Report compiled by Joe Robinson, who rents out this traditional farmhouse in the area

Whenever I hear “Kitzbühel”, my head fills with the fabulous Ski Sunday theme, and David Vine’s voice solemnly declaring this to be most dangerous downhill in the world. I was first drawn here in 1982 desperate to see the mousetrap, carousel and legendary Steilhang for myself. Those were the heydays of Austrian Legend Franz Klammer who won the race an unbeaten three years in a row.

A trip to Kitzbühel has got to be on everyone’s Brag List. If you are fortunate enough to secure accommodation at the end of January when the World Cup circus is in town, you will be rubbing shoulders with the glitterati of the skiing world.

Kitzbühel is the birthplace and home of Tirolean musical superhero and all-round darling, Hansi Hinterseer. I haven’t seen such a grin on a musician since Richard Clayderman. You’ll also find such notables as Boris Becker and Franz Beckenbauer frequently in residence.

Every winner of the Hahnenkamm gets a named gondola on the Hahnenkammbahn. Choose your favourite champion and let them whisk you up the mountain for superb skiing. There are three ski areas providing a couple of hundred kilometres of pistes, but it is part of a much larger interconnected region that includes Ski Welt. It totals something in the region of 700km of meticulously groomed pistes – all on one lift pass.

This sets the scene for medieval-yet-modern Kitz, a glamorous, upmarket and racy spot, playground for the rich and famous and home of the greatest challenge in the world for the greatest skiers. However this is also a family destination, and part of a wider network of villages and ski areas.

Full of Brits > 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > Test my languages

Kitzbühel is well used to Brit visitors. You’ll be in a large-ish (but certainly not majority) group and in most of the places you’ll be able to get away with the “say it loud, say it slow” language method, although you’ll obviously be better off with a few choice local phrases like “zahlen” for your bill.

Fortunately the word “bier” is very similar to the English word “beer”, however if you want a 33cl beer it is often referred to as a “seiderl” (typically pronounced sy-teh).

It has historically been a cash economy, but UK credit cards are now accepted in a far wider range of places than in former years. So you can tell who is there, the Austrians are the very loud and very cheerful ones, the Germans are the very well dressed ones (although some of those might be escapees from Vienna) and you’ll probably also find a healthy contingent of Dutch, who flock to the area in their millions. The Russian guests are unmistakeable.

Quiet bars > 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > Beerhalls and clubs

Kitz has everything - quiet bars, pumping clubs, coffee and cake houses and a wide range of après ski bars and cafes. Unbelievably, the The Londoner pub is still in business, still sporting the same excruciating decor and sticky carpets from 1982, but still the most popular hedonistic party zone during World Cup week.