Ischgl has been the main Austrian destination for German visitors for decades, but in recent years it has also gained a strong following among the British. This is largely due to the quality of the slopes, but also to the music.
Ischgl’s famous Top of the Mountain concerts at the start and end of the season 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 expanded its series of events into a “Spring Blanc” with four major concerts plus sunset parties and a dinner week in April.
The slopes are extensive, snow-sure, sunny and largely above the tree line, with beautiful scenery. The 239km Silvretta Arena ski area stretches across the Swiss border to the Engadine resort of Samnaun, and is best suited to mile-hungry intermediates who like to cover a lot of ground every day before returning to the resort for some of the most renowned après-ski in the Alps.
Keep up to date with the key facts about the resort below and scroll down for our insider’s guide to a day on the slopes, expert reviews and advice. For more Ischgl inspiration, check out our guides to the resort’s best accommodations, restaurants and après-ski.
In this guide:
Within the resort
The village of Ischgl remains traditionally Tyrolean in style, but with some contemporary touches: an airport-style travelator in a tunnel through a giant rock connects the two ends of Ischgl. The resort is an old farming village that has grown into a sophisticated tourist centre, with chic hotels and cavernous bars.
The main ways to reach the slopes are via three heavy gondolas. One at each end of the resort goes to the main mid-mountain range of Idalp at 2,320 metres, while a third goes to Pardatschgrat at 2,624 metres.
Ischgl’s après-ski is largely aimed at testosterone-fueled men aged 30 to 50, older than the revelers who gather in the Mooserwirt on the slopes above the famous party resort of St. Anton – since the coronavirus pandemic there have been attempts taken to clean up the image of the resort.
Despite this, there is still a pleasantly vibrant atmosphere that lasts all winter long, and it is possible to escape the wildest party – choose accommodation far from the main street.
Unlike many Austrian resorts, as well as hotels with high cooking standards and prices to match, Ischgl also boasts a wide variety of independent restaurants. For fine dining, the Paznaunerstube at the Hotel Trofana Royal with four Gault Millau toques is a good choice, while fine mountain dining can be found in the modern restaurants Alpenhaus VIP and Gampenalpe.
Ischgl is home to a 7 km long toboggan run with a height difference of 950 metres, which is open two evenings a week. For something different, there’s the Ischgl Skyfly – two parallel 2km ziplines from Silvretta middle station to the village. The thrilling ride can be done with skis or a board strapped into a harness at the back. MoonBiking tours are also available at the resort.
The resort’s Silvretta Therme is open for 2022/2023. A €75 million investment by the Silvretta Cable Car Company, this thermal spa is spread over five floors and has a large sauna, fitness center and ice rink.
On the slopes
Ischgl’s high altitude – its highest peak, Greitspitz, has a top lift station at around 2,870 meters – combined with some of the most advanced snowmaking anywhere in the Alps, virtually guarantees sufficient snow cover here in a season running from the last weekend from November to May 1.
With the exception of the lower slopes directly above the resort, almost all of the slopes are above treeline, so it’s best to head to those lower slopes to avoid whiteout conditions as the weather approaches.
With the 239 kilometers of extensive, snow-sure and sunny terrain on which the Silvretta Arena can play, advanced players can enjoy themselves here. Some of the blacks would be marked red in other resorts, and piste highlights include a glorious red of 1,000 meters of elevation, served by a giant cable car, the Piz Val Grondabahn. There are generally no really steep slopes, but the off-piste and guided touring options are excellent.
Two of the three main access gondolas take you to the center of the ski area at Idalp, at 2,320 metres, while the Pardatschgrat gondola from one end of the town leads into a network of lifts and runs that stretches across the Swiss border and up to the village of Samnaun at 1,840 meters.
The ski area’s 45 lifts are constantly being renovated and two chairlifts received a serious upgrade in 2019. The two-seater Velileck on the Pardatschgrat, which has been on site since 1978, is now a six-seater with weather hoods and heated seats, while on the Samnaun side the upgraded eight-seat Visnitz from Alp Trida to Visnitzkopf has heated seats and hoods and carries 900 passengers more per hour than the four-person chair it replaces. Seats are also decorated with images showing the history of Samnaun.
Beginners should buy a full ski pass and ride the Silvretta, Fimba or Pardatschgrat cable cars from the town to the mountain base at Idalp. This is where the ski school meets and wide, gentle practice slopes are served by a conveyor belt, a T-bar and a chair lift. After the first turns, students can move on to some of the slightly more challenging blue runs on the east side of the bowl. The descents into the city are red and can become icy and busy during the afternoon rush hour. First week visitors are strongly advised to take 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 conscious draw for all twenty-somethings and twin-tip skiers who – music aside – might otherwise have considered Ischgl too middle-aged and expensive for their tastes.
The park is one of the longest in the Alps, well maintained and constantly updated. It has a large number of kickers, ramps and rails and is served by three chairs. Separate beginner, advanced and king lines are tailored to different technical skills. There is also a halfpipe and a boardercross course. Samnaun has the Obstacle Freestlye park, specially designed for experts.
Who should go?
The atmosphere in the village and at the foot of the slopes is electric. This makes it an excellent choice for a New Year’s holiday, as do its snow record and advanced snowmaking. The restaurant scene is often overlooked, as is the terrain park, both of which are big draws. The slopes are best suited to mile-hungry intermediates who like to cover 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: Call 112
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TOURIST OFFICE: See ischgl.com, the website of the Ischgl Tourist Association, for weather reports, lift status, webcams, traffic information and local event listings. Collect maps, leaflets and other information from the office near the roundabout in the center of town.
The base
Local laws and etiquette
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Formal greetings are the norm when you meet someone, and you’ll hear ‘Grüss Gott’ (greeting the almighty), or the more worldly ‘Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend’, pretty much everywhere you go, and it’s common to return the greeting to send .
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Tips are not included and it is not customary to leave them on the table. After the waiter gives you the bill, add about 10 percent and ask for it to be added to the total.
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A simple thank you is ‘Thank you‘; ‘Bitte’ means both ‘please’ and ‘you’re welcome’.