last updated: February 2026
This is not a sponsored post and I am not affiliated with any of the businesses or organisations mentioned.
You may know Sölden because of the Big 3: Three skiable mountains with elevations higher than 3,000m (9,840ft). Or you may recognise Sölden from Spectre, the James Bond film, shot on location as well as the futuristic 007 Elements exhibition nestled high in the mountains. You may also have heard of the DJ parties and dancing on wooden tables. I can go on and on and on. Sölden really does not need an introduction. This Austrian ski resort has made a name for itself long ago. For those of you seeking world class skiing in a setting filled with modern amenities and a sprinkle of some good old Austrian hospitality… you are in for a treat!
During our stay in neighbouring Obergurgl-Hochgurgl ski area, we ventured to Sölden for 3 non-consecutive days of skiing; we also visited the James Bond themed exhibition, 007 Elements. Here’s how to make the most of your time in the ski slopes of Sölden.
SKI LIFTS: 31
PISTES: total 144km (89miles)
EASY (blue): 70km (44miles)
INTERMEDIATE (red): 45km (28miles)
DIFFICULT (black): 27km (17miles)
SNOWPARKS / FUNSLOPES: 2
Large resort rising from 1,350m (4,430 ft) to 3,340m (10,960 ft): 3 mountains above 3,000m (9,840ft), 2 glaciers and plenty of super long runs connected with state-of-the-art mountain infrastructure. Perfect for early or late ski holidays and great throughout the season.
Closest airport:
Innsbruck airport (1h 15min drive)
Closest train station:
Ötztal Bahnhof (40min drive)
A world class ski resort with a huge variety of runs. Great for beginners & advanced skiers. Plenty of restaurants, bars and après ski to please everyone. We saw quite a few families, but the resort does attract plenty of party goers due to its famous DJ sets on the slopes. James Bond fans will have a blast at the 007 Elements exhibition.
SKI RESORT OVERVIEW: SÖLDEN
At an altitude between 1,350m (4,430ft) and 3,340m (10,960ft) with 2 glaciers, 31 mountain lifts and 144km (89 miles) of pistes, Sölden is one of the most renowned ski resorts in the Austrian Alps. And that may very well mean one of the best in the world.
Apart from the après parties and the sleek James Bond exhibition, what really stands out are the three skiable peaks. All three rise to elevations higher than 3,000m (9,840ft). From there, you can admire the stunning mountain views before skiing all the way back to town. Furthermore, with its high altitude and glacial skiing, Sölden opens each year in October and doesn’t close until late May.
In Sölden, there is something to please everyone. And a lot of it. There are plenty of pistes suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers and boarders. There is loads of après ski too, from boisterous or tacky to gourmet fine dining, luxury spas and winter activities. Lastly, significant investments are constantly being made for upgrades in skiing infrastructure but also the quality of the building stock. From high tech gondolas to impressive viewing platforms and ultra modern restaurants, Sölden is unapologetically not a cosy Austrian village but a world class ski resort.
SKIING IN SÖLDEN:
AN ADVANCED SKIER’S PERSPECTIVE
Sölden is home to the ‘Big 3’. Three skiable mountains over 3,000m (9,840ft): Schwarze Schneide, Gaislachkogl and Tiefenbachkogl with all summits easily accessible by ski lifts.
Experienced skiers can enjoy breathtaking views from all three mountain peaks in one exhilarating day of skiing with the BIG 3 Rally ski tour. The route is about 50km (31 miles) long, taking in more than 10,000m (32,800ft) of vertical drop. It allows for an overview of almost the whole resort in one (intense) day of skiing.
Start in the morning with skiing from the Giggijoch valley station to the Rettenbach glacier. The first BIG 3 goal is to reach Schwarze Schneide. Next stop, Tiefenbachkogl and its panoramic rocky path. BIG 3 athletes get back via the Rettenbach glacier and follow the ski route to the Gaislachkogl valley station. On the summit of Gaislachkogl, the last of the BIG 3, a big reward awaits: a gourmet dining experience at IceQ restaurant, shooting location of James Bond Spectre, at an altitude of 3,048m (10,000 ft).
It takes four hours for professional athletes to do the entire circuit. How long would it take you?
SKIING IN SÖLDEN:
A BEGINNER SKIER’S PERSPECTIVE
At the time of visiting Sölden, I was still fairly new to skiing, so I only ventured to reds selectively. The great thing about Sölden is that there are plenty of blues at high altitude. So, everyone can enjoy the awe-inspiring views. Start at the sunny slopes at Giggijoch which are really wide and fairly traffic-free, despite the popularity of the resort! From there, access to the vast open areas of Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers is easy.
To be honest, my boyfriend and I were, at the time, based in neighbouring Obergurgl-Hochgurgl ski area. We originally thought that a quieter resort like that would be better for me than busy Sölden. However, upon visiting Sölden, I found skiing there fun, easy and varied. That is why we visited Sölden 3 times during our stay in Obergurgl where the weather was quite bad.
FOR A TYPICAL TRIP OF 6 FULL SKI DAYS: IS THERE ENOUGH SKIING IN SÖLDEN?
Absolutely. Even super adventurous & experienced skiers who can cover a lot of terrain in a day will find new pistes to explore every day. Nevertheless, in the unlikely event that you do wish for a change of scenery or the weather is not great in Sölden, you can take the 20min ski bus to nearby Gurl (Obergurgl & Hochgurgl) ski area. All resorts are covered by the Ötztal Superskipass; this is the automatic upgrade for any 3+ day pass.
TOP TIPS -SKIING IN SÖLDEN
Download the Sölden app on your smartphone. It is nicely laid out and provides an interactive piste map, ski tracker, information on restaurants and, of course, weather and snow conditions.
PISTE CLASSIFICATION IN AUSTRIAN SKI RESORTS
Austrian ski resorts have a blue / red / black piste categorisation system that signifies easy / intermediate / advanced level of difficulty, similar to Switzerland. On the contrary, French, Italian and North American ski resorts classify easy pistes as green with blue and red signifying intermediate and advanced.
SKI LINGO & PISTE CLASSIFICATION AROUND THE WORLD
A piste is a marked path down a mountain for skiing & snowboarding. This is a French term used throughout Europe; its North American equivalent is ‘trail’, ‘slope’ or ‘run’. Pistes are colour coded according to their level of difficulty (symbols may also be used). Piste classification may vary from country to country.
WHAT CAN NON-SKIERS DO IN SÖLDEN?
Tobogganing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ice-skating are some of the fun ways of spending your time in Sölden with your family and friends who don’t ski. Swimming in thermal pools is also a wonderful way to finish off one more great day. If you would like to learn more, it is worth checking out the official Sölden website.
WHERE TO HAVE LUNCH & APRÈS SKI ON THE SLOPES IN SÖLDEN?
During our 3 daytrips to Sölden, we had the opportunity to enjoy a ski break on all 3 mountains. We enjoyed a hot chocolate at Innerwald, had a hearty lunch at Tiefenbach and partied at the Friday afternoon DJ party at Giggijogh. Everything was lovely. The ambience was great and the mountain views incredible. Furthermore, we were constantly surrounded by people having a wonderful time. This palpable excitement in the air perfectly complemented an already incredible day on the slopes.
A more special fine dining experience would certainly be lunch at IceQ (which we unfortunately did not have time for). Dining in Austria’s highest located gourmet restaurant and one of the shooting locations for James Bond Spectre would certainly be a perfect accompaniment to visiting the 007 Elements cinematic installation (which we did make time for!). Note that both 007 Elements and IceQ are accessible via the Gaislachkoglbahn gondola. From the Gaislachkogl summit where IceQ is located, you can ski all the way down to base via red piste No1.
THE WORLD OF JAMES BOND: 007 ELEMENTS CINEMATIC INSTALLATION
Adding to the variety of winter sport enthusiasts that Sölden already caters for, 007 Elements is a stunning cinematic installation dedicated to the world of legendary super spy James Bond. 007 Elements will delight Bond fans and modern architecture aficionados alike.
The whole experience of visiting 007 Elements is unique. From the moment we set foot in the impressive semi-circular transparent Middle Station, we felt like we were part of the action in Spectre. From there, we got on the Gaislachkogl gondola (also featured in Spectre) which took us to the summit in a truly futuristic style.
After taking in the 360-degree eye watering mountain views, we ventured towards the building. The minimalistic exposed concrete building is set at the Gaislachkogl summit (3,048m / 10,000ft). The architectural and structural design have spectacularly managed for the building to appear to be ‘sliding down’ the mountain slope.
The exhibition building is half buried in the mountain, a dramatic entrance to the installation indeed. Then, through a series of interconnected interactive galleries, we were introduced to the signature elements that define a James Bond film. With emphasis on Spectre (partially shot in Sölden) but with artefacts and high-tech installations from all films, the exhibition is eye candy for fans of 007 and cinematography in general.
Needless to say, a perfect end to visiting the exhibition is to enjoy a fine dining experience at neighbouring IceQ restaurant or by skiing into the clouds and all the way down red piste No1, in true 007 style…
PLANNING YOUR SKI TRIP TO SÖLDEN
HOW TO GET TO SÖLDEN? ANY OTHER GREAT DESTINATIONS NEAR BY?
Sölden ski resort is easily accessible via an 1H15min drive from Innsbruck airport. It is on the way to Obergurgl – Hochgurgl (AKA Gurgl) ski area which is perfect for a more laid back holiday and family friendly après ski. The free bus that connects the 3 ski resorts is quite frequent and quick (20-25mins from Sölden to Obergurgl). So, you can pop for the day or completely split your stay if you are on a longer trip. Alternatively, you could also combine your ski holiday in Sölden with a city trip to lovely Innsbruck.
If you are starting your journey from Austria, Germany (Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Nuremberg, Munich and others) or Switzerland (Zurich), it’s worth considering getting to Sölden by train. The nearest train station is Ötztal Bahnhof which is a 40min drive from Sölden. Routes, schedules and tickets can be found at OEBB.at and Deutsche Bahn. Note that there are frequent bus services from the train station to the resort, refer to the Ötztal Tourism website.
IS SÖLDEN SUITABLE FOR A SHORT SKI BREAK?
With the right flights, a shorter ski break in Sölden is definitely possible since transfer times from Innsbruck are quite short. Make sure to select accommodation that will provide you with quick and easy access to the slopes.
In the event of severe FOMO and overwhelm as to which mountain and slopes to do first, I would definitely recommend that advanced skiers attempt the BIG 3 Rally ski tour. As discussed earlier in this post, the 50km (31 miles) circuit allows for an overview of almost the whole resort in one (intense) day of skiing.
GET READY FOR YOUR SKI TRIP
A bit of preparation and a lot of excitement will go a long way, for any kind of trip, let alone a ski trip, and that’s what ‘A Beach Bum’s Guide to Skiing’ is for!
A Beach Bum’s Guide to Skiing is a series of posts about all things ski! Packing lists for the slopes and après, how to choose new gear, general ski chat as well as my musings from when I was an adult beginner skier (with detailed guides if you wish to learn to ski… later in life).
FINAL THOUGHTS: WHY VISIT SÖLDEN?
We had so much fun in Sölden! Excellent skiing with so much choice in pistes and stunning mountain scenery throughout. World class facilities and amazing options for hot chocolate, cold beer, hearty Austrian meals, elegant modern dining or partying till the last gondola! And, of course, what a special treat 007 Elements has been; a different kind of morning in the mountains! As we only visited for day skiing while staying in neighbouring Obergurgl, it is on our list to visit again… And this time to stay.
This is not a sponsored post and I am not affiliated with any of the businesses or organisations mentioned.
LET’S TALK ABOUT SKIING
Looking for more posts about skiing? Maybe ski resort reviews? Hit the buttons below!
___
very nice photos!
Thank you!