Winter Sports in Samnaun

T

he Silvretta Arena comprises a large area between quiet, duty-free Samnaun in Switzerland and party-town Ischgl in Austria. There is some excellent skiing and snowboarding, particularly for intermediate skiers and snowboarders, and the area is largely clear of flats and unavoidable surface lifts. The modern, efficient lifts, excellent park, high, well-groomed slopes and Ischgl's après ski give it an almost legendary status amongst those with a work hard, play hard ethic, contrasting with the more traditional, family atmosphere of Samnaun. Plans to extend what is already a huge resort with new runs off Piz Val Gronda have hit environmental opposition and are currently on ice, so to speak.

The winter season kicks off in Samnaun around late November with the annual Santa Claus World Championships, the ClauWau, where teams from all over Europe make complete idiots of themselves for two days of light-hearted fun and heavy-duty (and duty-free) alcohol consumption.

Best of the Slopes

Some seriously long runs here, with the best probably being the 11k run from the summit down into Ischgl, right into the heart of the village. Also recommended are the black ski trails around the Greitspitz. There are some 20km of marked trails too, in addition to the substantial pisted area.

Where to Eat and Party

Across the mountain in Ischgl the nightlife gets pretty wild - there is even pole-dancing. Samnaun is much more demure, although incongruously it has a very good fish restaurant, Hotel Haus Homann (+41 81 861 91 91) and the highly rated La Miranda (+41 81 861 90 00) at the Chasa Montana.

Getting There

By Road

Please refer to a map and check local conditions for accurate routing information.

• The road distance from Zurich is around 268 km and the journey time is roughly 3 hrs 10 mins.
• The road distance from Basel is around 347 km and the journey time is roughly 4 hrs.
• The road distance from Berne is around 389 km and the journey time is roughly 4 hrs 25 mins.
• The road distance from Geneva is around 552 km and the journey time is roughly 6 hrs 10 mins.

Get road directions at Google Maps

Nearby Resorts

Destinations in the region include Scuol.

Weather Outlook

View detailed snow forecast for Samnaun at: snow-forecast.com

Latest Resort Report

MySwitzerland report for Samnaun

Piste Map for Samnaun

Larger piste map for Samnaun

Map

Get directions from Google in a new window or tab

Accommodation in the Resort & Nearby

• $$$ Des Alpes, Samnaun (3*) Highly regarded by Tages-Anzeiger.
  +41 81 868 52 73 https://www.hotel-desalpes-samnaun.ch
• $$$ Wellness Hotel Chasa Montana, Samnaun (4*) Highly regarded by Tages-Anzeiger.
  +41 81 861 90 00 https://www.hotelchasamontana.ch

Find accommodation at Bookings.com