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).
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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.
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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.
