Apres Ski in Westendorf

Westendorf is a traditional Tirolean village in the Brixental Valley, 9 miles west of Kitzbuhel. Once a traditional farming village, Westendorf’ is fully committed to tourism in winter and summer and offers authentic Tirolean character. Apres-ski and nightlife are limited but lively thanks to a strong influx of Dutch skiers and the resort offers plenty of other activities to keep you entertained.

Westendorf – The Village

Westendorf is a relatively small village with a population of under 4,000 and less hustle and bustle than some of the larger nearby resorts. All amenities including the ski lifts are within a short walk from the village centre. The village is set on a sunny plateau at 783 m and its relatively low altitude means it can become mild in the later months of the ski season.

The numerous hotels are a prominent feature of the village and make up a significant portion of the evening activity as guests typically eat in their hotel restaurant. There are, however, also several shops and bars and a disco for apres-ski and nightlife until late.

Westendorf’s proximity to Kitzbuhel means visitors don’t have far to go to discover one of the prettiest historic towns in the Alps with an abundance of wonderful shops, good restaurants and plenty of nightlife.

Westendorf Apres Ski Bars & Restaurants

Westendorf has around 20 restaurants, mostly in hotels and offering traditional Tyrolean dishes. Apres ski can be lively, but it is not extensive and comes with a friendly Dutch flavour as the resort is a favourite destination among skiers in the Netherlands.

Westendorf is a fairly small place and the number and range of restaurants and bars reflects this fact. While there are around 20 restaurants most of these are hotel restaurants serving traditional Austrian cuisine, and this is where most visitors tend to dine. A handful of cafes and snack bars provide some nice places to stop for a coffee and cake, but otherwise, there is little variety on offer. In terms of nightlife Westendorf is again more limited, and geared more towards families, although being popular with Dutch visitors there are a few bars which can get surprisingly lively and a number have live music and DJs on most nights.

Après Ski Bars in Westendorf

Karat is a popular après ski bar with several lounge and bar areas, DJs on most nights and a happy hour from 4-5 pm.

Kibo is a cosy bar on Westendorf’s main street open until 3:00 am.

Gerry’s Inn is a popular bar and restaurant near the Schneeberg chairlift nursery slopes offering lively après ski accompanied by live music and DJs and its large terrace is packed on sunny days. The menu includes breakfast, burgers, schnitzel and Dutch cuisine which pleases many Dutch visitors.

Moskito Bar is known throughout the SkiWelt area for its energetic après ski and features Dutch-leaning live music and DJs every night, until 03:00 am.

The Village Pub, in the centre of Westendorf on the main street, prides itself in serving Guinness and often shows sport on TV.

Wunder Bar is the discotheque in Westendorf where visitors and locals come to party. During the winter it offers live music from predominantly Dutch artists earlier in the evening, and later DJs get the dancing going.

Restaurants in Westendorf

Cafe Konditorei Elisabeth in the centre of Westendorf has a small outdoor terrace and serves excellent cakes and snacks.

Dorfcafe is a cosy cafe offering snacks and drinks as well as breakfast.

FeinSinn has a large and varied international menu, and while the decor is somewhat clinical the food is surprisingly good, with a home-cooked slant to dishes from ribs and burritos to pizza and meat.

Mund is a small pizzeria and cafe bar open until 02:00 am.

Hotel Mesnerwirt’s restaurant in the centre of the village offers a mix of traditional Austrian cuisine and more international dishes.

Other Activities in Westendorf

There are plenty of other activities in Westendorf and more nearby in Brixen and Kitzbuhel. These include night skiing, cross-country skiing, tobogganing, hiking, snowshoeing, paragliding, horse-drawn sleigh rides

Night Skiing in Westendorf

Night skiing is available in Westendorf, but only the nursery slopes (Schneeberg chairlift) are floodlit so it is aimed mainly at beginners and families with small children. For visitors with a car, nearby Soll offers extensive night skiing for all abilities – the biggest night skiing facility in the Alps!

Cross-Country Skiing in Westendorf

Cross-country skiing in Westendorf is limited to a few cross-country trails, mostly on gentle terrain suitable for beginners. For those new to cross-country skiing, you can arrange a taster course which teaches the basics of cross-country skiing over two sessions. Cross-country ski equipment is available for hire locally. More information is available from the Tourist Office in Westendorf.

Tobogganing in Westendorf

A 7 km run down from the Alpenrosenbahn lift provides an exhilarating activity – the tourist office organises tours although they only recommend it for experienced tobogganers.

Hiking in Westendorf

There are guided hiking tours in and around Westendorf, which offer wonderful views of the surrounding landscape. Winter walking is an activity the whole family can enjoy, particularly the torch-lit hike, which at 45 minutes long, is suitable for children and is a very atmospheric way to see the village and surroundings. Hikes can be booked at the tourist office (details below).

Snowshoeing in Westendorf

The tourist office in Westendorf organises scenic snowshoe hikes around the village at a leisurely pace for beginners and in the ski area for those with a moderate level of ability and fitness.

Paragliding in Westendorf

Westendorf is a popular spot for paragliding, particularly for those learning to paraglide. But for the inexperienced, the local flying school also offers tandem flights, for more details contact:

Flugschule Westendorf

Bergliftstraβe 22

Tel: +43 676 847 617 400

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.para.at

Horse-drawn Sleigh Rides in Westendorf

Traditional horse-drawn sleigh rides through Westendorf offer a unique way to see the village and a magical experience. Sleigh ride tours include traditional Tyrolean ‘Grostl’ for dinner at a cosy mountain hut and can be combined with a more energetic snowshoe hike – hiking for around an hour and a half and riding back to the village in the sleigh. Contact the tourist office in Westendorf for more information and to book.

Igloo Village in Brixen

The Alpeniglu igloo village, located near the top of the Hochbrixen lift, is well worth visiting during the day or in the evening when the visitor programme includes dinner inside the main igloo and drinks in the ice bar. More intrepid wannabe eskimos can even stay overnight in one of the igloos – sleeping on specially crafted ice beds covered in reindeer skins and top-of-the-range sleeping bags. Alpeniglu can be reached via the ski lift system during the day from Westendorf, or from Brixen in the evening. For more details contact:

ALPENIGLU®

Bockern 87

6365 Kirchberg

Tel: +49 711 34 16 90 – 90

Web: www.alpeniglu.com

Culinary Tours in Westendorf

Culinary-minded visitors will want to take advantage of the tours of the village, which include sampling locally produced hay milk cheese and the ubiquitous local schnapps. Tours provide an insight into the local customs and traditions and can be arranged through the tourist office in Westendorf.

Shops in Westendorf

The shopping in Westendorf is relatively limited, but the beautiful town of Kitzbuhel, just 20 minutes away by car, has a rich history and an abundance of charming shops some of which can be hard on the wallet!