Après-Ski / Nightlife

What you do in Kitzbühel after skiing is as important as the skiing itself (for some it’s even more important). The nightlife should be renamed morning life, because things don’t really get underway until 2:00 a.m. or so. That’s when you can hear the whoops, yells, laughter, and song of bar-crawling skiers as they slide down the sidewalks.

Amazingly, there are only a few bars that cater to the after-hours crowd. Jet-laggers searching for a cold brew and a warm pizza should follow the stairs in the cellar of Mangoes (626467) open 10 p.m.–2 a.m., “but we really don’t close until five or so,” says the bartender. Watch out for the darts!

British expatriates can rely on their instincts to find the Londoner (71427) an almost authentic English pub. The Londoner is across from McDonald’s. For Irish singing, head to Flanngans Irish Pub (63237) at Jochberger Strasse 4. You’ll find Jimmy's (64409) if you wander along the town square in the Fussgängerzone (pedestrian zone). s’Lichtl (0676/3541465) is right on the main drag across the street from the Hotel Tenne. The music bar Highways (75350) and Seppi's Pub (64662) are also fun spots.

Grieserl (72752) across from the parking lot beneath the Tieffenbrunner is a good meeting spot for drinks and has excellent Internet connections.

There are two discos in the town square area. Club Take 5 at Hinterstadt 22 (71300) and Club Python at Hinterstadt 6 (0650/3768885) are popular spots. Generally, discos don’t open until 9 p.m., and often close at dawn.

Gambling guests can spin the roulette wheel at the recently renovated Casino Kitzbühel (62300) open 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. daily during the regular ski season. Visitors may try their luck at baccarat, blackjack, wheel of fortune, red dog, poker and slot machines. Dressy attire is required.

Kirchberg is one of the party centers of Austria with a strong Dutch contingent of party animals—sometimes seen walking through town in oversized wood clogs. This town claims perhaps the wildest après-ski bar in Europe, Londoner Pub (3993). This bar has been copied in other towns, but none is as exciting as the original. It’s dance-til-you-melt, dance-on-the-tables time from about 4 p.m.–8 p.m., when most head off to dine in their hotels. This is the wild après-ski party you’ve dreamed of. If you haven’t tried it yet knock back a couple of “Der Flugels,” a drink made with Red Bull and flavored vodka. It has a real kick and is the new drink of choice.

Later at night the party continues there or moves to the Tiroler disco (4455/35435) that is decorated like a giant country barn or head to the Fuchslöchl (2691) for dancing. The party seems to shift locations each night, but Kirchberg is small enough to make it easy to check out the action and then head back to where everyone’s hanging out.