Schladming is a proper working town that happens to sit at the foot of some of Austria's most reliable ski terrain. Set in the Schladming-Dachstein region, it has cobbled streets, a medieval square, and a 15th-century church alongside a pedestrianised centre that buzzes year-round. The Planai gondola rises directly from the town centre into the 4-Berge-Skischaukel, linking four mountains, Planai, Hochwurzen, Hauser Kaibling, and Reiteralm, into a continuous ski circuit you can ride from end to end without ever taking your boots off.

The four-mountain circuit covers 123km of pistes served by 81 lifts, with 100% snowmaking coverage across the area keeping conditions reliable from late November through to mid-April. Planai is the star: home to the legendary Night Slalom, one of the most atmospheric events on the World Cup calendar. Hochwurzen offers evening skiing on a 3km floodlit run until 9:30pm, the Superpark on Planai and Crosspark on Reiteralm provide freestyle options, and more than 80 mountain huts mean you're never far from a sun terrace and a plate of Styrian cooking. A Ski Amadé lift pass opens up 760km of pistes across five regions for those wanting even more mileage.

Away from the slopes, Schladming has genuine character. The town centre is lined with independent shops, cafés, and traditional Styrian restaurants, and the Dachstein glacier is accessible for sightseeing with its skywalk, ice palace, and suspension bridge. And for those who like their après lively, Schladming holds its own with a handful of slope-side bars and a buzzing main street after dark.