High and snow sure, with three peaks over three thousand metres reachable by lift and a great deal of long sustained intermediate skiing. Two glaciers sit above the valley and open early, which is why the World Cup season begins here every October.

Sölden itself is a busy Tyrolean valley town with a strong Austrian and German clientele and a reputation for loud nights. The bar strip runs along the middle of the village and does not quieten down early. The ice Q restaurant on top of the Gaislachkogl was used for a James Bond film and now has a permanent exhibition built into the mountain beside it. The trip up the glacier road is worth it for the view alone. Hotels and apartments spread along the valley floor with a bus between them. Restaurants fill fast in high season, so half board is the sensible default, and the Aqua Dome spa down the valley is the place for a rest day.