Arlberg

! Photo slider: Wildgrubenspitze above the Flexenpass; (c) berggeist007 / pixelio.de!

Only one thing is missing in the model alpine region despite its worldwide fame: three-thousand-metre peaks. But there is no shortage of global celebrities, whether blue-blooded, from culture or business. Like all other guests, they move between luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants in perfect skiing terrain.

Skiing pleasure for all the senses
Both resorts are lively. In the evening, you can stroll through the pedestrian zone in St. Anton (1,300 m), where the shopping experience is also limited to regional culinary delights or sporting goods. Just as Lech (1,450 m) has definitely had the highest density of award-winning gourmet restaurants per inhabitant for years, the same superlative applies to St. Anton's sporting goods trade.

As spring approaches, the first pavement cafés are set up in the pedestrian zone - and yet they are just an urban addition to the afternoon's "main approach route", where several huts (Mooserwirt, Krazy Kanguruh, Rodelalm) extend the last descent to après within sight of a unique technical attraction, the "Ferris wheel" at the Galzigbahn valley station.

The "Hospiz-Alm" in St. Christoph and the "Schneggarei" at the Schlegelkopf valley station in Lech play a similar role. Due to the lack of a pedestrian zone, people in Lech promenade along the river of the same name in their fur coats. But there are a few stores, especially in the five-star hotels, where you can shop for stylish fashion and jewelry.

Many people focus their everyday life on four moments during their winter vacation: skiing, then to the warming rooms, a fine dinner, a restful night's sleep - only to become one with nature again the next day. Whether it's St. Anton or Lech, it's usually reserved for early risers on the Arlberg to find untracked slopes after snowfall. Or sometimes even ski freaks who like to spend money climbing in helicopters in Lech. The fact that the flight company is called "Wucher" is as much a coincidence as it is part of the program. Air transportation, for example to the striking "Mehlsack", is by no means necessary. After all, the lifts on both sides of the pass invite you on a varied round trip. In Lech, this is ennobled to the "White Ring", which can even be raced through once a year in the form of a "Jedermann" event, whereby mastering the route is easier than getting a starting place.

Without the stress of racing, this circuit is a must for every ski enthusiast. First up to the Rüfikopf, then you swing to the Trittkopf. You skirt around luxury hotels, cross the Flexenstraße on skis over a bridge in Zürs and float down towards Madloch. From there, it is mostly shady and hard, but experts soon turn left into Stierloch with the chance of powder snow. The Lech ski area is then reached again via Zug - and with the Balmalp, one of the many irresistible huts. This winter, the Weibermahdbahn gondola will open up the most beginner-friendly slope alternating between eight-person chairs and gondolas.

Almost even more famous are St. Anton's peaks Valluga and Kapall, which can be conquered in family-friendly, but also highly sporty descents. Or in off-piste variants. In the recent past, the Rendl to the south of St. Anton has been conveniently upgraded to a ski area that serves as an ideal base for deep snow fans in particular. It is now easy to switch between the two sides of the valley. Switching to Rendl can be particularly useful at the weekend, when day visitors from Stuttgart dominate.

Arlberg pleasure in white and green
"Anyone who feels nothing in the face of mountains is a cretin of the soul." Business and medicine use the summery Arlberg as a meeting place, as do philosophers at the annual "Philosophicum". The hotels built for winter guests are popular and their luxury spas are especially appreciated on less sunny days.

Although there is also a modest golf course, the main summer activity on the Arlberg is simply hiking. Simple has a special meaning here: because anyone staying overnight in Lech benefits from the Active Inclusive Card. This not only allows you to use the mountain lifts free of charge, but a sophisticated hiking bus system linked to the Summer Card also enables you to enjoy fantastic circular tours. After all, the Arlberg is not only an experience in white, but also in green.

The cradle of alpine skiing is rocked by two parents: St. Anton, twice World Championship-proven, Tyrolean, sporty, daring, surrounded by slopes rolled into dreamlike pistes. And on the Vorarlberg side, Lech, a true luxury retreat, where culinary and cultural highlights compete with each other - although sport is not neglected here either in winter or summer. All together, the Arlberg is one of the top ski centers in the world.

Highlights

Connoisseur Circle Tip:

Alpine Bermuda Triangle
A phenomenon can be seen from the Galzig Ferris wheel, the transparent valley station of St. Anton, on every winter's day: skier after skier enters the last section of the piste from 3 pm - and only arrives at the bottom in the dark. The cause has several names: There's Ibiza sound thumping at the legendary Mooserwirt. Tightly packed ski boots thunder along to the rhythm on the ultra-sturdy table. More rustic skiers have already stopped off at the Sennhütte a few meters earlier, joining an unmanageable host of celebrities - from the Jordanian king to sports stars. The third cornerstone is the "Krazy Känguruh" run by skiing world champion Mario Matt, where partly electronic, partly harder rock sounds garnish the fashion drink of the season. All three combine to create a boiling atmosphere in ski boots.

www.krazykanguruh.com www.sennsationell.at www.mooserwirt.at

Lage

Österreich

Fläche

Passhöhe 1.793 Meter über Adria

Sprache

Deutsch

Größte Stadt

St. Anton am Arlberg

Weather

Das Arlberggebiet ist häufig von Niederschlägen und starkem Regen betroffen. Im Winter muss immer wieder mit Lawinen und im Sommer mit Muren und Erdrutschen gerechnet werden.

Klima

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Max. Temperaturen	2	4	8	13	17	21	23	22	19	14	7	3
Min. Temperaturen	-5	-4	-1	3	7	10	12	12	9	4	0	-4
Sonnenstunden	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	7	6	4	2	2
Regentage	16	15	13	14	15	16	16	15	13	12	14	14

Zeitverschiebung

Mitteleuropäische Zeit (MEZ) mit europäischer Sommerzeit

Währung

Euro (€)

Visa

Ab einem Aufenthalt über 3 Monate besteht für die meisten Nationalitäten eine Visumspflicht. Für einige auch schon darunter. Nähere Infos erfahren Sie direkt bei der Botschaft.

Vaccinations

Vaccination is not compulsory in Austria.