Lower Austria, Austria

Capital City: St. Pölten
Closest Airport: Innsbruck - Munich
Population: 1,588,545
Resort Area: Rabenstein - Hochkar - Ötscher
Snow Season: Mid-December - April
Main Language: German
Currency: Euro

Bordering Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the east, Niederösterreich, or Lower Austria, isn't able to benefit from the full might and height of the Alps in the same way as, say, Tyrol. That doesn't stop people round here from hitting the snow of course.

Focusing on downhill resorts doesn't really do the place justice. On the whole, these are small set-ups, with a limited number of runs and terrain that will frustrate anyone with more than a year-or-so's experience on the slip. (The possible exception to this is Oberau which, although tiny itself, is linked to the Wildschonau ski area and gives you access to nearly 50 pistes.) What's big business in Lower Austria however, is cross country. And with the hills only an hour's drive from Innsbruck, why waste time in the gym when you could burn off the calories in far more splendid surroundings?