Obertilliach - Golzentipp

The praise is for the family format and the easy start: two drag lifts sit right by the village, so first turns happen without going anywhere. Reviewers note the absence of queues, neatly groomed pistes with no tedious traverses, and plenty of sunshine - by clear days this is one of Austria's sunniest areas. Lift prices are called moderate next to the better-known neighbours. A long toboggan run from the Connyalm and a respected cross-country and biathlon centre sit alongside.

Monotony is the recurring complaint: a strong skier gets bored, there is almost nothing difficult, the runs lack variety and some of the lifts are considered dated. Apres-ski is essentially non-existent and the village is quiet in the evening. Accessibility is a separate gripe: the drive is long and it does not work as a day trip. Specialist test ratings come out low precisely because the skiing is so narrow.