Matrei lies in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Part in East Tirol. It is surrounded by majestic mountain peaks over 3,000 m high including the Großglockner, Austria's highest mountain, and the Großvenediger (3,674 m) to the north.
East Tirol's largest ski resort lies at the foot of the mighty Großglockner, Austria's highest mountain, and offers fabulous views of its eastern flank. This resort is particularly popular with families.
Breathtaking is almost an understatement when it comes to describing the views enjoyed by skiers and snowboarders at the Großglockner ski resort in Kals-Matrei. No fewer than 60 summits over 3,000m can be seen from the resort's slopes, including the "King of the Hohe Tauern", the Großglockner, which at 3,798m is the highest mountain in Austria. The small but diverse piste network can be accessed from both the small town of Matrei and the nearby village of Kals. It stretches up at an altitude of 2,426m and forms the largest ski resort in East Tirol.
The resort is particularly popular among families with children. Facilities include a practice area in Kals and several easy blue pistes on the slopes above Matrei. There are also ski schools offering children's courses and lessons, as well as a large children's area with a heated recreation room and an easy-to-use conveyor belt lift at the bottom of the Goldried I cable car. Expert skiers should try the black run down into the valley from the Blauspitze mountain and explore the area around the Cimarosslift. It is there that they will also find the Adler Lounge, Austria's highest fine dining restaurant, which offers fantastic views of the surrounding landscape.
Thanks to its high altitude the Großglockner ski resort in Kals-Matrei is blessed with plenty of snow throughout the season. And for those few times when there is a shortage of the white stuff, there is a comprehensive network of snowmaking machines covering most of the pistes.