The town of Åre is located in Åre Municipality, in what is generally referred to as Årefjällen (Åre Mountains) or Åredalen (Åre Valley), approximately 100 km (62 mi.) from the city of Östersund. The ski lift system is on the Åreskutan mountain, with a summit elevation of 1,420 m (4,660 ft), which is not lift-served, but is reachable by a short hike or by snowmobile. The lift-served vertical drop is 870 m (2,850 ft), descending from 1,260 m (4,130 ft).
The village and ski area are accessible by bus and train, and the nearest airport is Åre Östersund Airport. With a latitude of 63.4° north, the ski area is approximately 350 km (220 mi) south of the Arctic Circle.
1891 – Åre tourist information centre opens. "Tourists and spa guests visiting the climatic spa Åre" is the theme of the first advertising campaign.
1892 – The café on the top of Åreskutan opens; it remains the highest café in Sweden.
1910 – Åre Bergbana opens, the first fixed link in Åre, beginning the area's development as a winter sports resort. Tobogganing, curling and skiing are offered.
1940 – The first drag lift is opened in Åre, located near the Olympia area and Lundsgården. The tiny yellow lift cabin is still in place.
1952 – The Fjällgården ski area is opened. The lift passengers were transported standing up in tall buckets, one of which is displayed in front of the funicular station on Åre square.
1954 – Åre hosts the World Championships, making Åre known throughout the skiing world.
1966 – Duveds Linbana, the first chairlift in Duved, is opened, followed by other investments in the Duved ski area.
1981 – The first lift is built at Åre Björnen, followed by other investments in the area. The first snow cannons are installed at Åre.
1984 – The Olympia lift is opened 1 km west of Åre. It gets replaced in 2006 by the VM8 telemix lift.
1989 – The Olympia gondola is opened by King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia. It goes from upper end of the Olympia lift (later VM8) to the top of the ski area.
2001 – In the central part of the Åre ski area, two new lifts are built, and three new slopes are opened — the single largest investment since the building of the cable car.
2006 – The Olympia chairlift is replaced by the world's first telemix lift, a lift with chairs and gondolas.
In Central Åre there are plenty of runs to choose from, both for beginners and advanced skiers. Central Åre is the largest area in the Åre Ski Area. Advanced skiers often prefer the central area with the longest runs which are also fairly steep.