. It sits alongside some of Austria's highest mountains, between the Gastein Valley and Zell am See.

Originally a goldminers' village, it's now been transformed into a picturesque resort, perfectly situated to take advantage of the surrounding Hohe Tauern National Park. The gold mining may have dried up at the beginning of the 20th century, but these days Rauris still offers something special - quiet pistes, plenty of long, gentle blue runs and NEW for this winter:

·         free lift pass for all children up to the age of 12 years

·         free equipment hire (skis, boots and helmets) for all children up to the age of 12 years

·         and there is also a limited number of free child places (flights and accommodation) available for those who book early.


Families are well catered for in Rauris: 32km of uncrowded pistes and runs with all levels of difficulty for the skiers and boarders; for the youngest members of the family, the ski school runs the Adventure Kids Club offering childcare for children from two years and can be booked locally for single hours, half days or full days.

Once the kids get past the beginner stage and are looking for a challenge, head to the Fun Slope - a 700m long adventure with banked turns, waves, kickers and a 'snail'. Alternatively, the Nugget Park offers rookies a chance to get their first taste of air. Aside from the usual boxes and rails, younger crowds can look forward to the 'rainbow', a semi-circular box to ride over. And if they have the need for speed, the race hill - with an automated time-keeping system - promises loads of fun.

The price for a holiday starts from £1,718 for a family of four including lift passes for all, skis, boots and helmets, flights from Birmingham to Salzburg, transfers, a week's stay at the three-star Rauris Apartments in Rauris, (this price is for departure on 5 January 2019).

Crystal Ski Holidays www.crystalski.co.uk or call 020 8610 3123