Sölden

Skiers can choose between three areas: the Gaislachkogl (3,058 m), Hochsölden (2,090 m) and the Tiefenbach (2,796 m) and Rettenbach (2,684 m) glaciers. Less experienced skiers can enjoy pleasant cruising after taking the gondola up to Hochsölden, on blue and red pistes on the slopes near Giggijoch. More experienced skiers should rather head for the summit of the Gaislachkogl, from where red and black runs lead down. On the glaciers there are pistes both for novices (who are, however, already fairly steady on their skis) and difficult pistes that demand a lot of skill and good technique. All three areas, the Gaislachkogel, the Tiefenbach and Rettenbach glaciers and Hochsölden, are linked by a network of chairlifts and a gondola and, importantly, are covered by a single ski pass. Every year, on the last weekend of October, the opening races of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup are held in the year-round ski area on the glaciers. A curiosity is the 165 m tunnel cut through the rock that lets you ski from the Rettenbach glacier to the Tiefenbach. Also interesting is piste 33, carved into the ice, which links the two glaciers on the way back. Fun carvers should head to the Tiefenbach, where the very wide piste 38 lets them carve turns to their heart's content. A nearby gondola takes you to the highest point of the Ötztal Arena, with a superb view of the neighbouring Pitztal glacier and Tyrol's highest peak, the Wildspitze (3,774 m). The après-ski offer is very rich. Worth a mention is the Freizeit Arena leisure centre in Sölden, which offers its guests herbal baths, steam baths, bubble baths, inhalations, a sauna, massages, pools (including slides and a children's pool), fitness, a shooting range and a bowling alley, among other things. A truly special attraction, however, awaits visitors in Längenfeld, a dozen or so kilometres from Sölden. Relatively recently the Aqua Dome was built there: a water park and luxury thermal spa fed by a thermal spring 1,865 m underground. The highlight of the Aqua Dome is its three round outdoor thermal pools on concrete supports, 12 to 16 m in diameter, which can be used all year round. The Aqua Dome also has a luxury hotel, an indoor pool complex, saunas, a spa area, a beauty salon, a fitness centre and, for the youngest, a water paradise called the Alpine Noah's Ark. Sölden is also worth visiting in spring, because every April the Rettenbach glacier hosts an unusual event called the Hannibal Party, commemorating the historic crossing of the Alps by Hannibal's army. The event always includes sound and light shows, and alongside the tourists the participants include... elephants. On the Rettenbach glacier, at 2,700 m, there is the Igloo Village, the first of its kind in Austria and in fact a rather special hotel, with eight fully equipped ice igloos that can sleep up to 30 people. The village is the highest place in Europe where you can use a sauna. Glacier tours, romantic candlelit dinners and, for those interested, igloo building courses are organised. A great attraction of the area is the BIG 3, three truly exceptional viewpoints. The famous trio consists of the viewing platforms on the Gaislachkogl (3,058 m) and the Tiefenbachkogl (3,250 m) and a natural platform on the Schwarze Schneide (3,340 m). Sölden is not only an ideal place for a great skiing holiday. It is also a good choice for anyone who likes to stay just as active after skiing. Sölden is a village that stays lively until late at night. Countless bars, restaurants and discos give you a wide choice. Visitors looking for peace and quiet should rather stay in one of the cosy villages in the lower part of the Ötztal.