Travel review: Austrian Alps have a licence to thrill

Belfast Telegraph

05-05-2025

The ski season ended on a high note as an impressive line-up of international DJs drew tens of thousands of people onto the spectacular slopes, where I danced at 2,250m during a fast-paced week of non-stop fun.
The Electric Mountain Festival officially kicked off with smaller events at scenic locations around the resort, which lives up to its reputation of being the heartbeat of the Alps.
My excitement to see headliners Martin Garrix and Steve Aoki intensified as I arrived at my authentically Austrian four-star accommodation in the heart of the town.
Hotel Erhart is less than a 90-minute drive from Innsbruck Airport and just a short walk from the centre of Solden, where gondolas grant access to the slopes made famous by Bond.
It was the ideal base for a dance music extravaganza that unfolded over five days in April, culminating in the Dutchman, consistently ranked as the world's number one DJ, and the American record producer taking to the turntables on a giant stage dwarfed only by the imposing peaks of the Otztal mountains.
The stunning setting,universally recognisable after being chosen as a shoot location for Spectre, served as a pleasant alternative to the dark and grungy basements where dance music fans are normally banished to very late at night.
A few lucky VIP ticket holders were fortunate enough to party in the glass-coated cube known as Ice Q, perched against the Gaislachkogl summit at 3,048m above sea level.
The meeting place of James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Dr Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) offers majestic views, including over the snowy roads where film's 'plane versus car' scene was filmed.
007 Elements, a cinematic installation built inside the summit, gives visitors the opportunity to relive the magic as it showcases the skills required to create the most famous Bond sequences.
The immersive and interactive centre is the product of a collaboration led by creative director Neal Callow, who was the art director on Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die.
After staring down the barrel of the gun in the atmospheric anteroom, where I was greeted with title sequences and spine-tingling music (the fundamentals of any Bond movie), I was free to roam the lair and appreciate unforgettable characters and dialogue.
In the briefing room, actress Naomie Harris (Miss Moneypenny) narrated a short video highlighting the role and impact of film locations.
I paid homage to MI6's Q by visiting the tech lab to interact with cutting-edge gadgets before watching Bond action sequences with a renewed sense of wonder.
I was in no doubt as to why the area grabbed the attention of filmmakers. A spectacular glass viewing space faces north over the alpine landscape now synonymous with one of the most thrilling chase scenes in cinematic history.
Fans can get even closer to the road, chosen by a producer in search of an extreme location, by driving along slope Number 30.
I took a mid-morning break from skiing to spend around two hours immersed the Bond cosmos before returning to the powdered terrain, where the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers are connected by a remarkable ski tunnel that cuts straight through the rocky earth that once separated them.
The bright light at the end eventually dissolved to reveal even more extraordinary scenes in the resort, connected by a total of 31 lifts linking 144km of pistes peppered with at least 30 huts serving up mouthwatering Tyrolean cuisine.
I found culinary delights in Schwarzkogl Restaurant, which also offers magnificent views of the Rettenbach glacier and the Gaislachkogl summit.
My festival fever was tamed slightly by the splendour of this cosy a la carte cabin, which I took it in from the stunning sun terrace, where guests choosing to sit outdoors are provided with snug blankets to stay warm.
After deciding it was the perfect setting for a pint (or two) of Stiegl Weisse, I browsed the menu, including starters such as thinly sliced veal, traditional Tyrolean doughnuts, oyster mushroom and wild herb tartar, and beef soups with bacon or cheese dumplings or sliced pancake.
While sipping on my wheat beer, I settled on the pastrami from the smoker (accompanied by a herb) and then perused the mains.
By a process of elimination, I opted for what turned out to be a generous portion of perfectly cooked venison steak on a bed of red cabbage with pommes Williams.
Gampe Thaya, where I had eaten the day before, serves up equally impressive dishes, offering customers a more traditional experience in a wooden cabin with plenty of seats and a wonderful outdoor deck. Only local produce is used to create typical Otztal specialties.
My tiroler grostl (diced roasted potatoes soaked in oil with beef strips and topped with a fried egg) arrived within minutes of me devouring a beautifully presented cheese and meat platter with a selection of breads and dips.
A waitress then approached my table cradling a large silver bowl full of kaiserschmarren (chunks of sweet omelette coated in powdered sugar) with two small tubs — one packed with cranberry jam and the other with apple — before surrendering ownership.
After washing it all down with a few bottles of Solsch, a handmade beer brewed in the Otztal valley, it was time to be plunged into a another trance.
Long days on the slopes provided solace for 50,000 revellers, myself included, who made the seamless switch from skiing to partying.
So too did the hotel's pine lounge spa —more specifically its hot tub, sauna, steam room, infrared cabin and tea bar — which I knew awaited me in the evenings
When I wasn't seeking refuge in the wellness sanctuary, I could be found indulging in Tyrolean hospitality served up in the restaurant of this third-generation family-run hotel which has evolved from its origins as a bed and breakfast.
The exquisite menu included French onion soup (served in a bulbous bowl and capped with fresh warm bread), al dente ravioli, and succulent beef soaked in a divine bacon and mushroom sauce.
Of course apple strudel was among the delicious desserts on offer.
One fancy (and chocolatey) sweet mimicked a plant (in 'soil') and was even served in a small, pot-shaped bowl by the chef, who loves to showcase the best of local.
Buffet breakfasts — after quiet nights in my cosy room equipped with a satellite TV, radio, safe, hair dryer, makeup mirror and free wifi — ensured each day got off to a sublime start before I grabbed my equipment from the heated boot room.
My guide Johan ensured I didn't miss a trick after we became acquainted at the Gaislachkoglbahn (cable car) opposite Intersport Glanzer, where I had picked up my skis before navigating the white maze of slopes which provided direct access to the XXL stage adjacent to the Giggijoch restaurant.
For two consecutive days, hedonistic adrenaline junkies transformed the site into an icy open-air dance floor.
Hypnotising visuals projected onto LED screens, sporadically obscured by smoke billowing from flame throwing machines, added an intense layer to the already dramatic atmosphere as beats pulsed out from the speakers. I relished the sensory overload and partied for hours on end in one of the most striking locations in the world.
Mountain festival is simply electric
My 'Satisfaction' was complete when electro house heavyweight Benny Benassi took to the stage, building on the high-energy buzz of Julian Jordan's set and Noel Holler's mixing on the first main day of the Electric Mountain Festival in Solden.
Anticipation had been building as a series of side events took place in the run-up, with some of the biggest DJs, including Julian Jordan, Jaden Bojsen and Avaion, performing in venues scattered around the mountain.
VIP ticket holders gathered in Ice Q to see Steve Aoki, the highest-grossing electric dance music producer in North America, follow in the footsteps of Australian DJ duo Nervo and singer John Newman by performing in Austria's highest restaurant.
Those of us enjoying the beats, drinks and breathtaking scenery elsewhere were also plunged into a state of music-induced euphoria.
In search of musical 'Diamonds', we flocked to afternoon pop-up parties taking place in a host of huts including Philipp Solden, were Julian Jordan went 'Down To The Wire' in his quest to captivate the audience with 'The Sound' of EDM.
As dusk encroached upon my alpine activities, I joined hundreds of ravers in the Panorama Alm one evening where we rallied behind former child actor and ex-boyband star DJ Jaden Bojsen with a 'Let's Go' attitude. The party raged from 3pm leaving just one more sleep until the first big day.
After a morning on the slopes, a video surfaced on Instagram showing Martin Garrix in a helicopter making his way towards the large crowd awaiting the moment.
'It's going to be epic,' the caption read.
As the energy peaked and large orange flames were thrown into the air in rhythm with the beats of his electrifying 90-minute set, the sun slipped behind the summit as the crowd shifted focus to the second main day.
But not before Brazilian ski star and Samba dancing DJ Lucas Pinheiro Braathen brought the party to a sizzling close.
Aoki declared that Solden has 'the best spring snow in the world' on social media as he snowboarded through a glacier cave enroute to the stage.
We all shared the sentiment as the dance music kingpin left us 'Delirious' with a set loaded with four-to-the-floor beats, relentless build-ups and bottomless breakdowns.
Next year's festival runs from April 13-18. For more information, visit www.soelden.com/en/events-leisure-tips/events/electric-mountain-festival
Factfile
• Brett was hosted by Ötztal Tourism
• He flew from Belfast to Innsbruck via London Gatwick with easyJet. For tickets and information, see www.easyjet.com