by For many years Ischgl has been Austria’s go-to destination for German visitors, but in recent years it has gained a strong following among the British. This was largely due not only to the quality of the piste, but also to the music.
Ischgl Top of the Mountain’s famous opening and closing season concerts have attracted an A-list of international stars including Elton John, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Mariah Carey, the Beach Boys and Kylie Minogue.
For 2022/23 the resort has extended its series of events to “Spring Blanc” which includes four major concerts as well as sun parties and a week of dinners around April.
As for the slopes, they are extensive, snow-sure, sunny and mostly above the tree line, with some great scenery. The 239km Silvretta Arena ski area stretches across the Swiss border to the Engadin resort of Samnaun, and is best suited to mileage-hungry intermediates who enjoy covering a lot of ground each day before returning to the resort for some après most famous skiing in the Alps.
Stay on track with the essential facts from the resort below, and scroll down for our insider’s guide to a day on the piste, expert ratings and advice. For more Ischgl inspiration, check out our guides to the resort’s best accommodation, restaurants and après ski.
In this guide:
Inside the resort
The village of Ischgl is still in its traditional Tirolian style, but with some contemporary touches – an airport traveler in a tunnel through a huge rock connects the two ends of Ischgl. The resort is an old farming village now a sophisticated tourist resort, with smart hotels and cave bars.
The main routes up to the slopes are via heavy gondolas. One at each end of the resort goes to the main mid-mountain hub of Idalp at 2,320m, while the third goes to Pardatschgrat at 2,624m.
Ischgl’s après ski caters mostly to testosterone-fuelled men aged 30 to 50, older than the revelers who pack into the Mooserwirt on the slopes above the famous party resort of St Anton – since the pandemic’s attempt cleaning up the image of the resort. .
Despite this, there’s a pleasant, bubbly atmosphere that lasts all winter, and it’s possible to get away from the wildest party – choose accommodation off the high street.
Unlike many resorts in Austria, as well as hotels with high culinary standards and prices to match, Ischgl also has a large selection of independent restaurants. For fine dining, the Paznaunerstube in the Trofana Royal Hotel with four Gault Millaus is a good choice, while fine dining on the mountain can be found at the contemporary Alpenhaus VIP and Gampenalpe restaurants.
Ischgl is home to a 7km toboggan run that drops 950m, open two nights a week. For something different, there’s the Ischgl Skyfly – two parallel 2km zip lines from Silvretta mid-station to the village. The exciting trip can be done with skis or a board attached behind in a harness. MoonBiking tours are also available at the resort.
The resort’s Silvretta Therme opened for 2022/23. This thermal spa, a €75 million investment by the Silvretta Cable Car Company, is on five floors with a large sauna area, a fitness center and an ice rink.
On the slopes
Ischgl’s high altitude – its highest peak, Greitspitz, at a top station elevation of around 2,870m – combined with some of the most sophisticated snowmaking anywhere in the Alps pretty much guarantees that there will be at least adequate snow cover here. in a season extending from the last. weekends in November to May 1.
With the exception of the lower ranges just above the resort, almost all pistes are above the tree line, so it’s best to go to those lower ranges to avoid white out conditions when the weather closes in.
With 239km of expansive, snow-sure and sunny terrain to play at the Silvretta Arena, intermediate ball can be had here. Some of the blacks would be marked red in other resorts, and among the piste highlights is a glorious red of 1,000 vertical meters served by a huge cable car, the Piz Val Grondabahn. Overall there is a lack of steep slopes, but the off-piste and guided hiking opportunities are excellent.
Two of the three main access gondolas move up to the center of the ski area at Idalp, 2,320m, and the Pardatschgrat gondola from the end of town joins a network of lifts and runs that stretch across the Swiss border and down to the village . of Samnaun at 1,840m.
The ski area’s 45 lifts are constantly being updated, and two chairlifts underwent a serious upgrade in 2019. The two-seater Velileck on Pardatschgrat, in situ since 1978, is now a six-seater with weather hoods and heated seats, and on the Samnaun side . the upgraded eight-seater Visnitz from Alp Trida to Visnitzkopf has heated seats and hoods, and carries 900 more passengers per hour than the four-seater it replaces. Seats are also decorated with images depicting the history of Samnaun.
Beginners must buy a full lift pass, and ride the Silvretta, Fimba or Pardatschgrat cable cars from the town up to the mountain base at Idalp. The ski school meets here and wide, smooth nursery slopes are served by a moving carpet, T-bar, and chair lift. After the first turn, learners can progress to slightly more challenging blue races on the east side of the bowl. The slopes down to the town are red and can get icy and crowded during peak season – first-timers are strongly advised to catch the gondola down at the end of the day.
The Jeep Snowpark Ischgl is one of the best terrain parks in Europe. Its presence is a deliberate attraction for the 20-something snowboarders and the few skiers who may – music aside – have deemed Ischgl too medieval and expensive for their taste.
The park is one of the longest in the Alps, well maintained and constantly updated. It has plenty of kickers, ramps and rails and is served by three chairs. Separate beginner, intermediate and king-size lines are matched to different technical skills. There is also a half pipe and cross board course. Samnaun has an Obstacle Freestlye park, designed specifically for experts.
Who should go?
The atmosphere in the village and at the bottom of the piste is electric. This makes it a great choice for the New Year’s break, as does its snow record and its snow making more sophisticated. Its restaurant scene and terrain park are often overlooked, both are big draws. The slopes are best suited to mileage-hungry intermediates who enjoy covering a lot of ground.
Know before you go
Essential information
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British Embassy Vienna: (00 43 1 713 1575; gov.uk), Jauresgasse 12, 1030 Vienna
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Emergency services: Dial 112
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Tourist office: See ischgl.com, the website of the Ischgl Tourist Association, for weather reports, lift status, webcams, traffic data and local event listings. Pick up maps, leaflets and other information from the office just off the main roundabout in the town centre.
The basics
Local laws & etiquette
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It’s customary to have formal greetings when you meet someone, and you’ll hear ‘Grüss Gott’ (greetings to the almighty), or the more mundane ‘Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend’, almost everywhere you go, and it’s normal return the blessing. .
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Tips are not counted, and are not usually left on the table. After the waiter gives you the bill add about 10 percent and ask him to add it to the total.
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Thank you simple’Thank you‘; ‘Please both mean ‘please’ and ‘you are welcome’.
