The best après-ski bars and activities in Kitzbühel
For all its jewel-painted medieval Old Town charms, Kitzbühel packs a boisterous après-ski punch, with lively umbrella bars on the pistes and diverse pubs, bars and clubs in town. Once a year, when the World Cup comes to town in January, the party takes on epic proportions. Recognised as the circuit’s most challenging, and coveted, downhill course, the annual Hahnenkamm event floods Kitzbühel with some 100,000 ski fans, who party as hard as the athletes ski at live outdoor music performances and all-night parties.
There’s a wide range of options when it comes to nightspots, from straight-off-the-slopes bars like the Schi-Alm and Pavillon to the locals’ favourite, Huberbräu-Stüberl brewery in town. Once you’ve swapped salopettes for evening wear, you can choose from atmospheric pubs, independent bars or bar hotels, each of which has their own distinct vibe (such as the Tennerhof for a muted scene with an expert sommelier tending to your vinous needs or the Kempinski’s sultry cigar lounge for exotic gin cocktails) before pressing on to the town’s late-night nightclubs.
For further Kitzbühel inspiration, see our guides to the resort's best accommodation and restaurants.
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Bars in Kitzbühel
The Londoner
The Londoner was opened by the capital’s colourful music promoter Rik Gunnell, agent for Rod Stewart and founder of the Flamingo Club in Soho. Gunnell opened his pub in 1976, the year Franz Klammer famously won the Hahnenkamm and toasted his success at The Londoner, getting behind the bar to serve drinks to the Canadian skiers who lost to him. Run for decades by Gunnell’s wife and daughters, they passed ownership to long-term bar manager David in 2020. The cheery Welshman maintains the essence of The Londoner, including the tradition that racers who have completed the Hahnenkamm serve drinks behind the bar, which now requires over 140 kegs of beer, 10,000 glasses and 35 bar staff for the race weekend alone. Beyond the Hahnenkamm, the pub is known for its live music and DJs, informal vibe, banging parties and late closing time (often 4am).
Contact: thelondoner.at
Pricing: ££
Schi-Alm
You can’t miss the Schi-Alm as you ski from the top of Fleckalm towards Kirchberg. Not just because of the life-size orange cow standing on the roof of the low-lying chalet but because of the strains of music, singing, dancing and general merry-making that emanate from it each afternoon. The epitome of boisterous Austrian après-ski, the Schi-Alm features two umbrella bars and cosy wood-panelled interiors and is generally regarded as the place on the slopes to enjoy some drinks and a boogie before skiing down to Kirchberg, from where you can hop on a free bus to Kitzbühel.
Contact: schialm.at
Pricing: £
Nearest lift/piste: On the blue No.26 Kaser piste, which descends into Kirchberg from the top of the Maierlbahn gondola.
Huberbräu-Stüberl
Ski boots aren’t allowed in this quintessential Germanic beer tavern, which is set in a medieval building in the Old Town, but you can enjoy steins of locally-brewed Huberbräu beer at the outside tables. Once you see the vast portions of schnitzel, gröstl and grilled chicken being enjoyed inside, you’ll probably want to change clothes and come back. Alternatively, keep your al fresco table and order some food to take away – the staff will let you eat it out there while you drink your beers.
Contact: kitzbuehel.com
Pricing: £
Pavillon
The boisterous après scene at Pavillon draws everyone from local ski bums to Olympic skiers and fur-clad models. Handily located in town at the base of the Hahnenkamm gondola, the small cabin centres around a circular wooden bar that’s packed every day from 2pm to 10pm (table reservations are taken, usually with a minimum bar spend). There’s table-top dancing, live music, flaming Jaegermeister shots and that quintessentially Austrian game of Nagelstock, which involves hammering nails into a tree stump. If the noise levels inside the tiny establishment get excessive, you can perch at wooden tables outside and watch the glamorous passers-by.
Contact: apresski-pavillon.at
Pricing: £
Lichtl Music Bar
A boisterous spot in the heart of the Old Town, Lichtl’s name comes from the thousands of tiny lights that festoon the two-storey bar’s walls and ceilings. Best known for its music, Lichtl regularly hosts live DJs and bands of various genres, as well as themed parties, serving €3.50 beers and offering free shots for guests who rock up in fancy dress. The upper floor features a table football, darts board and traditional Austrian Nagelstock game, which are popular with a younger crowd. Open from 8pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, it closes at 1am on Thursdays and 3am on weekends.
Contact: lichtl-pub.at
Pricing: ££
Jimmy’s
Following an extensive makeover, Kitzbühel’s longstanding Jimmy’s nightclub has emerged as a smart dinner and club venue. Visit for pre-dancing drinks in the intimate wine room, which boasts views over the Hahnenkamm, or come for dinner in the simply decorated timber-clad restaurant (tapas, steaks, fresh fish and pasta dishes) before the tables are cleared away (at 10pm on weekends) to make space for the dancefloor. In keeping with Jimmy’s tradition, you’ll still find glamorous types throwing shapes to live DJ sets and loading up on bottles of Dom Pérignon in the VIP Lounge.
Contact: jimmyskitz.at
Pricing: ££
Grand Tirolia Hotel
The Grand Tirolia Hotel, located a 10-minute drive from central Kitzbühel in Unteraurach, is home to two evening venues – the Cooper Bar and Golden Jazzclub. Named in honour of the traditional job of crafting wine barrels by hand, the Cooper Bar is a convivial spot for a discreet glass of wine, Scottish whisky or an expertly mixed cocktail. The views over the hotel’s golf course transport you away from Kitzbühel and there’s live music and local nibbles on Thursday evenings. The Golden Jazzclub & Bar invites you to sink into deep Chesterfield sofas and listen to performances from pianists and jazz bands – or pull up a leather bar stool for the barman’s monthly whisky tastings.
Contact: hommage-hotels.com/en/grand-tirolia-kitzbuehel
Pricing: £££
Club Take Five
Another Kitz stalwart, Club Take Five has been keeping locals and visitors dancing since the 1980s, in its current Old Town venue since the early 1990s. Far from a grungy ski bums club, Take Five is a large, glossy venue spanning three bars bestrewn with exotic (artificial) flowers, various dancefloors and a Dom Pérignon-branded VIP area liberally dotted with Miffy rabbit lights. The wine list includes €10,000-cases of Dom Pérignon Luminous and €45,000-Nebuchadnezzars of Armand De Brignac Gold (that’s 15 litres of prime Champagne in one giant bottle). There’s even a Club Take Five branded helicopter available for guests choppering in or out of town.
Contact: club-takefive.com
Pricing: £££
Casino Kitzbühel
Joining the ranks of Gstaad and Davos, Kitzbühel boasts its very own casino, in a beautiful frescoed historic building in the Old Town. Entrance is free and, in addition to the usual slot machines and gaming tables you’d expect, there’s a bar and smart Cuisino Restaurant, which serves classic Austrian fare. The Casino hits its stride on weekends but can be rather quiet at other times. You can prebook Dinner & Casino packages (from €80 for a four-course dinner, drink and welcome chips worth €10).
Contact: casinos.at
Pricing: ££
Activities in Kitzbühel
Ski touring and cat-skiing at Bichlalm
The gently rising Bichlalm mountain, a 10-minute drive from central Kitzbühel, is the preferred ski touring destination of locals. Two dedicated touring routes wind their way to the peak, which affords sweeping views of the Hohe Tauern National Park best enjoyed at sunrise or sunset. Start from the base of the Bichlalm lift or save yourself 40 minutes of uphill by hopping aboard the chair to the mid-station. From the peak, you can ski down the blue No.50 piste or follow the No.51 and 52 ungroomed freeride itineraries down into Aurach. Alternatively, enjoy some of Europe’s only cat-skiing and grab a ride with the Bichlalm snow cat from the top of the chairlift (from €15 plus a valid lift pass) for effortless untracked off-piste turns.
Contact: kitzski.at
Pricing: ££
Tandem paragliding jump over the Streif
Enjoy a bird’s eye view of the world’s most notorious downhill skiing racecourse by strapping yourself to a paragliding guide and soaring over the Streif (from €150). Wear warm, comfortable clothes and take the gondola to the peak of the Hahnenkamm, where you’ll find your guide and parachute waiting. Together, you run off the top of the mountain to swoop down the 85 per cent incline Mausefall (mousetrap) section, skim the trees of the Lärchenschuss (larch schuss) section and wave at skiers outside the Seidlalm hut before dangling above Kitzbühel’s Old Town, churches and golf courses.
Contact: element3-outdoor.at/en/paragliding
Pricing: £££
Guided walks
The Kitzbühel Tourist Office offers free guided winter walks in and around town on weekdays for guests with valid Kitzbühel Red Cards (complimentary guest cards for visitors with accommodation within the Kitzbüheler Alpen area). Knowledgeable guides will walk you through Kitzbühel’s evolution from medieval agricultural and mining town to glossy ski resort, calling in at the prayer flag-bestrewn grave of the local mountaineer Peter Aufschnaiter of Seven Years in Tibet fame. Wednesdays bring free guided snowshoe tours, with snowshoes available to rent directly from the Tourist Office (from €12). Tours start at 9.45am outside the Tourist Office in the town centre – advance registration is requested.
Contact: kitzbuehel.com
Pricing: £
How we choose
Every bar, venue or activity in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our ski expert, who has visited the resort to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs on the piste to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of skier – and consider the drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. Non-ski activities are chosen to provide an alternative to traditional aprés, whether for families or adrenaline junkies looking to enjoy the mountains in winter away from the slopes. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
