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St Anton am Arlberg was the host for the 2001 World Alpine Championships and is arguably one of the best ski resorts in the world. It sits more than comfortably in the 'Big Boy' league that includes Chamonix, Zermatt and Whistler.
St Anton is mostly an experts' resort, with awesome off-piste, moguls and powder. Its pistes are generally undergraded, but with great guiding and instructors the skiing and boarding can be enjoyed by most levels. It is perhaps not the most ideal place for beginners or lower intermediates. Feature analysis shows that boarders have only recently been welcomed here but, now that they are, there's great variety on offer. All this is supported by a big ski area, good snow, improving lifts and lots of snowmaking facilities.
St Anton is only an hour from Innsbruck, has its own station and, with the 'Arlberg Ski' pass, you can ski at Lech, Zurs and St Christoph as well. Because it is so well-known, there can be crowds and high prices. The other side of St Anton's allure is the town itself. Not necessarily the prettiest of Austrian resorts, St Anton nonetheless offers a superb range of après-ski, with bars and clubs galore. Eating out is variable, but as most holiday makers just want to get on with partying a quick bite suffices.
For non-skiers, there isn't a great amount to do, beyond strolling around the pedestrianised centre, with its shops and cafés. However you can always jump on a train and explore Innsbruck. Overall, St Anton is one of the real 'big boys', with tough skiing and loads of hectic nightlife.
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