Vorarlberg & Bregenzerwald
Bregenz & Lake Stage★★★
Bregenz (30,000 inhabitants) is the capital of Vorarlberg and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Constance, nestled between the lake and the Pfänder (1,064 m). The city has two faces: the medieval Upper Town with the Martinsturm (oldest half-timbered building in Vorarlberg, 1601), narrow alleys, and remnants of the city wall—and the modern lakeside promenade with the KUB (Kunsthaus Bregenz), the festival hall, and the legendary lake stage.
The Bregenz Festival (July–August) is world-famous: Operas with spectacular stage sets are performed on the largest lake stage in the world (7,000 spectators)—the sets are directly in Lake Constance. James Bond fans know the stage from "Quantum of Solace" (2008), where a Tosca performance served as the backdrop for an action scene.
The Pfänder, Bregenz's local mountain, offers perhaps the best panoramic view of the entire Lake Constance region with the Pfänderbahn (cable car): 240 Alpine peaks in three countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), plus the 63 km long Lake Constance in its entirety.
Tipp
Festival tickets (€40–280) are often sold out months in advance—book as early as possible at bregenzerfestspiele.com. Affordable standing places (from €40) are sometimes available at short notice. Performances continue in rain (bring rain ponchos!), only interrupted in thunderstorms.
Attractions
★★★ Bregenz Festival & Lake Stage
Since 1946 the cultural highlight on Lake Constance. Every two years, a new opera is staged with a gigantic stage set directly on the lake—the dimensions are breathtaking (stage 28 m high, 33 m wide). Past productions: a giant book for "Carmen," a floating clown for "Rigoletto," an oversized skeleton for "André Chénier." The acoustics over the water, the sunset behind the Swiss mountains, and the atmosphere among 7,000 spectators are unforgettable.
Season: Mid-July to mid-August. Tickets: €40–280. Advance sales from November of the previous year.
★★★ Kunsthaus Bregenz (KUB)
The Swiss architect Peter Zumthor created with the KUB (1997) one of the most important buildings of contemporary architecture in Europe—a shimmering cube of etched glass and steel that filters the lake light during the day and glows from within at night. The museum shows changing exhibitions of internationally renowned artists (Olafur Eliasson, Ai Weiwei, Adrián Villar Rojas). The architecture alone is worth the visit.
€13 (adults), under 19 free. Tue–Sun 10 am–6 pm (Thu until 8 pm). Closed on Mondays.
★★ Pfänderbahn & Pfänder Summit
The Pfänderbahn glides in 6 minutes from the valley station (412 m) to the Pfänder (1,064 m). At the top: 240-peak panorama, Alpine wildlife park (free, ibexes, marmots, deer), eagle flight show (May–Oct., Tue–Sun 11:00 am and 2:30 pm, €6) and hiking trails. The cheese trail (2 hrs., easy) leads over three Alps with cheese tasting.
Round trip: €15.40 (adults), €7.70 (children 6–15). Year-round, every 30 min.
★★ Upper Town & Martinsturm
The medieval Upper Town on the hill above the lake: winding alleys, half-timbered houses, remnants of the city wall, and the Martinsturm (1601) with the largest baroque onion dome in Central Europe. In the tower, a small city museum with a view over the rooftops. Ascent free, museum €2.
★ Vorarlberg Museum
At the Kornmarkt square right next to the KUB: State museum with a surprisingly modern designed exhibition on the history and culture of Vorarlberg—from the Raetians through the Alemanni to the textile industry and contemporary architecture. The facade with 16,656 embedded PET bottle bottoms is itself a work of art.
€10 (adults), under 19 free. Tue–Sun 10 am–6 pm.
Dining & Accommodation
€€€ Deuring Schlössle
In a medieval little castle in the Upper Town: Gault-Millau-awarded cuisine in a historic setting. Seasonal menu from €75. The courtyard in summer is one of the most beautiful spots in Bregenz. Double room from €195/night.
€€ Wirtshaus am See
Directly on the lakeside promenade with a terrace over the water. Vorarlberg classics: Käsknöpfle with fried onions (€14.90), Lake Constance whitefish (€22.50), apple fritters (€9.90). Reservation in summer is essential.
€€ Gasthaus Kornmesser
Historic city palace from the 16th century, now an atmospheric inn. Onion roast (€18.50), Bregenzerwälder cheese soup (€8.90), Riebel with applesauce (€10.50). Good wine from the Rhine Valley.
€ Mangold (vegetarian/vegan)
Popular self-service restaurant in the city center. Fresh vegetarian and vegan dishes—paid by weight (€1.90/100g). Soups, curries, salads, desserts. Fast, affordable, healthy.
Accommodation
Hotel Schwärzler — Family-run in the 4th generation, 10 minutes' walk from the festival hall. Double room from €130/night with breakfast. Wellness area, garden.
Hotel Messmer — Central location at the Kornmarkt, near KUB and lake. Double room from €115/night. Modern, functional, good breakfast.
Youth Hostel Bregenz — On the lakeshore with its own bathing beach. Bed in a shared room from €32/night with breakfast. Family rooms available.
Bregenzerwald — Architecture & Cheese★★★
The Bregenzerwald is one of the most fascinating cultural landscapes in the Alps—and a place where tradition and modernity merge uniquely. In the 24 communities of this gently hilly valley east of Bregenz, farmers and craftsmen have sparked an architectural revolution: Award-winning contemporary wooden buildings stand alongside centuries-old farmhouses, designed by local architects (Kaufmann, Baumschlager-Eberle, Cukrowicz Nachbaur) who are recognized worldwide.
At the same time, the Bregenzerwald maintains its cheese tradition like hardly any other Alpine region: Over 90 dairies produce mountain cheese, alpine cheese, and the unique Bregenzerwälder Bergkäse g.U.—protected designation of origin, like Champagne or Parmigiano. The KäseStraße Bregenzerwald connects dairies, inns, and farms into a culinary route.
The main towns are Egg (center of the Vorderwald), Bezau (main town of the Hinterwald with the nostalgic Wälderbahn), Schwarzenberg (artist village with Angelika Kauffmann Museum), and Au-Schoppernau (starting point for alpine hikes).
Tipp
The Bregenzerwald Guest Card (free with overnight stay) includes all cable cars, buses, and swimming pools in the region—a tremendous value. The cable cars alone cost €20–30 per ride individually.
Architecture Highlights
★★★ Werkraum Haus (Andelsbuch)
Designed by star architect Peter Zumthor (2013): A glass pavilion that showcases and celebrates the craft tradition of the Bregenzerwald. Changing exhibitions on furniture making, textile art, and woodworking. The building itself — glass, wood, steel — is a statement: Modernity can honor tradition without imitating it.
Freely accessible. Tue–Sat 10 am–6 pm, Sun 10 am–5 pm.
★★★ Umgang Bregenzerwald
Twelve architecture tours through twelve communities of the Bregenzerwald. Each tour (1–2 hours) passes by award-winning contemporary buildings and explains the design ideas with panels and QR codes. Highlights: the Krumbach Parish Church (Bernardo Bader), the Ludesch Town Hall (Hermann Kaufmann), the bus stops of Krumbach (7 world architects, including Sou Fujimoto and Smiljan Radić).
Free. Brochure available at the tourist information or online as a PDF.
★★ BUS:STOP Krumbach
Perhaps the most unusual architectural project in a rural area: The community of Krumbach (1,050 inhabitants) invited seven internationally renowned architects in 2014 to each design a bus stop. The result: seven small sculptures made of wood, glass, and steel, standing along the village streets — from Japanese minimalism (Sou Fujimoto) to organically flowing (Smiljan Radić). A walk connects all seven (approx. 1.5 hours).
Freely accessible, anytime.
★ Angelika-Kauffmann-Museum (Schwarzenberg)
In the baroque local history museum of the artist village Schwarzenberg: a collection dedicated to Angelika Kauffmann (1741–1807), the most important painter of European classicism, who grew up in Schwarzenberg. Changing exhibitions and a tour through the village with its restored Bregenzerwald houses.
€7 (adults). May–October: Tue–Sun 10 am–5 pm.
KäseStraße & Culinary Delights
★★★ KäseStraße Bregenzerwald
The KäseStraße connects over 20 dairies, inns, and farms into a culinary route through the entire Bregenzerwald. In the dairies, you can watch cheese being made (usually mornings 8–10 am, no registration) and taste and buy the cheeses. Highlights:
Dairy Lingenau — Large show dairy with glass front to the production. Tasting of 6 types (€8). Farm shop with mountain cheese (from €22/kg), alpine cheese (from €28/kg), and semi-hard cheese. Daily 8 am–6 pm.
Alpine Dairy Schoppernau — Small alpine dairy at 1,200 m altitude. Here, alpine cheese is still made like 200 years ago over an open fire. Sales only on site. June–September.
Cheese Cellar Lingenau — 38,000 cheese wheels mature here in an underground cellar at a constant 13°C. Guided tour with tasting: €12 (adults), €6 (children). Advance booking required.
★★ Bregenzerwald Alpine Days
In September, the Alps celebrate the Alpabfahrt—the festive descent of the cows from the summer pastures. Decorated cows with flower wreaths and bells parade through the villages, accompanied by music and market activities. Dates vary by community—ask the tourist information.
Tipp
The "Cheese Hiking Pass" (free at the tourist information) collects stamps from dairies along the KäseStraße—after 5 stamps, you receive a piece of Bregenzerwälder Bergkäse as a reward.
Lech am Arlberg★★★
Lech (1,450 m), together with the neighboring village of Zürs, is one of the most exclusive winter sports resorts in the Alps—and one of the most snow-sure. The ski area Ski Arlberg (connected with St. Anton, Stuben, and Warth-Schröcken) is with 305 km of slopes and 88 lifts the largest contiguous ski area in Austria.
In winter, Champagne Powder and après-ski elegance dominate (less Ballermann, more bar culture). In summer, Lech transforms into a hiking paradise with the famous Lechweg (125 km, from the source to the Lechfall) and the Green Ring (panoramic hike, 5–6 hrs., fantastic).
Lech is not cheap—the prices are significantly above the Austrian average. But the quality is also first-class: top hotels, excellent gastronomy (several award-winning restaurants), and a well-maintained infrastructure.
Tipp
In summer, the Lech Card (free with overnight stay) includes all cable cars, the bus, and the hiking bus—a value of about €50/day. In winter: The Ski Arlberg pass costs €72/day in high season (6-day pass: €366). Early bird discount until October.
Activities & Attractions
★★★ Ski Arlberg (Winter)
The largest contiguous ski area in Austria: 305 km of slopes, 200 km of off-piste (powder), 88 lifts and cable cars. The slopes in Lech/Zürs are mostly red (intermediate) and blue (easy)—ideal for advanced pleasure skiers. For professionals: the White Ring (22 km ski circuit over Lech, Zürs, Zug, and back, 5,500 meters of altitude) and freeride routes at Mehlsack and Madloch.
Day pass: €72 (adults), €43 (youth), €36 (children). Season: Early December–end of April.
★★★ Green Ring (Summer)
The most beautiful panoramic hike in Vorarlberg: The Green Ring (approx. 14 km, 5–6 hrs., medium) circles Lech—over the Rüfikopf cable car to 2,350 m, then over ridges and pastures with views of the entire Lechtal Alpine landscape. Stop at the Kriegeralpe (Kaiserschmarrn €12) or the Balmalpe.
★★ Skyspace Lech (James Turrell)
On the Tannegg above Lech, the American light artist James Turrell has set a walk-in art structure into the mountain—an oval room with an opening to the sky, through which light falls in changing colors. Particularly impressive at sunrise and sunset. Accessible via a hiking trail (30 min. from Oberlech).
Freely accessible. Year-round, around the clock.
★★ Formarinsee & Rote Wand
The Formarinsee (1,793 m) was voted "Austria's most beautiful place" in 2015—a smaragd green mountain lake below the Rote Wand (2,704 m). Accessible by hiking bus from Lech (summer, 30 min.) or on foot (3 hrs.). Stop at the Freiburger Hut on the lakeshore (ÖAV, overnight €20/members).
★ Lechweg (Long-Distance Hike)
125 km in 6–8 stages from the Lech source (Formarin) to the Lechfall near Füssen. The trail follows one of the last wild rivers of the Northern Alps—untamed, turquoise, with natural gravel banks. Stage 1 (Formarinsee–Lech, 5 hrs.) and Stage 2 (Lech–Warth, 4 hrs.) are the most alpine and beautiful.
Dining & Accommodation
€€€ Restaurant Rote Wand Chef's Table
In the Hotel Rote Wand in Zug near Lech: Max Natmessnig (2 Gault-Millau toques) serves a 6-course menu (€135) made from regional products—Bregenzerwälder cheese, Arlberg lamb, wild herbs from the Alps. Reservation weeks in advance.
€€€ Hus Nr. 8
In a 400-year-old Walser house: creative Alpine cuisine with regional ingredients. 5-course menu from €98. The atmosphere—dark wood, candlelight, stone walls—is incomparable.
€€ Fux Restaurant & Bar
The design hotel Aurelio operates this modern restaurant: Lech trout (€26), beef goulash with Spätzle (€19.50), Wiener Schnitzel from veal (€28). Stylish bar with cocktails from €14.
€€ Gasthof Post
Traditional inn since 1580 in the village center. Empress Sisi and Hemingway already stayed here. Classic cuisine: Tyrolean Gröstl (€14.50), calf liver (€22), Kaiserschmarrn (€13.50).
Accommodation
Hotel Arlberg — 5-star tradition since 1939. Double room from €380/night with half board (winter), from €240 (summer). Spa, pool, gourmet restaurant.
Pension Bergkristall — Cozy B&B, 5 minutes from the village center. Double room from €120/night with breakfast (summer), from €180 (winter). Ski-in/ski-out possible.
Youth Hotel Lech — Affordable alternative: Double room from €85/night with breakfast (summer). Shared room from €40.
Montafon★★
The Montafon is a 39 km long valley in southern Vorarlberg, framed by the Silvretta Group (up to 3,312 m, Piz Buin—the highest mountain in Vorarlberg), the Rätikon, and the Verwall Group. Eleven communities—from Schruns (main town, 3,700 inhabitants) via Tschagguns and Gaschurn to Partenen—line up along the Ill.
In winter, the three ski areas Silvretta Montafon (140 km of slopes), Golm, and Gargellen together offer over 200 km of slopes. In summer, the Silvretta High Alpine Road (toll road, €22.50), via ferratas, and the Silvretta reservoir (2,030 m)—a turquoise mountain lake surrounded by three-thousanders—are enticing.
Ernest Hemingway spent two winters (1924/25 and 1925/26) in Schruns and wrote parts of "The Sun Also Rises" at the Pension Taube. A Hemingway trail commemorates this.
Tipp
The Silvretta High Alpine Road (34 curves, €22.50 toll for cars) is one of the most beautiful pass roads in the Alps—but only open from June to October. At the Silvretta reservoir (2,030 m), there is an easy circular hiking trail (1 hr.) and the Wiesbadener Hut for a rest.
Activities & Attractions
★★★ Silvretta High Alpine Road
One of the great Alpine pass roads: 22.3 km, 34 hairpin bends, from Partenen (1,050 m) over the Bielerhöhe (2,032 m) into the Tyrolean Paznaun Valley. At the pass summit, the Silvretta reservoir—an eerily turquoise lake, surrounded by glacier-covered three-thousanders. Circular hike around the lake (1 hr., easy). Starting point for the ascent of Piz Buin (3,312 m, only with mountain guide, approx. €350/person).
Toll: €22.50 (car), €16 (motorcycle). Open: approx. June–October, depending on snow.
★★ Gauablickhöhle Via Ferrata
Spectacular via ferrata (difficulty B/C) near Tschagguns with views into the Rellstal and onto the Zimba (2,643 m). Through a cave and over a 30 m long rope bridge. Approx. 3 hours, only for experienced climbers. Via ferrata set rental in Schruns: €25/day.
★★ Golm — Adventure Mountain for Families
The cable car to the Golm (2,124 m) leads to Vorarlberg's best family mountain: Alpine Coaster (summer toboggan run, 3.5 km, €8.50), forest rope park (€22/adults, €16/children), Flying Fox (€35), and the "Golmi Adventure Trail" for children (free).
Gondola: €22 return (adults), €11 (children). May–October.
★ Hemingway Trail Schruns
A circular walk (1 hr.) through Schruns in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway: from the Pension Taube (now hotel, rooms from €95) via Café Löwen (where he drank beer) to the ski area, which he described as a "wonderful place." Information boards with photos and quotes.
Freely accessible. Leaflet available at the tourist information.
★★ Maisäß Hikes
The Maisäße are historic alpine settlements halfway up the mountain—precursors of the alpine pastures, where the Montafon people lived with their cattle in early summer and autumn. Today, many of the rustic wooden huts are listed buildings, some are bookable as holiday apartments (from €80/night). The Maisäß hiking trail near Gargellen leads through this unique cultural landscape (3 hrs., easy).
Lake Constance (Vorarlberg Shore)★★
Vorarlberg has only 28 km of Lake Constance shoreline—but they are well utilized. Between Bregenz in the north and Hard (mouth of the Bregenzer Ach) in the south, there are lidos, bike paths, nature reserves, and the Rhine Delta—the largest inland delta in Europe and one of the most important bird protection areas on the lake.
The Lake Constance Cycle Path (260 km around the entire lake through three countries) passes through Vorarlberg on one of the most beautiful stages: from Bregenz via Lochau to Hard and further into the Rhine Delta. Flat, paved, with a lake view.
The Vorarlberg shore is less touristy than Lindau (D) or Konstanz (D/CH)—but quieter, more natural, and with the Pfänder as a panoramic mountain directly on the lake.
Tipp
Lake Constance shipping connects Bregenz with Lindau (D, 20 min., €7.80), Konstanz (D, 3 hrs., €18), and Rorschach (CH, 40 min., €12). Bicycles are allowed (€4). On warm summer days, the Bregenz Pipeline lido (free, west of the festival stage) is the hotspot.
Activities on the Lake
★★ Rheindelta & Bird Watching
The Rhine Delta (2,000 ha) is the largest inland delta in Central Europe and a Ramsar protected area. Over 330 bird species have been recorded here—including little egrets, little bitterns, and common terns. Observation towers on the Old Rhine and near Gaißau offer unobstructed views over reed belts and wet meadows. Best in the morning or evening, bring binoculars.
Freely accessible. Guided excursions through the Nature Conservation Association (€15, April–September).
★★ Lake Constance Cycle Path (Vorarlberg Stage)
The 28 km from Lochau via Bregenz and Hard to Gaißau in the Rhine Delta: flat, continuously paved, with a lake view and refreshment stops. Ideal as a half-day excursion. In Bregenz, rental bikes from €12/day.
★ Lidos
Bregenz Lido (Pipeline) — Large outdoor pool on the lakeshore, west of the festival stage. Large sunbathing lawn, jetty, beach bar. Free entry. May–September.
Hard Lido — Family-friendly lakeside pool with water slide, children's area, and beach volleyball. €5.50 (adults), €3 (children). May–September.
Lochau Lido — Quiet, natural section. Pebble beach, clear water. €4.50. Ideal for swimming without hustle and bustle.
★ Sailing Courses & Water Sports
Lake Constance is an excellent sailing area (but beware: the "Föhn" can suddenly arise). Sailing courses from €350/week at the Hard Sailing School. SUP rental in Bregenz and Hard: €15/hour. Canoe rental: €12/hour.
Vorarlberg Cuisine: Käsknöpfle, Riebel & More
The Vorarlberg cuisine is distinctly different from the rest of Austria—Alemannic influenced, cheese-heavy, down-to-earth, and with surprisingly many peculiarities. While schnitzel reigns in Vienna, in Vorarlberg, Käsknöpfle and Riebel are the culinary sanctuaries.
The common denominator: cheese. Vorarlbergers cook with cheese, eat cheese for breakfast, as a snack, as a main course, and as a dessert. The Bregenzerwälder Bergkäse is not just an ingredient but an identity.
The Most Important Dishes
★★★ Käsknöpfle
The national dish of Vorarlberg—and much more than just "Käsespätzle." Hand-scraped dough dumplings (thicker and more irregular than Swabian Spätzle) are layered with three to four types of Bregenzerwälder Bergkäse (mountain cheese, Räßkäse, alpine cheese) in the pan. Served with crispy fried onions and a green salad with apple cider vinegar dressing. The best Käsknöpfle can be found in the inns of the Bregenzerwald—such as at the Gasthof Adler in Schwarzenberg (€14.90) or at the Jöslar in Bezau (€15.50).
★★★ Riebel
The traditional Bregenzerwälder breakfast—and initially unusual for outsiders: Coarsely ground corn or wheat semolina is slowly fried in butter until golden brown and crumbly. Served with applesauce, cranberries, or elderberry syrup. Sounds simple, but (when done well) it's delicious—crispy, buttery, sweet-tart. Available as a breakfast option in many Bregenzerwald inns (€6–9).
★★ Vorarlberg Cheese Soup
A creamy soup made from mountain cheese, cream, broth, and white wine—sometimes with bread cubes, sometimes with chives. Simple, but a perfect starter on cool days. Available in almost every inn (€7–10).
★★ Funkaküachle
Carnival specialty from the Montafon: Deep-fried yeast dough donuts, traditionally baked on "Funken Sunday" (first Sunday of Lent). Available year-round in some bakeries and inns (€3–4/piece).
★★ Sura Kees
The sour cheese from the Montafon—a low-fat cheese made from skim milk, produced through souring (not rennet). Gray-green, crumbly, with an intense, sour taste. An acquired taste, but authentic. Best on black bread with butter and chives. Available in Montafon dairies (from €15/kg).
★ Flädlesuppe & Kaspressknödel
Pancake soup (clear beef broth with sliced pancakes) and Kaspressknödel (fried bread dumplings with mountain cheese, served in broth or on salad) are the most popular starters and hut dishes in the region. €6–11 in inns and alpine huts.
Tipp
In the Bregenzerwald inns, there is often a "cheese snack" (snack, €12–18): A wooden board with 4–6 different types of cheese, farmhouse bread, butter, pickles, and mustard. Accompanied by a glass of cider (fermented apple juice, from €3) or a Pfiff (small beer, 0.2l, from €2.80).
Drinks & Wine
★★ Vorarlberg Cider
Fermented apple or pear juice—the popular drink of Vorarlberg. Tart, slightly sparkling, 5–7% alcohol. In the cider taverns of the Bregenzerwald and the Rhine Valley, fresh from the barrel (from €3/quarter). The best cider comes from the Dornbirn district.
★ Vorarlberg Schnapps
Vorarlberg is schnapps country: Hundreds of small distilleries produce fruit brandies from apples, pears, cherries, plums, and Williams pears. The best distilleries in the Rhine Valley (Lustenau, Hohenems) offer tastings—a shot from €3. Particularly recommended: Subirer (most pear brandy), a Vorarlberg specialty.
★ Mohrenbräu
The Mohren Brewery in Dornbirn is Vorarlberg's largest and most traditional brewery (since 1834). The "Mohren Pfiff" (0.33l) is the standard beer in almost every Vorarlberg inn. Brewery tour with tasting: €15, Fri 2 pm (advance booking).
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