Resort height: 1400m
The mountains
The one drawback to skiing in Ischgl is the main piste back into the resort - steep, winding and often unnervingly icy. Most skiers and snowboarders would be well-advised to ride the gondolas back down at the end of the day in order to avoid it.
But apart from that, Ischgl is an intermediate skiers idea of heaven, with most of the area on a high, sunny and snowsure plateau above the treeline. Many of the runs are fairly short as a result, but what they lack in length they make up for in quality. The exception to the rule is the long piste that leads into Samnaun.
Freestylers and snowboarders will also be happy in Ischgl. There's been a big improvement in the two terrain parks here lately - one of which, the snowART park, now claims to be the longest in the Alps. Snowboarders will like the fact that everyone seems too hungover to compete for the freshly fallen snow on a powder day. At times, it can feel as if you're the only person up there who's interested in the off-piste.
Getting there
Most people fly into Innsbruck, which is 90 minutes' transfer from Ischgl. You can also reach the resort from Friedrichshafen and Zurich airport, although transfer times are longer (2- 3 hours).
Rating: 
10/10
Après-ski
How do the Austrians manage it? In resort after resort they lay on supercharged après-ski, which never gets surly or bad-tempered. Everyone has a few beers, dances like a maniac in their ski boots, and then wanders off quietly for dinner. Perfect. The bars to aim for in Ischgl are at the Trofana Alm and the Hotel Elisabeth. Afterwards, most people eat dinner in their hotels, as part of a half-board package, but for a special occasion head for the fusion restaurant at the super-cool Hotel Madlein or the Paznauner Stube at the Trofana Royal.
Rating: 
5/10
Non-skiers
Book yourself into the spa at the Trofana Royal hotel - as well as saunas, steam rooms, Turkish baths, pools, and massages it offers an Egyptian bath... .in milk. There's a range of other activities on offer, such as ice-skating, sleigh rides and tobogganing, and four indoor courts at the sports centre. But all the same Ischgl is primarily a place for those who love to ski or snowboard.
Rating: 
6/10
Cost of living
Despite all the après-ski action, Ischgl is an upmarket resort, and the range of budget accommodation is limited. Still, by staying in an hotel on a half-board basis you will at least have few extras to pay for, beyond the price of your holiday.
Rating: 
7/10
Attractiveness of the resort
Ischgl is a pretty and compact little town, set in a high valley beneath impressively craggy peaks. It can't match the visual drama of the likes of Zermatt or Mürren, but most people find the traditional look and feel of the resort - along with the well-run hotels - more than makes up for that.
