Ischgl combines winter sports on a grand scale with a rich religious history. The Silvretta Arena has 239 kilometres of slopes; at the same time, churches and chapels tell stories of the architecture and religious life of past centuries. In summer, the trails also lead through an alpine landscape between the Silvretta and Verwall ranges.
Winter: slopes, park and trails
The Ischgl/Samnaun ski area in the Silvretta Arena is served by 46 modern lifts and cable cars. Ischgl Snowpark has two park areas, a funline, a bag jump and its own speed line. When planning your visit, check the seasonal operating conditions for the facilities.
Away from the slopes, activities include winter walks through snow-covered landscapes and guided snowshoe hikes. Night tobogganing takes place on a route more than seven kilometres long, with 950 metres of elevation gain. For cross-country skiing, there is the five-kilometre Ischgl trail, rated easy, which follows the Trisanna; it is best to check trail conditions and seasonal operating hours in advance. The options range from peaceful trails to runs and a toboggan route with considerably different lengths and elevation gains.
Summer trails and elevations
Ischgl lies in the Paznaun Valley in Tyrol, surrounded by a hiking area between the Silvretta and Verwall mountain ranges. More than 1,000 kilometres of marked trails range from panoramic walks and alpine pasture hikes to challenging summit tours and multi-day hut-to-hut routes. The Ischgl–Idalp adventure trail is around 7.5 kilometres long and reaches an altitude of 2,320 metres. Its features include interactive stations, scenic views, little surprises, two suspension bridges, the Walk of Lyrics and the Adventure Stage; the route also crosses three alpine vegetation zones.
The Vider Truja adventure park is also located on the Idalp. It can be reached in a few minutes from the mountain stations of the Silvrettabahn A1 or Fimbabahn A3, or you can combine a visit with a 7.5-kilometre hike. Lift operations are seasonal. The park includes two landscape ponds with a raft and pedal boats for children. The Adventure Stage offers a different experience: this nature and climbing course lies between the Schwarzwassersee and Pardatschersee lakes and starts at the mid-station of the Silvretta cable car.
There is also a high-altitude option for mountain bikers: the Silvretta Bike Arena in Ischgl and Samnaun offers 100 kilometres of natural trails reaching around 2,800 metres. One hiking route on a different scale leads through the Fimba Valley towards the Silvretta and the Heidelberger Hut. It covers around 17 kilometres and nearly 700 metres of elevation gain—a different distance from the Ischgl–Idalp adventure trail.
Churches, chapels and art history
The St. Nicholas Chapel in Ischgl was first mentioned in 1443; on 27 July 1483, the church was consecrated in honour of Saints Nicholas and Achatius and their companions. The present parish church was built in the Rococo style from 1755 to 1757, following the demolition of the previous building, and was consecrated in 1757. Its features include Rococo altars with altarpieces by Kirchebner, a ceiling painting also created by Kirchebner, and elaborate Rococo stucco work dating from around 1756.
Other historical treasures include the preserved Holy Sepulchre, dating from the late 18th or early 19th century. The Chapel of the Dead, dedicated to St. Luzius, is a yellow Baroque building from 1773. It contains a PietĂ created around 1700 by sculptor Jakob Auer and is opened only on certain occasions. South of Ischgl, on a hill above the Fimba Gorge, stands a Calvary group featuring almost life-size wooden statues by Johann Ladner, created between 1763 and 1769. Seven Stations of the Cross chapels were built along the route there in 1827. Small chapels dating from the Counter-Reformation are preserved throughout the hamlets of Ischgl and the wider Paznaun Valley.
Getting around the region
In summer, bus route 260 connects Landeck-Zams railway station with the Bielerhöhe in Galtür, serving See, Kappl and Ischgl along the way. If you plan to use this connection, check the seasonal timetable before travelling.
Discover more destinations: KitzbĂĽhel, Brixental, Reutte, Kufstein, Innsbruck-Land, Lienz, Landeck, Lechtal.
Back to the main travel overview: Tyrol.
