Between the Wilder Kaiser Mountains and the Hohe Salve (one of Austria’s highest peaks), Söll is the main resort in the Ski Welt - Austria’s second-largest lift-linked ski area. Getting here is easy - you are no more than an hour away from Innsbruck airport and those travelling by rail can get here in about 15 minutes from Wörgl.
Having left behind the reputation gained in the 80s as a ‘lads’ holiday hotspot, Söll is now one of the finest family resorts in Austria. Kindergarten areas, child-care services, an indoor chill-zone, night tobogganing and visits to the Igloo Village are just a few of the fantastic offerings in the area.
While its reputation has changed over time, the gorgeous traditional buildings have remained. The baroque and chalet-style structures make this a popular winter and summer destination, for its architecture alone. The centrepiece of the village is an 18th-century domed church, where its candle-lit graveyard adds an eerie yet beautiful feel to the village.
That’s not to say technology hasn’t evolved on the mountain – the lift system and snowmaking are excellent, and this is one of the biggest night skiing areas in the Alps, with state-of-the-art floodlights bringing 10km of pistes to life after dark.
There’s currently a massive infrastructure project underway in the Skiwelt, with a 10-person gondola and 8-person chair added for the 19/20 season. And two new gondolas under construction for 20/21 season, improving the link to the smaller satellite town of Itter and increasing the total accessible ski area to 288km.
Lift access comes in the form of the ‘SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental’ pass - the name may be a mouthful, but you’ll say it with a smile when you hear that the pass encompasses all 9 of SkiWelt’s interconnected resorts. The Hochsöll gondola is a 15-minute walk from the town (arguably the perfect pre-ski warm-up) or for a little less legwork; frequent buses run between the village and the slopes.
Location: Kitzbueheler Alps, Austria
Established: 1959
Open: December - April
Downhill: 288km
View our detailed Soll snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our Soll snow history.
Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
Innsbruck (INN) | 78km, 1 hour |
Salzburg (SZG) | 83km, 1 hour 30 mins |
Munich (MUC) | 144km, 1 hour 30 mins |
|
|
Top Altitude: | 1957m |
Bottom Altitude: | 620m |
Resort Altitude: | 703m |
Longest run: | 7.3km |
Slope Orientation: | N S E W |
Vertical Drop: | 1126m |
Skiable Vertical: | |
Night Skiing: | Yes |
Glacier: | No |
Downhill Runs: | 288km |
Beginner slopes: | 43% |
Intermediate: | 45% |
Advanced slopes: | 12% |
Lift Pass Price: | €233.50 for an adult 6 day area ski pass |
Nearby resorts: Ellmau, Scheffau, Westendorf & Hopfgarten. |
Beginners will find a high standard of learning facilities in the area, with Skischule Söll providing many courses for different age groups. There’s a collection of nursery slopes near the village, and you can catch the gondola up to Hochsöll for access to some short and sweet blues. This is also where you’ll find the Kinderland area – an area custom made for mini skiers with a gentle slope and ski merry-go-round.
A word to the wise: the main piste leading back to resort is a red, which sometimes gets icy at the end of the day – it might be best to take the less obvious number 40 blue run or get the gondola down until you’re confident on the intermediate terrain.
Intermediates have lots to play on in Söll. Take the gondola up to Hohe Salve, SkiWelt’s highest point at 1829m, where pistes 44 and 45 lead back down to Hochsöll and several others take you to the surrounding villages – enough to explore a different area each day.
Advanced skiers won’t find steeps, deeps and bumps galore but if you’re happy to clock up the miles on reds, test out the black runs from Hohe Salve and dabble in a bit of off-piste, you can still have a cracking time here.
There is a snow park in Hochsöll (accessed via the Rinner chairlift) with an Easy Line, and medium jib and kicker lines and there’s a funslope under the Salvenmoos chairlift with jumps, boxes, tubes, bank curves and waves. You’ll also find two more parks further afield - a similar size park in Ellmau and the aptly named “Big Playground” in Westendorf which has a good selection of larger and more challenging features.
Night skiing is where this resort really stands out from the rest, with a whopping 10km of runs, the medium line of the snowpark and the funslope lit up 3-4 nights a week.
Though this is a quaint Austrian village with fantastic offerings for families, Söll still knows how to have a good time. Before you ski back down at the end of the day, stop at the Gipfelalm on Hohe Salve for a drink – it has a 360° panorama of over 70 high alpine peaks!
For a quirky atmosphere head to The Jam Jar, it’s a small basement bar at the entrance to the town. The Jam Jar serves up a great selection of draught beers and puts on regular live music.
Anyone in need of some home comfort will love the Brit-style Red Horse sports bar. The bar shows big events like the 6 Nations and champions league and hosts regular live music events.
For loud music, DJ sets and dancing on tables head over to local legend Whisky-Mühle which remains open after many of the other bars have called it a night.
You’ll find several restaurants dotted around the village centre. For sizeable portions at fair prices, we love the cosy Söller Stuben. Bella Vita is also excellent value for money, with starters big enough to share and the best steak in the area.
In terms of other things to do and see, the Alpiniglu igloo village over in Hochbrixen can be easily reached by both skiers and non-skiers. There are ice sculptures and an ice bar - it’s well worth a visit! There’s always tobogganing available, including a 4km floodlit run to accompany the impressive night skiing scene.
This isn’t the most snowsure resort in the Alps but the Hohe Salve has the highest skiing in the region, making Söll a safe bet for some of the best conditions in the SkiWelt. February usually sees the most snowfall. Huge investments in technology have seen slopes stay open from December to the end of March in recent years. The area has over 1700 snow cannons which provide extra dusting on an enormous 288km of piste when temperatures are below zero.
Spend Christmas in Söll for that authentic festive feeling. With everything ‘Christmas’ from winter markets to husky rides, combined with great skiing and traditional Austrian food, this is a super destination for an unforgettable Christmas break. Soll Christmas ski holidays ‣
If you’re spending the New Year in Söll, head for the village church for the traditional firework display, before partying late into the night in Whisky-Mühle or relaxing with friends and family. Soll New Year ski holidays ‣
Come over to Söll in February Half Term to make the most of the ski schools, night skiing and après ski that will leave all ages wanting to come back for more. Soll Half Term ski holidays ‣
Even if the snow isn’t up to scratch (early Easter it usually is) there’s a lot to do during Easter in Söll – and the springtime views from the Hohe Salve are nothing short of spectacular. Soll Easter ski holidays ‣
In an attempt to leave behind the boozy image that once haunted Söll in the 80s, there has been continuous work over the years to try and reel in the parents and kids, resulting in a fantastically family friendly ski resort. Some of the facilities making it so appealing to families are ski schools with years of experience, like Söll-Hochsöll, who also offer professional childcare for kids who are too young to ski, so the parents are free to enjoy the stunning scenery on offer. Older kids who fancy themselves as snowboard or ski tricksters can head off to the Snowpark or Funslope and try out a few new skills.
As can be expected from a resort where families are so well catered for, Söll doesn’t disappoint in the accommodation department. You’ll find cosy, yet suitably spacious chalets (we like Chalet Sonnenhof), which make a great place for some much needed rest and relaxation after a long day on the slopes. For state-of-the-art accommodation with great facilities, choose one of our homely hotels, the Postwirt and Tyrol always proving popular choices. Whilst unfortunately there are no ski-in ski-out opportunities in Söll, there is a useful ski bus which will take you straight to the lifts, or if your children don’t mind the walk, then the slopes are a pleasant 15 minute walk from the village.
Söll can cater to groups of all sizes, whilst ensuring that there is something for everyone on the trip. SkiWelt’s varying terrains offer runs for people of all levels, from absolute beginners who can benefit from ski schools, like Söll-Hochsöll and Knolln, and nursery slopes (numbered 57 & 58 on the piste map), to experienced skiers, who will find black runs, like piste number 23, worthy challenges. There is also plenty to keep any non-skiers entertained, including paragliding and tobogganing to name but a couple, before experts, beginners and non-skiers alike can all meet up in one of many bars or restaurants and recount the day’s adventures. With something here for everyone, set aside your fears of leaving people out, and get booking!
You’ll find plenty of accommodation which welcomes groups, ranging from large half-board hotels, to having the whole place to yourselves in a cosy chalet. If there are stragglers who wait til the last minute to decide that they don’t want to miss out on your group holiday (let’s face it, there’s always one) then Hotel Fuchs or Tyrol are good options, both with a large enough capacity to accommodate the late-comers. For ultimate group accommodation experience, book a chalet all to yourselves, check out the maximum occupancies below then ask us to get a quote for you on whichever take your fancy.
Should you wish to make your own way to you accommodation in Söll, simply select ‘independent travel’ below, but we all know how difficult organising travel for a group can be. Let us give you and helping hand and book one of our great value package deals, including flights, transfers and of course the group accommodation of your choice.
Accommodation | Number of nights | Price (per person) from |
---|---|---|
Hotel Alpenpanorama | 7 | £ 781 |
Hotel Eggerwirt | 7 | £ 649 |
Hotel Tyrol | 7 | £ 621 |
Hotel Feldwebel | 7 | £ 719 |
Hotel Postwirt | 7 | £ 1316 |
Hotel Mödlinger | 7 | £ 604 |
Ferienhotel Fuchs | 7 | £ 626 |
Pension Sonnenhof | 7 | £ 523 |
Hotel Gänsleit | 7 | £ 618 |
Pension Konrad | 7 | £ 457 |