Finkenberg is a moderately sized Tyrolean village in the stunning Zillertal Alps with a long ski and tourism tradition. Located within the Zillertal nature park, the village has just over 1500 year round inhabitants, but they include Olympic champion Leonhard Stock in their number! Professor Peter Habeler, the first person to climb Mount Everest without an oxygen mask, is another local. The village is situated about three kilometres south-west of Mayrhofen and 200m above the River Ziller on a generally sunny, gently inclining terrace of the Tuxertal area. The highest mountain in the Zillertal Alps, the Hochfeiler (3510 m), is part of the widely spread community which stretches to the Italian border. In skiing terms, Finkenberg is located in the centre of the Ski and Glacierworld Zillertal 3000 ski area which runs from neighbouring Mayrhofen over to the year-round snowfields of the Hintertux glacier. Ski and Glacier World Zillertal 3000 is the largest single ski region within Austria's beautiful Ziller Valley; although anyone staying more than three days may well wish to purchase the full Zilley Valley lift pass which covers all the ski areas in the region and is one of the world's 20 biggest lift pass areas with nearly 800km (500 mils) of trails in total. Most of Zillertal 3000 is connected by a modern lift network, but a bus link is required between Finkenberg and the Tux glacier lifts. The village has a long history. In ancient times the Rhaeto-Romans drove their livestock herds to the Alpine pastures of the Zillergrund and the Tuxertal from the south across the Pfitscher Joch. The church, built in 1721 and dedicated to Saint Leonhard, contains early baroque stucco works. The Teufelsbrücke (Devil's Bridge), built in 1876, is a rare example of old Tyrolean woodworking. It spans the deep ravine through which the Tuxer Bach passes. The Teufelsbrücke reputedly got its name when the locals farmers, lacking the technical skills to build a footbridge over the deep ravine at Dornauhof, called on the Devil to help. He agreed to do the job if the locals handed over the first soul to cross the bridge after it was built. The canny farmers agreed to this but when the bridge was done, sent an unfortunate goat over first. Needless to say Satan wasn't happy and rode off into the air with the goat - followed by gales of laughter from the Finkenberg farmers.

Aprés Ski in FINKENBERG

Skiing in FINKENBERG