Jungfrau

Includes: Grindelwald, Murren, Wengen. Also Gstaad

See France, Germany and Italy then ski back to your Swiss alpine chalet at Murren where every blink brings a Kodak moment. Lovely old resort with fast skiing, most famously the Schilthorn Black Runs. Intermediates should head to Wengen or Grindelwald, and splurgers to Gstaad for spotting older stars in fur and jewelry.
Tourist board sites: Grindelwald | Murren | Wengen | Gstaad

Davos-Klosters

Resorts: St Moritz, Klosters, Davos

Big range, relatively small area. These resorts are not as glitzy as their visitor list might suggest, but generally not cheap either. Great charm and plenty to do off the slopes, particularly in St Moritz. Davos is big with snowboarders, Klosters with royals and across the Italian border, Livigno at 1800m offers reliable snow, plenty of slope range, and budget accommodation in a somewhat isolated spot.
Tourist Offices: Davos | Klosters | St Moritz

Arlberg

Resorts: St Anton, Lech, Klosters, Stuben, Zurs, St.Christoph, also Ischgl

Diverse slopes for skiers of all skill levels, and deep powder runs for freeriders and snowboarders. St Anton is particularly good for cross-country, not the best choice for beginners who might prefer Lech. Lech and Zurs also get more show. Ultra-comfortable hotels abound and you’ll not go short of food as long as you have plenty of cash. The aprés-ski at St Anton particularly is legendary only beaten by that of Ischgl, home to the largest terrain park in Europe.
Tourist Offices: Arlberg | St Anton | Ischgl

Kitzbühel

Includes: St Johann in Tirol, Aurach, Kirchberg, Soll. Also Igls, Alpbach, Seefeld

Best known Austrian ski area handily located midways between Innsbruck and Salzburg. Designed for holiday-makers, there’s plenty to do once you’ve skied the 700km of runs off the pistes (and in the bars). More serious opportunities close by at the Hohe Tauern National Park enclosing 8 more skiing regions and 350 pistes offering world cup standards and family skiing, plus a staggering 400km of groomed cross-country trails through beautiful countryside.
Tourist Offices: Ferien | St Johann | Kitzbuehel | Kirchberg | Soell

Innsbruck

Includes: Mutters, Natters, Alpbach, Igls, Seefeld; also Mayrhofen, Finkenberg

As they say: easy for beginners, steep for experts, extreme for freeriders, cool for snowboarders, leisurely for families. Add a range of winter sports from toboganning to hiking, and proximity to an international airport and whey-hey! Mass tourism hasn’t reached the beautiful villages of the Alpbachtal region, an area particularly worth visiting with children who can get their snow feet on the gentle slopes of the Reitherkogel. Mayrhofen is a major boarders town, part of Zillertal 3000 which, theoretically links the resorts along a valley east of Innsbruck.
Tourist Offices: Innsbruck | Mutters | Seefeld | Amyrhofen |

Salzburg

Includes: Obertauern, Zell-am-See, Saalbach, Zell-am-See

Not an official ski-region, but all offering good skiing and all easily accessed from Salzburg, from the brisk efficiency of Obertauern to the lovely Zell-am-See, and Saalbach close to the Kitzbuhel area with a 200km circuit to keep intermediates busy for a week or two. We’ll throw in Schladming to the south too, now incorporated into the newly-designated Ski Amadé region, along with 24 other ski locations and 860km of pistes.
Tourist Offices: Ski Amade