Samnaun

Samnaun. Photo: skionline.pl. Thanks to its link with the pistes of the well-known Tyrolean resort of Ischgl, Samnaun has exceptionally extensive ski terrain. 42 lifts, more than 200 km of pistes and a high altitude (Samnaun is one of the highest ski resorts in the Alps): these are the real strengths of this very attractive resort. The vast majority of pistes in Samnaun are marked red. Truly difficult pistes number only a third as many, but advanced skiers still have plenty to choose from. The same goes for those who are just starting out: nobody gets bored on skis in Samnaun. The extensive, wonderfully sunny Alp Trida pasture acts as a kind of hub from which the lifts fan out. From the valley up to Alp Trida (2,488 m) runs a cable car with double-decker cabins, the "Samnaun Twinliner", the first installation of its kind in the world. The longest piste runs from the summit of Palinkopf (2,864 m) to Samnaun and is 8 km long. Compared with the downhill skiing, the cross-country offer is fairly modest: just a dozen or so kilometres of trails, mostly intermediate. The highest trail runs at 1,850 m. Snowboarders, on the other hand, will find plenty here: thanks to the link with Ischgl's pistes, they can get to "Boarders' Paradise" on the Idalp, one of the largest snowboard parks in Europe. Winter sports fans can count on snow here from the end of November until early May. Besides skiing, Samnaun offers excellent conditions for winter walking and tobogganing, among other things. A big attraction is the highest swimming pool complex in the Alps. Samnaun. Photo: skionline.pl.