Sölden

Village · Tyrol, 🇦🇹 Austria

Sölden lies deep in the Ötztal valley in Tyrol, at the foot of two glaciers. It is one of the highest ski resorts in Austria, with lifts that reach more than 3,000 m. Snow is reliable from autumn to late spring.

The village is lively and built around skiing, with a busy après-ski scene. In summer it turns to hiking, mountain biking and high-alpine roads. The Ötztal Alps around it are home to Austria's second-highest peak, the Wildspitze.

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When to visit

Ski season runs from late autumn to May, and the glacier slopes open as early as October. The World Cup opener is held here in late October. July to September is best for hiking and for the high mountain roads. May and November are quiet, with many lifts and hotels closed. Winters are cold and snowy.

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Poor

-2° (feels like -6°) · extremes -18°–3°
-10° at night
13 rainy days
6 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in February

Poor

-1° (feels like -5°) · extremes -18°–4°
-10° at night
11 rainy days
8 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in March

Poor

3° (feels like -1°) · extremes -15°–11°
-6° at night
14 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in April

Poor

9° (feels like 6°) · extremes -9°–17°
-1° at night
16 rainy days
8 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in May

Poor

14° (feels like 12°) · extremes -2°–21°
3° at night
22 rainy days
7 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in June

Fair

18° (feels like 17°) · extremes 2°–25°
8° at night
21 rainy days
8 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in July

Good

20° (feels like 19°) · extremes 4°–25°
9° at night
22 rainy days
10 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in August

Fair

19° · extremes 4°–25°
9° at night
21 rainy days
11 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in September

Fair

15° (feels like 14°) · extremes 0°–22°
6° at night
16 rainy days
11 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in October

Poor

11° (feels like 9°) · extremes -5°–18°
2° at night
14 rainy days
9 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in November

Poor

4° (feels like 1°) · extremes -12°–11°
-3° at night
14 rainy days
5 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in December

Poor

0° (feels like -4°) · extremes -17°–5°
-8° at night
13 rainy days
5 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Top sights

Wildspitze is the highest peak in the Ötztal Alps and the second highest in Austria, at 3,768 m. It is a serious high-mountain climb for experienced hikers.
The Gaislachkogl and Ice Q on the Gaislachkogl are the main cable car peak and a glass restaurant built high on the mountain. Ice Q appeared in a James Bond film.
The Ötztal Glacier Road climbs to the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers, which are open for skiing.
Piccard-Brücke marks the landing of the first stratosphere balloon flight, near Obergurgl.
Pfarrkirche hl. Jakob is the parish church of Vent, a small mountain village at the top of the valley.
The Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road leads from the Ötztal to South Tyrol in summer. It is closed in winter.

Featured Lists

מתניה / Public domain

Sölden Essentials

Sölden, located in the Ötztal valley of Tyrol, is defined by its high-altitude terrain and three peaks over 3,000 meters known as the Big 3. The ski area provides 144 kilometers of slopes connected by advanced lifts like the Giggijochbahn. Key landmarks include the Rettenbach Glacier, a venue for the FIS World Cup, and the Gaislachkogel, notable for its futuristic architecture and cinematic history. The region also features high-alpine hiking routes to the Braunschweiger Hütte and the historic Timmelsjoch pass connecting Austria to Italy.

10 places

What to experience

Ski the glaciers in autumn or spring.
Ride the cable car to the Gaislachkogl.
Drive the Ötztal Glacier Road and the Timmelsjoch road in summer.
Hike a mountain trail to a hut.
Join the après-ski scene in the village in winter.

Tours & Activities

Sölden — Map

Day trips

Obergurgl is a high-altitude ski village, about 25 minutes by car or bus.
Innsbruck is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.
Landeck is about 1 hour by car through the Inn valley.
St. Anton is about 1 hour 30 minutes by car.
Merano in South Tyrol is about 1 hour 30 minutes by car via the Timmelsjoch road, in summer only.

Where to explore

Obergurgl is the closest preferred village and shares a ski region with Sölden's neighbour valleys.

Getting there

By air: Innsbruck Airport is the nearest large airport, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car. Munich is about 3 hours away.
By train: The closest station is Ötztal Bahnhof in the Inn valley. From there, a bus takes about 1 hour to Sölden. Check train times on ÖBB.
By car: Sölden is reached from the A12 motorway via the B186 road through the Ötztal.

Getting around

The village stretches along the valley road. Free ski buses run in winter, and local buses run in summer. Cable cars start in the village centre and at the glacier road. Guest cards often include local transport.

Driving

A car is helpful for the glacier road and the Timmelsjoch pass. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. The Timmelsjoch road is a toll road and is closed in winter. Motorways in Austria need a vignette.

Food & drink

Tyrolean food is hearty: Kasspatzln, Tiroler Gröstl and Kaiserschmarrn. Mountain huts serve simple dishes, and the Ötztal is known for its alpine dairy. The village has many bars and restaurants, with a busy après-ski scene in winter.

Dinner

Wiener SchnitzelA thin, breaded and pan-fried veal cutlet, traditionally served with potato salad or parsley potatoes and a wedge of lemon.

TafelspitzBoiled beef in broth, served with roast potatoes and a sauce of apples and horseradish — a favourite of Emperor Franz Joseph.

Viennese Goulash Wiener SaftgulaschA rich beef stew slow-cooked with onions and paprika, typically served with a bread dumpling or bread roll.

Snacks & street food

KäsekrainerA grilled pork sausage studded with melty cheese, a classic order at Vienna's ubiquitous Würstelstand (sausage stands).

Sausage Stand Snack Würstel vom WürstelstandGrilled or boiled sausages (Bratwurst, Frankfurter, Bosna) served with mustard, bread and a pickle from street kiosks.

Sweets & desserts

ApfelstrudelThin pastry rolled around spiced apples, raisins and breadcrumbs, usually served warm with vanilla sauce or cream.

SachertorteA dense chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam under a dark chocolate glaze, famously served with unsweetened whipped cream.

KaiserschmarrnA fluffy shredded pancake caramelised with sugar and dusted with icing sugar, served with plum or apple compote.

MarillenknödelApricot dumplings wrapped in potato or quark dough, rolled in buttery breadcrumbs — a Wachau and Viennese summer specialty.

Drinks

Viennese Melange Wiener MelangeThe signature Viennese coffee: espresso topped with steamed milk and milk foam, the centrepiece of coffeehouse culture.

Grüner VeltlinerAustria's flagship crisp, peppery white wine, widely poured in Vienna's Heuriger (wine taverns).

SturmA cloudy, lightly alcoholic partially-fermented grape must, available only for a few weeks in autumn.

Safety & health

Sölden is safe, but the mountains are serious. Check avalanche reports and weather before going off-piste or on glaciers. Altitude can cause headaches for some visitors. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.

History

Sölden was a remote farming valley until tourism arrived in the 20th century. The first lifts were built in the 1940s and 1950s, and the glacier lifts followed. In 1991 the 5,000-year-old mummy known as Ötzi was found on a glacier in the nearby Ötztal Alps.