In Ischgl the word “relaxation” has been mixed with the word “breakaway”, and this attractive cocktail attracts more and more tourists every year. Having visited Ischgl in person, we have identified 5 reasons why this special place in its contrasts is worth a visit for everyone. In fact, Ischgl is a giant “party” of young people, for whom skiing is just an excuse for a pleasant pastime and casual acquaintances.

Smugglers’ Tour

It so happened that a mountain cirque divides the Austrian-Swiss border in half. This fact did not prevent the entire surrounding area from being united into a single alpine sports zone, called the Silvretta Arena. On its Swiss side is the village of Samnaun, the complete opposite of Ischgl. Patriarchal peace and quiet have been preserved here. Everyone has a choice – to go to the bohemian Ischgl and take part in its chaotic nightlife or to relax from the hustle and bustle in quiet Samnaun. The entire ski infrastructure is the same, so the pleasure of skiing will not suffer in the slightest. By the way, the slopes from the Samnaun side are noticeably easier and safer.

Samnaun has another advantage – the entire village is a duty-free zone, which significantly reduces prices in stores. At one time, getting here from the Austrian side was much easier than from the Swiss side. The cunning villagers used this pretext to obtain the right to duty-free trade from their government. Today, you can easily get here by car from any direction, even from Italy, but the privilege has been preserved.

Although Austria is a member of the European Union, and Switzerland is not, there are no problems with crossing the border. Every skier does this several times a day. Ski-pass (Ski-Pass) – a magnetic card-pass to the lifts gives the right to use them from either side of the border. Among the lifts there are also absolutely unique ones, for example, a two-story one in Samnaun, which lifts 180 athletes to the top in one trip.

The total length of the ski slopes of the Silvretta Arena reaches 300 kilometers. It is served by 78 lifts. Alpine sports fans can complain about Ischgl for only one reason – there are no extreme slopes here, like the Kitzbühel Streif. The Idalp and Alp Trida plateaus, where the main skiing areas are located, have a height difference of 2872 to 1400 meters of gentle slopes in forested and forestless zones. There are no glaciers here, which many consider a disadvantage of Ischgl. But this circumstance has brought it immense popularity among fans of Après-Ski, that is, “near-ski” recreation.

Like all border regions, Ischgl was once favored by smugglers: from here they exported butter, cheese and skins to the neighboring Swiss town of Samnaun, and from there they took coffee, tobacco, saccharin and other joys of life. Modern tourists are not offered to engage in such transportation with backpacks filled with food, but to make a circular route on skis and snowboards, which smugglers did, – why not! There are three trails to choose from, each with a different level of difficulty – gold, silver and bronze. You won’t find any border controls in the mountains, and you can visit two countries more than once in one day.

Snowpark

Ischgl is a paradise for snowboarders of all levels, but especially for those who feel confident on a board. In addition to the standard slopes, there are many proven freeride routes, as well as one of the largest snow parks in the world PlayStation Vita Snowpark Ischgl. It is divided into three zones: Beginner Park – for beginners, Public – for intermediate level, Kingsize – for professional snowboarders and freeskiers. Jumps, pipes, rails – there is everything for complex tricks, and beginners can take their first steps, falling after a jump onto a special inflatable cushion.

Ischgl – the Alpine entertainment capital

Ischgl in the Tyrolean Paznaun not only offers first-class snow fun, but also sets new highlights every year with its top-quality entertainment program. Highlights of the upcoming season include concerts with international stars such as Robbie Williams and Rihanna, the “Figures in White” snow sculpture competition and the “Star Chefs Cup”. The endless winter sports arena of Ischgl is one of the largest interconnected ski areas in the Alps and impresses with its perfectly prepared slopes, freeride areas and huge fun parks.

Location

Ischgl, with around 1,600 inhabitants, is the most famous municipality in the Paznaun ski region in Western Tyrol. At an altitude of 1,377 meters, the Austrian resort is located in a sun-drenched high-altitude valley between the Silvretta and Verwallgruppe mountain ranges. The neighboring municipalities of Galtür, Kappl and See are located.

Ski area

Countless kilometers of perfectly prepared ski slopes in areas with stable snow cover and the largest combined freestyle park in Europe guarantee carefree winter fun in the Silvretta Arena from November to May. 45 comfortable lifts and cable cars take guests directly from the center to the huge ski arena, where the ski slopes extend all the way to the Swiss resort of Samnaun. Both amusement parks are also divided into an Austrian and Swiss part of the Silvretta Arena region. The snow park for snowboarders and freestylers is an Alpine Eldorado for freestyle lovers and is divided into three zones: “Kingsize”, “Public” and “Beginnerpark” – a paradise for fans of halfpipes, rails and quarterpipes.

A day ski pass for the ski area costs from 51 euros. Children under 8 years of age can have fun in the Silvretta Arena when accompanied by a parent for free, and children under 16 years of age receive a discount.

Since 2015, the region has been implementing a completely new transport concept, which has benefited both locals and tourists. A new, modern car park with 600 spaces has been created along the B188 highway. And the 130-meter-long Prenner underground pedestrian tunnel directly connects it to the new 3-S-Pardatschgratbahn lift, from where you can reach the Pardatschgrat mountain at an altitude of 2,600 meters in less than 10 minutes (world record: three-cable circular road with the largest height difference between the lower and upper stations: 1,151 meters). At the same time, the new bus station perfectly complements the new transport concept. This will allow the resort to cope with the large number of skiers in the morning in the Prenner area, and the new parking lot along the highway will significantly relieve the center. Therefore, in the coming season, skiers will be able to enjoy comfort and quickly and safely reach the ski area.

After 20 years of operation, the old Palinkopf lift was dismantled and replaced by a new generation 6-seater connecting funicular: comfortable seat upholstery, a silent and almost vibration-free ascent, a unique design, a beautiful view of the mountains and a capacity of 2,800 people per hour are guaranteed. The new 6-seater GAMPEN E4 – GAMPENALPE – is operating on slope 68B, where the new Gampenalpe restaurant has opened. The new self-service restaurant “Ischgl Slopefood” has also opened.

Top-class entertainment

In addition to sporting pleasures, the ski area also provides a venue for first-class events. For example, the top league of the international music scene regularly performs at the legendary Top of the Mountain concerts – at the beginning of winter in the resort center, at Easter and at the end of the season – at an altitude of 2,300 meters in the middle of the ski area on the famous Idalp stage. Since 1995, when Elton John was the first world-class star to perform surrounded by beautiful mountains, the chain of VIP performances by pop stars at the concerts has not been interrupted. However, it is safe to say that Ischgl guests will still be treated to a top-class concert. A unique time for a ski holiday is January each year, when the Silvretta Arena is transformed into a giant open-air gallery. 10 international pairs of artists gather for the “Figures in White” snow sculpture competition and create models of snow several meters high in just five days. Thanks to the guaranteed snow cover throughout the entire ski season, athletes have the opportunity to admire the unique sculptures right in the immediate vicinity of the slopes.

Extreme day and night

In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Ischgl offers several activities that are rarely found in ski resorts. For example, sledding. Children’s fun, you might say, and guess what: we are talking about a night descent along a seven-kilometer illuminated slope – the same one you skied down in the morning. If you are thinking about an unforgettable Austrian corporate party, this is a great option: let yourself sit alone in the sled, overtaking colleagues, helping them get out of the snowdrift or meeting them at the finish line, feeling special love for them.

Another entertainment, but already daytime – the Ischgl Skyfly zipline. Stretching a snowboard or skis to your back, you climb to a 50-meter tower located above the gorge. From here, on a steel cable, you dive into the valley, developing a speed of up to 85 kilometers per hour. If you are afraid to forget how much you screamed with fear, ask a friend with a GoPro to keep you company – there are only two parallel cables on the tower.

Ischgl is not only a lifestyle metropolis, but also a gastronomic peak in the Alps. In the winter season 2017/2018, the resort will be enriched with two restaurants marked with Gault Millau caps: Martin Sieberer’s Heimatbühne and Flynn Gourmet.

Cuisine

“High mountains, high cuisine” – this saying fits Ischgl perfectly. The mountain restaurants here are one better than the other: for example, the panoramic restaurant Alpenhaus on the Idalp has a VIP room where beef carpaccio and turbot fillet are served, and in the Pardorama restaurant on the Pardachgrat mountain, in addition to the impressive views, you can treat yourself to shrimp paella and braised venison.

Alpenhaus

Pardorama

The choice of places for dinner is even greater: here the level of culinary art is assessed not so much by Michelin stars, but by the Gault & Millau restaurant guide system. Local restaurants employ chefs who have made a significant contribution to the creation of Tyrolean haute cuisine: celebrity chef Martin Sieberer works in restaurants such as Paznaunerstube and Heimatbühne, chef Gustav Jantscher in the Schlossherrnstube, and Benjamin Pärt serves traditional Austrian dishes in high-molecular processing in the Stüva restaurant.

Paznaunerstube

Stüva

The Alpine lifestyle in Ischgl: stellar cuisine, Alpes Ski, evening tobogganing and shopping

Ischgl is famous not only as an entertainment metropolis, but also as the culinary center of the Alps. This is also confirmed by the 2015 A la Carte guide, as two chefs from Ischgl – Martin Sieberer (Paznauner Stube restaurant – Hotel Trofana Royal) and Benjamin Pärt (Stüva restaurant – Hotel YSCLA) – have made the leap into the 5-star category. In the latest edition of the authoritative restaurant rating Gault Millau, Ischgl was recognized as the culinary Mecca of the Alpine region. Four restaurants with a total rating of nine chef’s hats are located in the popular winter resort in the Tyrolean Paznaun Valley.

Martin Sieberer, who has been among the country’s elite chefs for many years, was awarded 17 points and thus three toques again. The Paznaunerstube restaurant is located in the Trofana Royale hotel, one of the largest and most luxurious in Ischgl. The young star Benjamin Part made the biggest breakthrough. The chef, who recently turned 26, received 17 out of 20 points for the first time and thus his third toque. “He stands at the stove in the Stüva restaurant in the Yscla gourmet hotel in Ischgl and thus embodies the best example of the high quality that is almost universally distinguished by restaurants in Tyrolean hotels,” says Gault Millau 2015 restaurant guide Benjamin Part. The Schlossherrenstube restaurant in the Schlosshotel Romantica, where Günter Düberl is responsible for the delicacies, was awarded 16 points and two toques. The French-Asian restaurant Lucy Wang, which received 14 points and one toque, is a new addition to the refined haute cuisine offer in Ischgl.

Ischgl’s famous chefs

A secret spot for lovers of fine cuisine and luxury right next to the piste is the Alpenhaus restaurant on the Idalp, which can be reached by the Silvrettabahn and Fimbabahn lifts. The elegant mountain restaurant with its modest Alpine design pampers its guests on the ground floor with incomparable ski delicacies such as Kaiserschmarrn and fresh charcoal grill.

Like a first-class gourmet temple, the Alpenhaus restaurant in the middle of the snow has its own “Mountain VIP Club” with a maximum of 300 members. In the exclusive lounge area, club members enjoy a magical panoramic view of the Silvretta in a relaxed, private atmosphere. Other brilliant membership benefits include VIP access to the Silvrettabahn, a personal instructor at the Snow Sports Academy, free testing of the latest skis and snowboards, and free storage for winter sports equipment on the mountain and in the valley.

When the ski day is over, you can warm up right next to the ski slope. Nowhere else is Après-Ski as exciting as in Ischgl. The many bars of different styles in the Alpine region are an exceptional feature. The same can be said about the club scene, where night owls dance and flirt until the early hours of the morning.

Those who prefer a more relaxed pastime can enjoy the sauna and wellness facilities in the hotels or the Silvretta Center.

True luxury can be found in the city’s numerous shops. In small designer boutiques with espresso bars inside or in modern shopping centers in Ischgl, guests will find everything: from famous brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Hugo Boss, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Gucci and Missoni to a huge range of high-quality winter sportswear.

A nighttime highlight in Ischgl is the 7-kilometer floodlit evening toboggan run, which starts at the top station of the Silvrettabahn. From mid-December to mid-April, weather permitting, it is always open on Mondays and Thursdays – a huge treat for those who love to ski with the breeze under the stars.

Skiing is available from November to May. The closest airports to Ischgl are Innsbruck (62 km), Friedrichshafen (150 km), Zurich (200 km), Munich (300 km). From the airports, you can take the train to Landeck-Zams station, and then take the bus. The bus journey time will be about an hour.