Galtür

December to April is ski season, and the high altitude gives reliable snow. July to September is best for hiking. The Silvretta road is closed in winter. Spring and late autumn are quiet.

• Bieler Höhe is the pass summit of the Silvretta High Alpine Road, beside the Silvretta reservoir, with big views.
• Dreiländerspitze is a high peak where Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Switzerland meet.
• Vallülasee is a mountain lake in the Silvretta.
• Fluchthorn is a high peak above the valley.
• Jamtalhütte is a mountain hut in the Jamtal, a long glacier valley.
• Zeinisjoch is a pass with views over the valley.
• Erlebnishallenbad Silvapark is an indoor pool in the village.
• The Alpinarium is a museum about life in the high mountains and the 1999 avalanche, which hit the village.

• Drive the Silvretta High Alpine Road in summer.
• Hike to a mountain hut.
• Ski the high slopes.
• Try ski touring or cross-country skiing.
• Visit the Alpinarium.

• Ischgl is about 15 minutes away by car.
• Landeck is about 45 minutes away by car.
• St. Anton is about 1 hour away by car.
• Lermoos is about 1 hour 30 minutes away by car.
• Innsbruck is about 2 hours away by car.

• Ischgl, Landeck and St. Anton are the nearest preferred destinations.

• By air: Innsbruck Airport is about 2 hours away by car. Zurich is about 3 hours.
• By train: Take a train to Landeck-Zams on the Arlberg line, then a bus up the Paznaun valley. The bus takes about 1 hour. Check train times on ÖBB.
• By car: Leave the A12 motorway at Landeck and follow the Paznaun road.

The village centre is walkable. A local bus runs the length of the valley, and ski buses link the lifts. Hikers use buses for trailheads.

A car is helpful for the Silvretta road, which is a toll road and runs only in summer. The Paznaun road has hairpins and can close in heavy snow. Winter tyres or chains are required. Motorways in Austria need a vignette.

Tyrolean food is hearty. Try Tiroler Gröstl, a pan of potatoes and meat, and Kaspressknödel, cheese dumplings in broth. Mountain huts serve soups and cakes.

Galtür is very safe, but avalanche risk is real in winter. Check bulletins and stay on marked slopes. High mountain weather changes fast. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.

Galtür was settled by Walser people from the Valais in the Middle Ages, and the old village still shows their influence. The Silvretta road opened in the 1950s and linked the valley with Vorarlberg. In February 1999 a huge avalanche killed 31 people, and the village built a protective wall and the Alpinarium afterward.

Quick practical facts for Austria at a glance: