Igls: Winter Holidays Between Skiing and Culture

Igls combines winter activities on Patscherkofel with a diverse cultural and natural setting. When choosing suitable accommodation, it is therefore important to consider which aspects you want to focus on during your stay: skiing with a range of practice facilities, marked ski touring routes and a panoramic snowshoe trail, or excursions to historic sites and along high-altitude trails.

Winter Activities on Patscherkofel

The Patscherkofel ski area has a large beginners’ area, several practice slopes and a children’s area. This layout makes the available options easy to distinguish: those gaining their first experience on skis will find a designated beginners’ area and practice slopes, while the children’s area is a specific part of the offering for families with children.

For more sport-oriented winter days, the ski area also offers marked ski touring routes. In addition, there is a panoramic snowshoe trail. Alongside the classic ski area, this provides two clearly designated options for tours in the snow. The activities are suited to different purposes, without this automatically implying the same requirements in terms of fitness, equipment or experience.

High-Altitude Trails and Mountain Landscapes

The Zirbenweg offers a special landscape experience. It runs along the tree line at an altitude of more than 2,000 metres through a centuries-old, dense stand of Swiss stone pines and offers views of the Inn Valley throughout the entire route. When planning, take your personal experience, the weather conditions and suitable equipment into account.

The Heiligwasser pilgrimage church is also located in the forest, about halfway up Patscherkofel, and is a popular excursion destination. Its location combines a religious site with the mountain landscape. The church was built in 1661. Those wishing to include regional history and sacred architecture alongside winter sports can add this site as a separate excursion destination to their travel plans.

History and Culture in Igls

Around 4,000 years ago, Goldbichl was a powerful sanctuary of supraregional importance. At the Goldbichl archaeological trail, illustrated panels explain aspects of daily life and religious rituals. The trail thus provides a thematic introduction to the early history of the site, while the landscape around Goldbichl helps place it in its historical context.

The museum on the first floor of the Haus des Gastes in Igls offers further insights. It houses finds from the Goldbichl burnt offering site, a nativity scene with hand-carved figures, traditional Huttler costumes and masks, and a winter sports exhibition. The museum also displays metal and ceramic artefacts from the Bronze and Iron Ages in several showcases. This makes it possible to explore archaeology, regional customs and the history of winter sports together as part of a cultural offering.

Summer Additions to Your Winter Stay

Some of the activities mentioned are explicitly intended for the warmer season. During the summer months, church concerts are held in Igls parish church. In connection with Igls/Vill, a visit to the modern equestrian centre and rides through the picturesque low mountain range are also mentioned as summer activities. If you are looking for accommodation for a longer stay or for a trip outside the winter season, these additional interests may play a role in choosing the time of travel.

When searching for accommodation, consider whether a winter stay or a trip outside the winter season is the priority for your travel group, and which personal interests you would like to focus on.

For the general travel overview: Innsbruck.