Ischgl introduction
Ischgl is not a word that comes easily off the tongue. But it is a good response to anybody who asks for an exciting place for skiing or snowboarding. Ischgl lies 15 miles from the city of Landeck and two to three hours from either the Munich or the Zürich airport.
It is a lovely Tyrolean village situated on high altitude with good snow conditions, an excellent lift system and great intermediate skiing and boarding. There is also a lot to do after dark. Ischgl offers its visitors a strange mixture of pretty, traditional town, pricey, exclusive hotels and lively apres-ski, favoured by German and Scandinavian males. But the resort remains quite trendy and attracts top-draw entertainers like Elton John, Diana Ross, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan and Rod Stewart for open-air concerts.
The slopes are extensive, high, snow sure and ideal for intermediate cruising - it's no secret that this is one of the best ski areas of Austria. And the efficient lift system which has 23 chair-lifts (including 6-seater and 8-seater) and 3 gondolas is the pride of the resort. New lifts have markedly reduced lift queues to the slopes, while the village has a largely traffic-free centre. Snowmaking facilities keep being improved too.
There is a reasonable range of non-skiing opportunities including shopping. As for the recreation facilities in this area, there are such attractions as: Toboggan track, paragliding, bowling alley, swimming, historical monuments, museum, and horse drawn sleigh rides. Snowboard Fun Park has half pipe, quarter pipe, and lots of terrain features. Rentals and ski lessons are also available.
There are many places to dine around in this lively resort. Lodging ranges from comfortable bed-and-breakfast pensions to deluxe, expensive hotels. Holiday apartments, hotels, inns, guest houses are all available there. Outside of the town limits visitors can find some private accommodation at various apartments usually run by an estate company or private owner. The tourist office will help everyone to make the decision.
Overall, Ischgl is one of the best Austrian resorts, particularly for experienced intermediates and boarders. On the other hand, it is quite expensive, anyway, that's the best choice if you want to get your sample of an authentic Austrian holiday at its finest.