In summer, the jangle of cow bells breaks the silence in the Bregenzerwald; in winter, it’s the shuffle of snowshoes and swoosh of skis. Bregenz’s glorious backyard is a finely woven tapestry of velvet-green pastures, pretty villages and limestone pinnacles. After filling your lungs with fresh air in the hills and stomach with cheese in alpine dairies, snug log chalets invite you to put your feet up by the fire and relax.
Around 13km east of Dornbirn is the rural idyll of Schwarzenberg and its collection of chocolate-box chalets. The village springs to life from mid-May to September during the Schubertiade music festival. This celebration of Schubert’s work is hugely popular, so book tickets months in advance from Schubertiade GmbH (05576-720 91; www.schubertiade.at; Schweizer Strasse 1, A-6845 Hohenems) and the local tourist office (05512-35 70; 9am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-noon weekends during festival). The village is also home to the small but rewarding Heimat Museum (05512-29 88; adult/child €3/1; 2-4pm Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun May-Sep, 2-4pm Tue & Sat Oct, 2-4pm during Schubertiade); this 300-year-old house displays regional arts and crafts and a handful of works by Angelika Kauffmann who had strong ties to the village.
Considering its size, Schwarzenberg has some wonderful places to sleep and eat. Gasthof Hirschen (05512-29 44; www.hirschenschwarzenberg.at; s/d €125/240; ) is an archetypal alpine chalet complete with crackling open fire, award-winning restaurant and antique-filled rooms. Messnerstüble (05512-20 02; Hof 19; mains €8-15; lunch & dinner) serves a fine schnitzel alongside Swiss-inspired dishes like Rösti (fried potatoes) in a countrified chalet.
A zigzagging road links Schwarzenberg to Bezau. This village makes an excellent base for exploring the area, with plenty of accommodation and a rural atmosphere. The tourist office (05514-22 95; Platz 39; 9am-noon & 1.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat) provides information on walking, paragliding and skiing. In nearby Bizau, test-drive the thrilling Sommerrodelbahn (adult/child €9.50/6.80; 9am-5pm Jun-Sep), a 1850m-long toboggan run comprising 80 hairpin bends. Further east, Mellau offers winter skiing and summer hiking; a gondola (summer one-way/return €6.80/9.40, winter day pass €29.50) rises to 1390m Alpe Rossstelle year-round.
The precipitous road continues east towards the Arlberg, passing through the peaceful villages of Au and Schoppernau. Halfway between the two is the Diedamskopf cable car (www.diedamskopf.at; one-way/return €10.50/14.30), which climbs to 2090m. From the summit, paragliders launch themselves into the air and walkers trundle back down the side of the mountain. Both places have tourist offices – see www.au-schoppernau.at for more details.
From Au, you have two choices: continue east to fashionable west Arlberg, or turn south and head for Bludenz. Scenically, both journeys are rewarding, passing through rugged alpine country on narrow, winding roads. About 9km along the southern route is Damüls, a high-alpine resort whose conical peaks attract skiers, walkers and tobogganers (the 3.5km sled run is floodlit twice weekly). Its tourist office (05510-62 00; 8.30am-noon & 1.30-6pm Mon-Fri) can help arrange accommodation. While you’re here, climb up to the Gothic Pfarrkirche (admission free; daylight), with beautiful frescoes in good condition considering their age.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
