This article is sponsored by the Austrian National Tourist Office.
Warm up those ski legs – snow is guaranteed from November to May in Ischgl, the most beautiful corner of the Alps.
One of the largest linked, cross-border ski areas in Europe, Ischgl is not only home to glittering, high-alpine skiing but also quality, hospitality and luxury – right down to the details. This is a resort unlike any other – first-class cuisine, high-quality lodging, and great entertainment that extends far beyond the après ski, for which it’s rightly famous.
With 45 fast, efficient, state-of-the-art lifts – and the superb family-friendly ski resorts of Galtür, Kappl, and See right around the corner – the Silvretta Arena is vast. The ski area boasts 239km of well-groomed slopes that crisscross Austria as well as dipping into the Swiss side of Samnaun. Located in a snow-blessed region where reliable precipitation fronts descend from both the north and the southwest, Ischgl is also a big draw for freeriders and powder lovers. And of course, everyone knows Ischgl is synonymous with environmental responsibility. The resort takes its position as the largest climate-neutral ski area in the Alps seriously. All the cable cars, mountain restaurants and snow systems here operate with green electricity.
Amidst all the sportiness is a refined sense of relaxed luxury. At every turn, alpine elegance surrounds. In fact, Ischgl boasts the most four and five star hotels of all Austrian ski areas. Surrounded by clean air and high powder-draped peaks, mountain appetites run high and gourmands here have a great deal smile about. Ischgl is a culinary hotspot, there are no fewer than 10 Toque-awarded restaurants – in the rest of Austria, only Vienna has more. And with the many on-mountain huts and village restaurants and bars, there’s no lack of choice – from beer to bubbles and back again.
Off the slopes, a full menu of activities is yours to experience. Starting from the village itself, cross-country skiers can glide to their hearts’ content on 73km of trails, free of charge. Winter hikers explore the snowy silence of beautiful side valleys or even strike out for a Swiss shopping excursion to duty-free Samnaun.
Snuggle under warm blankets during a horse-drawn carriage ride, romance guaranteed. Snow-shoe hikes, paragliding, ice skating, curling… have a go on the seven toboggan runs, including a night-time floodlit run – one of the longest routes in the Alps. One of its newest attractions is a must for thrill seekers: the two-kilometre-long rush on the Ischgl Skyfly skims just 50 metres above the ground and at speeds of up to 85km per hour.
Featured image: © TVB Paznaun – Ischgl
December 14, 2024
