Galtür resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Galtür
Review
Galtür sits at the entrance to the Paznaun Valley at an altitude of 1600m and is the highest ski resort in the region. Its a traditional alpine village and very family friendly especially if you have young children.
The resort is much quieter and cheaper than its international neighbour Ischgl, with fewer hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs but this can be seen as a definite advantage if you are looking for a more relaxed ski holiday.
Galtür has its own 40km ski area a few minutes from the town centre and is linked to the magnificent Ischgl ski area by a frequent bus service (free with the whole area lift pass).
Après-skis
Galtür does not offer a great deal of après-ski in terms of rocking bars and clubs. If this is what you are looking for on your skiing holiday, we suggest staying in Ischgl. Galtür does offer several good local cafes, bars and restauants where you can relax and watch the world go by.
Children
There are several ski kindergarten clubs that take children from the age of 3 where they have the option of learning to ski.
| Key information (local area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1600m |
| Top lift | 2300m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 40 |
| Longest run | km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 75 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 0 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxed & fun |
Galtür ski area
The first thing you notice if you are staying Galtür is that the local ski area is a 5 minute bus ride to the tiny village of Wirl, 1.8km from the centre but if you compare this to other resorts such as Chamonix, then this is really very short. The uncrowded pistes tend to favour beginners and early intermediates with plenty of easy blues which make Galtür ideal for families and mixed-ability groups. In total, there are 6 themed ski zones for the different age groups and abilities and together they make up Silvapark. For a good day of adventure skiing, you can try the Smugglers' Route. This is a long picturesque Alp Tida run in to the Swiss resort of Samnaun (included in the lift pass) where you can get a cracking lunch and some duty free shopping!
Beginners
Galtür’s ski school has an excellent reputation, renowned for its small classes and is great for beginners. For the smaller children, they start off in "Siggi's Bambiniland" where they have superb instructors and the lift passes are free.
Intermediate
The Action Park and the Kingdom of Heroes zone is good fun especially for older kids and intermediates. Red run number 17 is a must to get the best view of the dam.
After a few days, you may want to explore the 238km of pistes at Ischgl which gives some fantastic touring options. Ischgl is just a 15 minute bus ride away
Advanced
For advanced skiers and boarders there is some good but limited off-piste so after a few days, you need to head for Ischgl where there are some very challenging blacks and stacks of off-piste and trails to explore.
Cross-country
There are some fantastic scenic trails looping between Galtür and Ischgl and in total, some 75km to explore.
Snowboard
The Zeinis snowboard park at the top of the Soppalift, although relatively small, has some rails, kickers and jumps. For more extensive riding, we suggest you head to Ischgl.
Things to see & do around Galtür
There are plenty of other activities in Galtür to enjoy during your ski holiday including a day of skiing and apres-ski in the lively resort of Ischgl. The last bus from Ischgl to Galtür is at 6.30pm so be prepared to get a cab if you are planning a late night partying
- The glacial hike up to 3000m is a great day out and is not as strenuous as it sounds!
- Ten-pin bowling at the sports centre
- Paragliding
- Snoe shoeing
- Sports centre with swimming pool and 45m adventure slide
- Ice skating
- Squash & tennis
Our view on Galtür ski resort
Galtür is a great alternative to mainstream Ischgl and more suited for young families or those wanting a more relaxed village experience. If you like Galtür being a quaint and charming traditional alpine village then also quite similar is the beautiful resort of Mezzana in the Val di Sole and La Villa in Alta Badia. Both resorts are in the stunning Italian Dolomites.
