Tips for a Day in Ischgl

8:30 // Pardatschgratbahn cable car

The lift line is short and the wait is minimal. We board the record-breaking cable car to ride through the mist of the clouds. Up there, we’re welcomed by a winter wonderland.

 

The Pardatschgratbahn cable car whisks passengers up to the Pardatschgrat ridge in ten minutes. Just as impressive as the views is the gondola’s space-age design, including a futuristic-looking station at the top of the mountain reminiscent of a Star Trek space ship. If lift lines at Pardatschgratbahn are too long, the nearby Fimbabahn cable car provides another oomph to move the crowds from the base area to into the heart of the resort.

09:30 // Pardatschgrat & Idjoch

The Pardatschgrat ridge offers some of the best views in the resort. At the top you will see a post with dozens of colourful signs showing distance and direction to some of the most famous places in the world – a symbol of the resort's cosmopolitan vibe and the fact that it welcomes guests from across the globe.

Up at Pardatschgrat, we were greeted with fresh powder and breathtaking views.

Pardatschgrat is where we meet Martin and his friends from the Netherlands. We ask them how they like the view and why they opted for Ischgl to open the new ski season.

Marco from Germany tells us why he and his friends have been coming to Ischgl for years and what the snow conditions are like at the moment.

10:30 // Ski piste number 6 (of 81)

From Pardatschgrat, we take ski piste number 6 to get right to the heart of the resort. This area, known as Idalp, is the place where each ski season is wrapped up with a bang with a concert by a top international acts. Singers and bands to have performed in recent years include global superstars such as Robbie Williams and Alicia Keys.

 

I also recommend piste number 7 from Pardatschgrat through the Velilltal Valley. This is probably the most scenic ski run in Tirol (and there are many contenders for a spot on that list). Don’t miss out on the views of the Bürkelkopf mountain and Vesulspitze mountain to the right as well as the craggy Madlein Massif straight ahead. Many of the mountains here top out at over 3,000 metres.

11:30 // Idjoch

We hop on a chair of Idjoch-Bahn chairlift for a taste of Switzerland. The unique layout of the Silvretta Arena resort means you can ski over to the Swiss resort of Samnaun – two resorts and two countries on just one pass.

Idjoch offers stunning views of Swiss Samnaun Valley.

At Idjoch, we meet Steffi and Olive. They have travelled all the way from Stuttgart to open the ski season in Ischgl. We chat about snow conditions and the weather, one day after the season has started.

12:30 // Lunch at the Videralp hut

We take a break from the slopes at Videralp, a tiny lodge with great food, a warm atmosphere and a great terrace with breathtaking views.

The Videralp serves traditional Austrian food, including the delicious "Kaiserschmarrn".

Here are a couple more tips for places to eat on the mountain:

• The Restaurant Höllboden at the top station of the Pardatschgratbahn cable car is an architectural highlight and has a beautiful new lounge.
• The Alpenhaus at Idalpe is a traditional ski hut serving high-quality food for discerning diners.

14:30 // Piste 22, Palinkopf – Höllboden

After a hearty lunch, we take the lift up to Palinkopf and then ski down on piste number 22.

 

Expert skiers looking for a challenge will want to try the seriously steep ski piste number 14a with gradients of up to 70%. Want to cross the border and ski over to Switzerland? The Duty Free Run along piste 80a (Zeblaswiese) takes skiers to the Swiss resort of Samnaun for a coffee break or shopping spree.

15:30 // Idalp and top-to-bottom run

Ischgl is known for its legendary après-ski. Photo: W9 Studios.

At Idalp we meet some crazy skiers who are celebrating the ski opening in 1980s retro clothing. We ski down into the valley and stop for a drink at the Allegra, a cosy bar furnished in typical 1950s American Diner style.

At the Allegra we chat with head bartender Mario. The bar is renowned for mouth-watering morsels like delicious pasta and steak dishes. It is located within the popular Yscla Hotel, which has one of Austria’s youngest and most talented award-winning chefs.

16:30 or a little bit later… // Goodbye, Ischgl!

Ischgl does indeed deserve its reputation as one of the best ski resorts in the Alps. The range of slopes on offer is huge, the views are amazing and there is even the option of skiing over into Switzerland for the day. Off the pistes there are plenty of bars, huts and restaurants for all budgets, while those in search of nightlife will find plenty of clubs in the village.

Travellers with a big budget and high standards can check in at the Trofana Royal, the only five-star superior hotel in Austria. The hotel restaurant has been awarded three toques by the renowned international food guide Gault Millau. The hotel is right next to the slopes – perfect for doorstep skiing.

Here you will find even more information about the Silvretta Arena Ischgl. If you have a few of your own ideas on what to see and do in the resort, let us known by leaving a comment under this blog.