POSTCARD FROM NASSFELD

5th February 2020 | James Cove, Nassfeld

Last modified on May 15th, 2021

The Austrian resort has more than a little bit of Italy in it. Sounds like a good combination to us. And it is.

Nassfeld has 40 lifts, over 80 marked runs and more than 100km of slopes.

Then there is the off piste.

There are itinerary routes cross-country trails and winter hiking paths.

Much of the accommodation is in the heart of the ski area so unlike many other Austrian resorts Nassfeld is predominantly ski-in/ski-out.

Wide shot, buildings in a snowy landscape showing ski runs with tiny figures skiing, cloudy sky, long shadowns on the ski run

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

And my first impressions?

https://www.facebook.com/planetski/videos/663882041104588/?eid=ARBK9UG004b1k5-VGWr71WU2S3xubWxxUMpbDUSihu7icaIyGM8-NEiKsRVcP0JGST1knL0m9HtPiWy1

And the views are stunning from the top of the resort.

https://www.facebook.com/planetski/videos/1469434226566211/

And from elsewhere too:

empty ski slope with panorama of mountains in distance cloudy sky with sun breaking through on right

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

Craggy snowy cliff face above ski run, light clouds and blue sky

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

Craggy mountains in forground with layers of misty peaks into distance

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

The Italian influence is in the restaurants – Kabrio has the best pizzas in town.

Group of three men and a woman eating pizza roud a table, glasses of red wine to hand

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

The Austrian influence is to be found in the slope side bars.

https://www.facebook.com/planetski/videos/792631571220615/?eid=ARBDD0EfaJYkfwVd3GDc8brgg6fuyiJ5qgtL4_cAqBNaePMu5EutB0aV–OzgeFDlS48t_0OZFpngJZB

Apparently it is made from cream, crumble, egg nog and a generous amount of rum.

And this particular bar at the top of the resort has a novel collection of football scarves.

Almost 300 of them.

Range of football scarves from different teams with PlanetSKI editor sporting posing with one

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

The owner, Fati – that’s him above, tells me that many people come for a drink and then if they come back a following season they bring their team’s scarf with them as a present.

And for me perhaps the best of the Italian connection is that there is a heliskiing operation here.

It’s through the border on the edge of town.

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

Austrian border crossing board with EU stars on blue background. The board is covered with badges and stickers

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

Italian border crossing board with EU stars on blue background. The board is covered with badges and stickers

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

And then…

https://www.facebook.com/planetski/videos/937320976662932/?eid=ARDL32Y4meJntF6IEHgUKe-Fy3q5tbvPtHlTeNnEz7LnphmAmED4JcYIuX5jW0pNW2Ym5WjGwN9WTBU6

See my full article on the heliskiing experience here:

Heliskiing in Austria on the cheap

red, green and white helicopter on top of a snow capped mountain against a blue sky

Heliskiing in Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

And take a look at woods from where the helicopter took off.

Nothing special you may think.

Pine trees with snowy fields in the foreground

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

You may know that Murren in Switzerland and Soelden in Austria were used as locations in James Bond films – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Spectre respectively.

Well Timothy Dalton (and his team of stuntmen) got up to their tricks in a cello case here in Nassfeld in The Living Daylights.

Out on the slopes the most impressive thing is the variety of terrain many of the lifts have.

Difficult and easier runs from the top that then meet up – ideal for mixed ability groups.

The runs are wide and much is through the trees.

Nassfeld, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI.

Due to its geographical location the resort has become something of cult spot for the emerging skiers and snowboarders from Eastern Europe.

Slovenia is a drive of 1 ½ hours, Croatia is 3, Hungary 4 and the Czech Republic 7.

And one thing that struck me was the huge amounts of children here.

“We make a special effort to attract families here with good prices and excellent facilities,” said Bettina Weber from the resort’s tourist office to me.

“It is so important that we get young people skiing and make it as easy and affordable as possible because they are our skiers and snowboarders of the future.”

The huge Leitner Hotel in the satellite village of Tropolach has more than 400 beds and caters predominantly to the schools market.

A group of men, women, children crossing a road wearing ski clothes and carrying skis on shoulders

Coach loads of British schoolchildren come here – usually over Easter.

Yellow building with group of school children walking in front

“The UK market is sizeable here and most importantly it is growing with many people using the new flights to nearby Klagenfurt airport that is under an hour away,” adds Bettina Weber.

I flew in and out and can highly recommend the airport.

Coming into land at Klagenfurt

And for me Nassfeld offered me a very nice taster of Italy.

“Why is that relevant?” I hear you ask.

Well PlanetSKI is off to live in Italy next week for a couple of months, maybe more.

We’re going to be based in Aosta and skiing all the resorts in the area and more.

Thanks for the taster Nassfeld.

Italy here I come…

https://www.facebook.com/planetski/videos/614634199080097/?v=614634199080097