Ski Solden 2009-2010 from $1191*per person
Includes airfare from New York, transfers from airport to hotel, 7 nights hotel stay, and breakfast each morning

Solden is situated in the Tyrol region of Austria. Two glaciers make up the most of the skiing at Solden. Although there are amazing panoramic views and beautiful natural experiences, visitors looking for a peaceful vacation should not head to Solden.

Solden is well-known for it's exuberant nightlife. Partying, drinking, and flirting are the rule here, not the exception. This is the place to ski during the day, party all night, and then start all over again the next day. If this is your thing, Solden is paradise. If you would rather have a quiet, relaxing ski vacation, you may want to look elsewhere.

General Information
With the opening of the Golden Gate to the Glacier (a modern four-lift system), Solden went from a middle size skiing resort to a large, all-year glacial resort. This connected Solden with the two glaciers of Rettenbach and Tiefenbach. With only 2,741 inhabitants, most of Solden's locals work to operate the 36 lifts, 52 hotels, 55 restaurants, 19 cafes, 13 bars, six clubs, and one cinema.

Despite its traditional Tirolean-style buildings and tree-filled valley, Solden is not the most beautiful city. It is a large, traffic-filled place that sprawls along both sides of the river and one main road that can be very crowded on weekends.

Skiing/Snowboarding
Solden has the largest skiable glacial area in Austria. Beginners and intermediate skiers will find great skiing here. The altitude is the reason that almost all the slopes are above the tree line. This is not the place for inexperienced skiers who are not used to thin air or people with altitude problems.

Solden has 29 slopes that cover 67 miles. Fourteen of these are rated for beginners, 12 are intermediate, and three are demanding. Most of these slopes are southern facing, which allows for lots of sunshine. Beginners will find that Solden's slopes are broad, not too steep, and have lots of variety.

Intermediate skiers should find Solden a great place to ski. Racers find broad, long slopes. There are steep hills, bumps, and powder snow to test intermediate-level skiers. Advanced skiers may be disappointed at Solden. Technical pistes, bumps, and off-piste tracks are not the majority here. If you are more into speed or slalom, Solden will work for you.

Solden is one of the top resorts in the Alps for snowboarders. There are two parks, off-piste possibilities, and 29 wide slopes at this resort. The fun-park is a must for every snowboarder—with a half-pipe, boardercross, quarter-pipe, high jump, rails, diamonds, half-diamonds, Fried Egg, fun-box, spins, bumper, and jumps.

Once a week during the winter season, Solden offers night skiing with music and moderation. The ski school prepares a show with formation skiing and presents different techniques on carving skis and snowboards.

There is no heliskiing at Solden. Solden offers 10 miles of cross-country skiing trails. Cross-country is valued here more than at most resorts. The closeness to nature is stressed more than the amount of track available. Snowmobiling is not available here.

Ice climbing should not be missed here. With two glaciers here, the opportunities are endless. If you have never climbed before, there are options available to get pictures of a lifetime. It is important to find a guide for any of these tours.

Children's Ski and Winter Activities
Although Solden specializes in the 20- to 30- year old range, children are not forgotten. Visitors up to 14 are counted as children here. Children under eight ski for free and there are some special offers available for families.

The ski schools operate ski-kindergarten and children's clubs in the village in different languages. Daycare is not an option, but babysitting is available. The city center may not be the best location to find accommodations with children due to the late night partying and the lines of cars and the lack of a pedestrian zone.

Apres-Ski
Solden is known for its apres ski scene even more than for its skiing. Its not heard of for people to leave the skis at home and come here for the party.

Food here is mainly traditional and Italian. The 55 restaurants serve a variety of tastes and budgets. Some of the restaurants here turn into bars or nightclubs after a certain time. Not much more can be said about the apres-ski scene here except that it is exceptional, available, and everywhere. Visitors who are looking for a quiet, calm vacation should look elsewhere.

Attractions
Due to the overall closeness, excursions are always possible from Solden. Innsbruck is about an hour by bus, Munich is between 3 and 4 hours away, and Zurich is between 3 and 5 hours. Italy is also very close by.

In Solden itself, there are multiple museums and art galleries. The highest church village in Europe, Obergurgl, is only 15 minutes away.

Lift Facilities
Thirty-six lift systems are available to skiers at Solden. The Golden Gate to the Glacier has four connecting lifts. There is a new eight-seater gondola and the two four-seater gondolas.

Overall, the resort operates two single-rope eight-seating gondolas, two double-rope four-seating gondolas, seven high-speed four-seater chairs (of which five are bubbles), one regular four-seater chair, five three-seater chairs, six two-seater chairs, two one-seater chairs and 11 t-bars. This high amount of lifts allows 60,898 people up the mountain per hour.

Lift Tickets
Solden's lift tickets vary according to the different seasons. There is sunshine skiing from late April until the beginning of May, the special season from May to July, the summer season from mid-July through early September, the fall season from late September through early December, the pre-winter season for most of December, and the winter season from late December until early May.

Ticket classes are split into adults, children (eight to 14), juniors (15-19), and seniors. Children under eight ski free. <<pricing>>

Snow Conditions
Snow is not a problem at Solden at any time. The average snow height during winter season is between 31 inches and 43 inches with an average snowfall of 98 inches. There is snowmaking on only 3.8 percent of the pistes.

Travel Time
To get to Solden, you can fly into Zurich, Innsbruck, Salzburg, or Munich. Munich is the closest international airport. Although driving is possible, remember to pack snow-chains and to pay the Maut-fee for driving the Autobahns in Austria.

Taking the train is easy. Once you get from the airport to the main train station, trains leave every hour or so to Solden from any of the major cities closest to Solden.

For more information or for package rates please call us at 888-222-2110.