Salzburg, Austria: The perfect break

Why go?

Perhaps it is all those Christmas repeats of The Sound of Music, but Salzburg seems strangely familiar, even to a novice. The wooded slopes of the Mönchsberg – the mountain that forms a backdrop to the city – rise to meet snow-capped peaks, while far below Baroque churches and palaces follow the bend of the Salzach River.

Graceful fountains gild cobbled squares and locals of a certain age wear lederhosen and the frilly peasant dresses known as dirndl.

But before Rodgers and Hammerstein came Mozart, and no visit would be complete without a nod towards his legacy. Chamber groups perform his music every night, and his homes are open to the public. But it is not all Wolfgang and Maria — the city has other museums and some fine art galleries. And if you tire of the cultural attractions, there are always the coffee houses and beer gardens.

Lux Alpinae: where to stay in St Anton

Lux Alpinae

Location
Ten minutes' walk from the centre, overlooking the Rendl slopes and above the road to the Arlberg pass. Shuttle to the centre on request and "peak" times – a two-minute drive.

Character
Cutting-edge with personality. Built in 2003, the Lux Alpinae is cut into the hill, with its front in glass, wood and metal. The elegant reception, bar, sitting- and dining-room are open plan, with steps and glass screens defining the areas. Metal and concrete sit well with upholstery in black leather and cow-hide, and the overall effect is curiously warm.

Rooms
27 near-identical doubles, half with blue décor, half with red. Carpets and a raft of wooden slats behind the beds soften the effect of bare concrete walls. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors afford a nice view, but nobody can see in. The partition between the buttercup yellow bathroom and the room is glass – though you can lower a blind, and the frosted shower screen hides the loo.

Food
Elegant and full of surprises – even if the menu, hand-written in English, was hard to decipher. Carafes of tap water have an intriguing lump of green rock at the bottom (to release minerals, apparently). The pick of the antipasti was sliced beef in a rich pate sauce. Parsnip soup followed, then antelope, succulent strips of beef in a creamy sand-coloured sauce or a vegetarian dish we couldn't fathom. My pudding – green apple sorbet in champagne – was fantastic.

We like
The bold design; climbing lessons; outdoor whirlpool.

Not so keen
Not for late-risers – light floods in through the venetian blinds.

Essentials
0043 5446 630108; www.luxalpinae.at; from £67 (88 Euros) per person half-board.

Why St Anton?

It has rollicking apres-ski and has been dubbed St Manton on account of its popularity with groups of males, but the resort is friednly and charming. The Arlberg Region (www.stantonamarlberg.com), which also comprises Lech and Zürs, offers 460km of pistes, slick lifts, endless off-piste challenges and a long season (the hotels reviewed here are open till April 20).

St Anton's ski schools are among Europe's best, and powder hounds can join off-piste groups with the Arlberg Ski School's 'Powder Club' or the British-run Piste to Powder. Excellent shopping on its car-free main street provides a gentler alternative to an après-ski booze-up at the slopeside Mooserwirt. My tip for a night-time drink is tiny Pub 37, and lunch, book a table at the Hospiz Alm in St Christoph, an easy blue run away.

Getting there

From Innsbruck airport, take bus F from the terminal (every 15 min, journey time 17 min) to Innsbruck railway station. Trains St Anton run hourly and take just over an hour (timetables www.oebb.at/en) From Zurich airport, there are eight trains to St Anton daily, most with a change at Zurich main station (2 hours 45 min; www.sbb.ch/en) Easyjet flies to Innsbruck from Gatwick, Bristol, Manchester and Liverpool, and BA from Gatwick and Manchester. You can fly to Zurich from various UK cities, with Swiss, BA, Easyjet and BMI.

Obergurgl, Austria: ski resort of the week

The resort

Obergurgl is a traditional Austrian resort which has terrain suitable for intermediates and beginners, and is ideal for families. Due to its high altitude, it is usually snow sure. There is a good lift system, which means very few queues, even at peak times, and many of the lifts are high-speed. Obergurgl also has a linked village slightly higher up the mountain, at Hochgurgl.

The snow

There has been heavy snowfall in Obergurgl this week meaning that powder skiing is top of the menu. This snow is expected to carry on into the weekend and with temperatures staying low, the snow could not be in much better condition.

The other skiers

With it being Easter this weekend the slopes are busy, with a mix of locals and British families on holiday.

Himmlhof, St Anton, Austria

Himmlhof

Location
In the middle of town but set back from the main street in a quiet spot. About three minutes' walk to the lifts.

Character
Romantic Tyrol. In 2002 this former farmhouse, which had been a guesthouse since the 1960s, was gutted and beautifully renovated in traditional style, largely using reclaimed materials from old chalets and barns and locally sourced antique. The result is exquisite and upmarket, but homely. The rustic – painted wardrobes, wrought-iron fittings, chamois antlers – sits happily alongside the mildly exotic – rugs, gorgeous upholstery, a majestic Italian fireplace. The wellbeing area (with two saunas, a steam-room, an icy plunge pool and relaxation beds) is especially lovely.

Rooms
Each of the 14 rooms and suites – the largest of which sleeps five – is decorated individually, and guests – chiefly families and couples – like to return each year to "their" rooms. All have wooden antique doors, wood floors in the living area and carpet around the beds.

Zell am See, Austria: ski resort of the week

The resort

Zell am See, set between a lake and a mountain, is popular throughout the year, with a traffic-free, medieval centre. Despite the resort having a small ski area there is a lot of variety, and just along the road are the snow-sure slopes on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier at Kaprun.

The snow

Winter has returned to Zell am See this week with snow falling continuously since Monday. Fresh tracks can be found all over the upper mountain, with powder on the Schmittenhohe, although the pistes leading back to the resort are icy in places. This will improve, with more snow forecast in the days ahead.

The other skiers

The slopes have been very quiet this week due to the heavy snow and bitterly cold wind. Those braving the mountain have been a mixture of skiers and boarders, but there are no children as the holidays are now over until Easter.

Alpbach, the Alps: skiing in Austria's prettiest village

t's not hard to see why Alpbach was voted the prettiest village in Austria in a television poll. Its timbered houses are all built in the traditional chalet style of overhanging eaves and carved balconies. In winter they are draped with snow and in summer smothered with geraniums.

The community of 2,500 souls clusters around a baroque gem of a church and sits on a sunny plateau 3,000ft above sea level with the Alps at its back and panoramic views in every direction. It's the sort of place for which the description "chocolate boxy" would be too austere.

What it's not is flash. This is not a resort for showing off, either on or off the slopes. There are more than 30 miles of pistes, including a few black runs, but the skiing is generally pleasurable rather than exciting, while the nightlife is cosy and jolly rather than wild. This is a place for families with pre-teens, for couples who want to keep some reserves of energy for the evening, and for beginners. Like me.

My instructor is a 65-year-old retired British Army major called Terry Holmes, who spends eight months of the year in Austria and the remainder back home in Lincolnshire.