive line past vine-covered towers that once kept out Bavarian raiders. The walls smell of damp limestone and centuries of woodsmoke from chimneys below.

Kitzbüheler Horn cable car

The gondola swings over meadows where edelweiss dots the grass and marmots whistle warnings from rocky outcrops. At 1,996 meters, the panorama stretches from the Grossglockner's glinting summit to the Zillertal's serrated ridge while the wind carries cowbell melodies from farms 1,200 meters below. The summit restaurant serves elderflower cordial that tastes of high-altitude sunshine.

Rasmushof wine tavern crawl

These traditional heuriger taverns pour cloudy mountain wines in courtyards where grapevines create dappled shade on wooden tables. You'll taste Zirbenschnaps that burns with pine resin while farmers in lederhosen play cards and the smell of roasted pork drifts from kitchens. Each tavern has its own Stammtisch - regulars' table - where dialect gets thicker with each round of Grüner Veltliner.

Innenstadt: cobblestone heart with frescoed buildings and 5-minute walks to everything though weekend noise drifts up from wine taverns

Jochberg: traditional farming village 6km south where cow pastures replace designer shops and you smell hay rather than perfume

Sankt Johann: budget-friendly valley town with train connections and that authentic Tyrolean feel without the celebrity spotting

Reith: quiet residential slopes above town where forest walks start from your door and the Hahnenkamm gondola is 10 minutes away

Kirchberg: younger crowd, later nights, cheaper beds than Kitzbühel proper while sharing the same ski slopes via interconnecting lifts

Schwarzsee: lakefront hotels where morning swims replace hotel pools and you trade town buzz for frog choruses