Ischgl

Ischgl is known for two things, a large, high and reliable ski area that links across the border into Switzerland, and some of the most famous nightlife in the Alps. It is a magnet for groups who want to ski hard and party harder.

A hundred kilometres of winter walking paths. The board puts the valley wide network at more than a hundred kilometres, running from 1,060 m up to 2,036 m, and four Ischgl routes are published with real numbers against them, which is more than Kitzbuhel manages. The Mutta path is six kilometres and an hour and a half with 267 m of climb, starting at the Silvretta Therme. Ischgl to Mathon is 5.1 km, an hour and a half and 133 m, from the Silvrettaparkplatz.

The ski bus. Five ski bus lines through the valley, and the model here is the opposite of Kitzbuhel's, because it is the guest card that carries the bus rather than the lift pass. Line 12 runs Galtur to Ischgl, line 10 Ischgl to Kappl, line 9 Kappl to See, and lines 11 and 13 work within Ischgl itself. Carry the card and the whole valley is a free ride.

Free public transport, Landeck to Galtur Wirl. The guest card's headline winter benefit and a genuinely good one. Free use of local public transport along the whole length of the valley, from the railway station at Landeck-Zams up to Galtur Wirl, which is the line 260 corridor and runs every half hour all year round. A guest with no car can come off the train and move up and down the valley all week for nothing.

The guest card's VIP lift pass rate. Worth knowing because the money involved is real and only one of the two lift companies publishes it. Bergbahnen Samnaun's 26/27 tariff shows a VIP six day pass for guest card holders at CHF 374 against CHF 438 for the standard Silvretta pass, a difference of CHF 64. Ask at the Ischgl ticket office what the card is worth in euros before anybody pays the published rate.

What comes free for children. Two clear ones. Children under eight travel free on the Silvretta lift pass with an accompanying adult, confirmed for 26/27, which is generous by the standards of this set. And the ice rink that loops around the Silvretta Therme is free for anybody under six, although the skate hire is still charged on top.

Shapes in White. A snow and ice sculpture competition with the finished works installed around the resort, and the dates are confirmed for 26/27: 10 to 15 January 2027. On the face of it this is a walk past and look event, which makes it one of the few things in Ischgl that asks nothing at a till.

Crossing to Samnaun on foot. The distinctive thing about Ischgl, and it works for somebody who has never put on a ski. The Ischgl tariff sells a pedestrian day pass at 57 euros adult and senior and 27 for a child, explicitly for the round trip from Ischgl to Samnaun and back. The Samnaun side sells the mirror image, a pedestrian day card for the single journey from Samnaun to Ischgl and back, at CHF 56 and CHF 27. Both are confirmed for 26/27 and neither is converted into the other. Over 50 euros.

Top of the Mountain, the four concerts. Four open air concerts across the season and all four dates are confirmed for 26/27. The opening concert is on Saturday 28 November 2026 on the Silvrettabahn car park, the Easter concert on 28 March 2027, the spring concert on 17 April 2027, and the closing concert on Saturday 1 May 2027 from one in the afternoon at Silvrettaplatz. Past acts named by the board across the series since 1995 include Elton John, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Helene Fischer and Robbie Williams. Over 50 euros.

Getting up the mountain as a pedestrian. Separate from the Samnaun crossing, the pedestrian tariff is simply how somebody who is not skiing gets up for lunch and a view. The Silvrettabahn tops out at 2,320 m at the Idalp, where the Panorama restaurant is. A single ascent and descent is thirty five euros and a full day is fifty seven, so one trip up is the cheaper way to do it unless the plan is to cross the border. 20 to 50 euros.

All 23 picks for Ischgl, dining included, live in the Ski Snug app.

Innsbruck is about an hour and a half away, with Zurich also within reach.