Map of Sölden from above, Rettenbach Glacier — Where the World Cup Season Begins marked with a wine glass

Outdoors · Sölden

Rettenbach Glacier — Where the World Cup Season Begins

Sölden's Rettenbach Glacier hosts FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season opener + après-ski wine bars with glacier vistas from 3,000m peaks.

What to do there

AdventureRettenbach Glacier — Where the World Cup Season BeginsEvery October, the Alpine skiing World Cup season opens at Sölden's Rettenbach Glacier (2,675-3,058m). It's the first giant slalom of the year — where champions announce themselves and contenders emerge. Marcel Hirscher, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Marco Odermatt have all made their marks here. The atmosphere is electric: 15,000+ fans on a glacier, cowbells echoing off ice. After racing, the crowd descends to Sölden for the season's first après-ski — a celebration that every ski racer on earth wants to attend.

Wineries nearby

Winery Das Central 30,000-Bottle Cellar Tour + PINO 3000 Vertical Tasting Das Central Sölden — 30,000-bottle cellar + PINO 3000 vertical tasting (wine aged at 3,000m elevation) — Austria's highest restaurant pairs glass-cube dining with Ötztal glacier views.