Spa in the snow
Somewhere high up in the Tyrolean Paznaun Valley at 1,600 meters altitude, the village of Galtür is hidden. The air is so clean there and the climate so favorable, there is no healthier place in Austria. This combined with beautiful nature and endless winter sports options makes Galtür the place to be this winter. You will be completely healthy again in this small spa!
Almost every winter sports enthusiast knows winter sports paradise Ischgl. But who knows that another winter sports Valhalla is located a fifteen minute drive from Ischgl? It is Galtür, a tiny village with about eight hundred inhabitants, near the border with Switzerland. Galtür is nothing compared to its popular neighbour. The ski village is quiet and authentic. It is a top destination if you don’t feel like mass tourism but just want to enjoy nature. And that’s why I’m going to discover Galtür.
Snowshoeing
Enjoying nature: that is perfectly possible in Galtür. Whether you are an experienced skier or prefer to walk quietly through the mountains. Galtür has everything in-house. You can go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, but you can also ski on beautiful slopes. I’m going to try everything!
I start my winter sports trip relaxed, with a snowshoe hike. In Galtür there are plenty of shops that rent snowshoes and it costs almost nothing. You can go out on your own, but it is more fun to go out with a guide. I am guided by Toby, a local who can tell you everything about the area. Together we walk to the back of the village where the tour begins. We climb up a bit. Behind us we see Galtür getting smaller and smaller. We stop to drink a schnapps that Toby has brought as a surprise in his backpack and we enjoy the beautiful view over the village.
Then we continue into the woods. Here, deep in the woods, you hear nothing at all. Just the crunch of our snowshoes. It has snowed all night and all the trails are still pristine. We only see the tracks of wild animals. Toby points it out to me. “Look, there was a deer. And those are the footprints of bunnies.”
Toby explains that going out into nature without a guide can be dangerous. Every now and then we pass a place where an avalanche has come down. “If you go out alone, be well informed about the avalanche danger,” he emphasizes.
We make a wonderful trip. And what a fun thing to do! I am active in sports and at the same time have plenty of time to enjoy nature. After a few hours we go back down, which is actually more challenging than the climb up. Sliding down is sometimes even easier than walking.
Cross-country skiing
The next day it’s time for a new challenge: cross-country skiing or ‘cross-country skiing’ as they call it in Galtür. It is a beautiful day. Fresh snow and a clear blue sky. This is a perfect area for cross-country skiing enthusiasts. Galtür has no less than 74 kilometers of prepared tracks. I rent special cross-country equipment and go up with the ski lift.
On top of the mountain I meet my teacher. Because whoever thinks you can start cross-country skiing without a lesson is wrong. It is not like skiing and you use a different technique, although skiers do have an edge over those who have never stood on skis before.
We start on an easy track, especially for beginners. It is indeed quite complicated. And intensively, too. The climbs are especially tough and you also have to know what you are doing in the descent. Once I’ve mastered it a bit, it’s time for a more complicated course.
While cross-country skiing may have a bit of a drab image, it is anything but boring. And that is why it is also super fun for experienced skiers. You have much more time to take a good look around you. While skiing, I probably would never have spotted this crazy halo. What a beautiful sky!
Dinner with horse and carriage
In the evening I am exhausted from an intensive day on the downhill skis, but it is already time to go out. It’s time for a nighttime trip through the snow. And this time I don’t have to do anything for it myself. I am being picked up by a horse and carriage.
The coachman has brought blankets and put cushions in the carriage. When I’m nice and warm we leave for Mathon, where I’m going to enjoy a real Austrian dinner. We drive for almost an hour through a winter wonderland under a beautiful starry sky. How romantic!
Skiing in Galtur
The next day it’s time for action: I’m going to explore the ski slopes of Galtür. I’ve already seen the slopes during cross-country skiing and it looked promising. It is a small area, much smaller than, for example, Ischgl and that has a big advantage: it attracts far fewer tourists. That’s why it’s nice and quiet on the slopes, you don’t have to take anyone into account and you don’t have to wait long anywhere.
Galtür has 40 kilometers of slopes that are suitable for everyone. From young to old and from novice to very experienced skiers. The winter sports area is therefore ideal for families or large groups of friends. I conclude my introduction to beautiful Galtür with a wonderful day on the skis.
