Travel Guide Kitzbühel

Kitzbühel owes its prosperity to the copper mines near Aurach, which were exploited from the Bronze Age until the Middle Ages. Founded in 1271 by the Duke of Bavaria, the town became part of the Tyrol under Maximilian I in 1565. The region's urban landscape bears the imprint of two Baroque architects, Dientzenhofer (Kössen) and Millauer (Sankt Johann). Kitzbühel remains one of Austria's most renowned ski resorts, with 180 km of pistes, 63 lifts and 100 km of cross-country trails. It has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. Its ski area is home to the famous Hahnenkamm downhill run, which periodically hosts world championships. The region is proud of its champions Toni Sailer and Ernst Hinterseer. It was on the Streif piste that Luc Alphand accomplished one of his greatest feats, winning back-to-back World Cup downhill races.At the foot of the Hahnenkamm, the posh resort of the 1960s has changed. More family-oriented and sporty than chic and glitzy (but still expensive), Kitzbühel remains a town apart. Its small historic center, with its elegant, colorful facades, exudes an undeniable charm. In summer, the resort offers golf (www.kitzbuehel-golf.com), swimming pools, tennis and water-skiing, not to mention magnificent hikes (or mountain bike outings) between turquoise lakes and snow-capped peaks.