Sillian Hochpustertal

Sillian is the main ski village of the Hochpustertal region, on the border with Italy. There are two ski areas nearby: Thurntaler and Golzentipp. Together they offer more than 60 km of pistes, mostly of intermediate difficulty. The Hochpustertal region is ideal for a family winter holiday. The area is quiet, and its villages have kept their traditional alpine charm. Add a very large number of sunny days a year and fantastic cross-country skiing terrain, and you have the perfect recipe for a good holiday for anyone who enjoys a quiet winter break. Of the two ski areas in the region, Thurntaler is the larger and more popular. A gondola from Sillian takes skiers to the summit (2,407 m). Skiers can use 21 km of pistes here, most of them intermediate runs. Skilled and experienced skiers can look forward to two long runs: down to Sillian (11 km long, with a vertical drop of 1,400 m) and to Aussevillgraten. The second ski area, Golzentipp, lies some distance away and is much more modest. Above the village of Obertilliach there are 16 km of pistes. The area is superb for cross-country skiing, with long and scenic trails of every difficulty. A section of the Internationale cross-country route also passes through here (Sillian-Abfaltersbach: the Pustertal trail); it is 200 km long in total and runs through East Tyrol, South Tyrol and Veneto. The villages of the region, Sillian, Aussevillgraten and Obertilliach, have the charm of old alpine villages. The historic centre of the last of them is particularly atmospheric. The après-ski scene may not match that of the crowded alpine resorts. But if you come here for a winter holiday without expecting mainly loud parties and wild nights out, you will not be bored.