Salzburg Airport to Kitzbühel

It's easy to think of Kitzbühel purely as a ski town, but it was a wealthy settlement long before anyone strapped on a pair of skis. Silver and copper mining put it on the map in the Middle Ages, and that old money is still visible in the town centre today — grand facades, a genuinely historic old town, and hotels that have been welcoming guests for well over a century. These days it's best known for the Hahnenkamm — the January downhill race down the Streif, widely considered the toughest course on the World Cup circuit. If you're arriving during race week, book everything early. Transfers and hotel rooms both sell out. The route follows the A1 and then the A12 towards Wörgl before regional roads carry you the rest of the way into Kitzbühel. It's a good road, generally clear even in winter, though snow can slow things down a little. Worth knowing if you're self-driving: Austrian motorways need a vignette, though the short stretch near the airport itself is exempt.

Arrival tips: Salzburg Airport is compact and easy to navigate. Private drivers wait inside arrivals with a name board; shuttle operators send instructions ahead of time. Because Kitzbühel is so popular during peak weeks — Christmas, New Year, race week — book well ahead if you're travelling then.