Situated in the westernmost corner of Tirol, the Paznauntal Valley is a true alpine valley with steep sides and three internationally renowned ski resorts: Ischgl, Galtür and Kappl.
The rugged Paznauntal Valley branches off the Stanzer Tal Valley near Pians and runs 40km in a south-westerly direction as far as the Bieler Höhe. Just over the border in the neighbouring province of Vorarlberg lies the Silvretta-Stausee reservoir. This narrow valley in the far west of Tirol is surrounded by the high Samnaun Mountains and the Silvretta Alps to the south and Verwall Mountains to the north. In winter Paznaun lives up to its reputation as an international mekka for skiing, with the large resort of Ischgl and the Silvretta Arena ski area giving skiers and snowboarders the chance to cross the border into Switzerland. All in all there are four ski resorts in the valley, each of which offers snowsure conditions thanks to the region’s high altitude. During the summer months this sunny and dry area welcomes hikers, rock climbers and mountain bikers, with the village of Galtür at 1,600m a particularly popular destination.
Singletrails for mountain bikers and a bateau mouche at 2,000m
Visitors to the Silvretta-Stausee reservoir are in for a surprise. Cruising over the calm waters at almost 2,000m altitude is a small bateau mouche more commonly found in cities such as Paris and Amsterdam. It is the highest sightseeing boat anywhere in Europe. Rock climbing enthusiasts will find plenty of challenging pitches in the region, while Paznaun is also known as a haven for mountain bikers with its many sections of singletrail and Smuggler Freeride Tour leading over the border into Switzerland. Those with legs of steel can test their mettle at the annual Ischgl Ironbike held every August. The event is considered one of the toughest mountain bike marathons in Europe and challenges participants to climb up to 3,820 vertical metres.
