Gurgl in Ötztal

If you want to feel that you are enjoying the very best ski holiday you could find anywhere, one you’ll always remember for all the right reasons, Gurgl is the place to be. With access to hundreds of kilometres of high-quality skiing at the far end of the Ötztal valley, surrounded by awe-inspiring three thousand metre peaks in one of the most exclusive ski resorts in the Alps.

Beyond the sensational, snowsure skiing, Gurgl is renowned for offering the very best in hotels and restaurants, exciting events, fabulous gourmet experiences and amazing attractions and events.  There are an incredible 25 four and five-star establishments, and 90% of the beds in Gurgl are less than 4 minutes from the slopes with many ski-in, ski-out.

Knowing you’ve got everything right and are in the best place for your perfect ski holiday is a state of being that the Austrians call ‘Lebensgefühl’ and it means the kind of ski holiday perfection that we all need!

Renowned for its reliable snow conditions, with runs between 1,800m and 3,080m, including glacier slopes where the season can start in early Autumn each winter, among the first in the world, the Ötztal hosts the opening Giant Slalom races of the World Cup season in late October, then a month later the tour moves to Gurgl for the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup slalom races.

Some of the most exciting scenes in the entire James Bond franchise were filmed in the area for the movie Spectre, and visitors today can visit the brilliant 0007 Elements exhibition themed on all things Bond, and dine at the spectacular IceQ restaurant, a filming location, on the mountain.

The Slopes

Whatever your ability, you’ll feel fabulous on the slopes of Gurgl, which has 112km of slopes for all ability levels and 25 fast and ultra-modern lifts ensuring there’s never any queuing and you’ll always feel comfortable on the lift.  Located at a snowsure level of 1,800 to 3,080 metres the season lasts from November until well into April.

Neighbouring Sölden is surrounded by more than 350 three thousand metre peaks has another 144km of slopes served by 31 lifts and is crowned by twin glaciers.

So there are more than 250km of slopes served by more than 50 lifts on your doorstep in Gurgl, but if you need more, both centres and others in the region are included on The Ötztal Superskipass which gives hands-free access to 363 kilometres of slopes served by 90 lifts and 6 local ski areas.

It’s possible to sign up for special services that will make your trip to Gurgl in Ötztal feel even more special. Once a week the first line service offers 50 skiers private use, with a guide, of several slopes before the lifts open, crowned with a luxury breakfast on the mountain.

At the other end of the day, Gurgl is home to two-night skiing areas with about 8km of blue and red runs between them.

Off The Slopes

Even if you are not a skier it’s easy to use the fast, modern, comfortable lift network in Ötztal to access unique attractions high in the mountains.

One not to be missed is the amazing OO7 ELEMENTS an interactive, on-mountain exhibition themed on the world of James Bond after key scenes in the film Spectre were shot here.

You can also access the Big 3, three lift-accessed peaks above 3,000m, each with viewing platforms to take in the stunning views.

The Top Mountain Crosspoint, in Gurgl,  also accessible to both skiers and non-skiers, is yet another amazing and unique attraction. Along with an amazing sun terrace, it’s home to a remarkable museum, with hundreds of bikes from the history of two-wheeled travel – not what you might expect to find high in the Austrian Alps and all the more wonderful for that.

There are plenty of other great facilities to enjoy in the area, with wellness facilities a particular strength. There are a plethora of day spa and hotel wellness centres open to non-residents.

Back in the great outdoors, winter hiking takes you deep into a peaceful winter wonderland with a choice of routes on 12km of cleared and signposted routes. Other options include snowshoeing in the middle of the winter wonderland or a fun-packed three-kilometre-long floodlit toboggan run in Hochgurgl.

Dining

You’ll feel very fulfilled with a great choice of dining in Gurgl, including some special experiences you can only enjoy here.

The stunning IceQ restaurant, which featured as a location in Spectre, is a must-visit. It’s Austria’s highest altitude gastronomically rated restaurant, located 3,048m up on Gaislachkogl offering haute cuisine, tapas, fine wines and phenomenal views – both outwards and you’ll want to admire the building itself.

The Top Mountain Star, also above 3,000m high above Gurgl, is another that should not be missed. Apart from fabulous food, from here there are 360° panorama views including over the Italian border to the Dolomites. The footbridge next to it has gained a reputation for being an amazing spot for wedding proposals! There’s also the newly renovated Festkogl Alm or the Hohe Mut where you have amazing views of the surrounding 3,000m peaks.  Each can be reached in only 9-minutes by gondola for non-ski diners.

One unusual option is the chance to indulge in a gourmet meal, complete with Perrier-Jouët as you travel up the mountain on a ski lift if you book the Gourmet Gondola Cabin.

Events

With that long season, events run over seven months, with Sölden appearing on TV screens around the world in late October as it hosts the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Opening, the start of the competitive ski racing season at the elite level with Giant Slalom races staged on the Rettenbach glacier, usual with women racing on the Saturday, men on the Sunday.

Next, a few weeks later in November, the World Cup racing switches to Hochgurgl for Slalom races this time, again taking advantage of the early snowsure conditions there compared to most other places in the ski world to enjoy amazing music in a spectacular setting.

After a busy winter of events, the arrival of spring sees a more laid-back atmosphere and the start of five days of the Electric Mountain Festival which brings EMF fans along with snow addicts to Sölden

More Info

Website

Getting There

Ski Area Map

Ski Pass

Ski schools

Lift companies

Accommodation

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Austria.info

Main Image Adventure Mountain Gaislachkogl Soelden © Oetztal Tourism Rudi Wyhlidal