New in Ischgl 2025: LEGO® World Record & High-Tech Lifts
You might be thinking: ‘Seventeen visits? Surely, you’ve seen it all by now.’ It’s a fair question. When you return to the same destination for nearly two decades, there is a risk of running out of new things to say. But the answer—specifically for Ischgl—is a definite no. This resort has a relentless drive to reinvent itself, ensuring that even seasoned veterans like us are kept on our toes. Far from being just ‘another routine ski week,’ our 17th return was packed with surprises. From high-tech infrastructure upgrades like the new C1 and C3 lifts to a record-breaking LEGO takeover at 2,600 meters, here is why Ischgl still feels fresh and why those awesome slopes keep calling us back.
Down in the valley, the evolution continues with some major updates to the culinary and après-ski landscape. If you are a creature of habit like us, take note: you should no longer search for the famous rock’s grill near the Freeride. That familiar spot has been completely transformed into Prenner, a stylish new restaurant that brings a sleek, modern aesthetic to the village dining scene. Speaking of facelifts, the legendary Hexenküche has also been beautifully renovated. It is definitely worth a visit; we found the vibe surprisingly active and energetic for the early season, and the music was absolutely on point.
New lifts.... again!
One of the biggest changes we noticed on our 17th visit was the massive upgrade to the infrastructure around the Idalp bowl. Ischgl has replaced the old workhorses with two state-of-the-art 8-seater chairlifts: the Höllbodenbahn (C1) and the Sassgalunbahn (C3). If you remember the old bottlenecks here, you’re in for a treat. The new C1 isn’t just a facelift; the top station has been moved about 500 meters to significantly improve the flow of skiers crossing towards the Swiss border. Both lifts are now top-tier Doppelmayr ‘D-Line’ models, meaning they are whisper-quiet, faster, and—crucially for those January mornings—come equipped with weather protection hoods and heated seats. It’s a serious comfort upgrade that keeps the traffic moving efficiently, even on the busiest days. And if that is not yet enough, by next year they’ll also replace the Höllkarbahn (C2) which was built in 2000.
Lego®
If you thought Ischgl was only about high-performance sports, think again. This year, the resort added a splash of color to the peaks with the ‘World’s Highest LEGO® Fan Exhibition’ located inside the Pardorama mountain restaurant. Standing at over 2,600 meters, this isn’t just a small display for kids—it is a record-breaking marvel. The center piece is a full-scale replica of a Pardatschgratbahn gondola, which has officially claimed the Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest LEGO® Brick Gondola.’ It took an astounding 400,000 bricks and over 11,000 individual modules to build this 4.5-meter tall masterpiece. The gondola can be admired in the valley station of the Pardatschrat station.
The exhibition has several themes but the biggest is F1 and Niki Lauda gets a big tribute. You will see plenty of custom made units of racing cars, a racing track and many more. Next to those you will see a custom Pistenbully and a mini Pardorama and Pardatschrat. The entrance fee is included in your ski pass and for the kids there is also an option to make their own creation which might be great when the weather isn’t great.
Awesome slopes and views
In terms of the piste map, the layout remains largely familiar, though there were a few fresh lines to discover. The relocation of the C1 top station has created a short, brand-new segment at the summit that changes the flow slightly. On a personal note, we also managed a ‘first’ for ourselves: we finally skied the Black 6a. It serves as a steep shortcut from the Velilleck F1 to the end of Piste 6, and it was well worth the wait. On 3 ski days we covered just over 200 downhill kilometers which is quite significant. Our Strava day totals were mostly just above 100 km.
For the enthusiasts: Pistenbullies!
Mother Nature welcomed us with a fresh coating of snow on our first night. While the powder was welcome, it meant a delayed start the next morning as slope patrol carried out necessary security measures. But around 11:00 AM at the Schwarzwand mountain restaurant, we realized just how hard the team had been working. In a rare spectacle, the grooming crew gathered after pulling extra shifts to prep the mountain, and we counted an impressive lineup of 15 Pistenbullies! To some, it might just be heavy machinery, but for us, it was the highlight of the morning. We have had a soft spot for these beasts ever since we got behind the wheel of one ourselves back in 2016—check out that adventure here.
