Excursions

It is claimed the monastery of St. Gerold dates back to the 11th century. Today, the priory, which belongs to the Benedictine monastery of Einsiedeln in Switzerland, is considered the spiritual and cultural centre of the Great Walser Valley.

Michelehof is a farm that’s been run by the Büchele family from Hard for generations. Processing their own fruit has always been part of the daily routine here, and now in recent years Albert Büchele has made this his passion and has brought the distillation of fine spirits to perfection with traditional methods. 

The Bregenzerwald railway line, affectionately known locally as the Wälderbähnle, used to link Bregenz to the mountain village of Bezau. This 35-kilometre stretch was covered by a narrow-gauge track just 760 millimetres wide. 

What does it mean to be a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve? Who is Burmenta? And how is mountain cheese actually made? The guided tour of the biosphärenpark.haus does not only provide the answers to these questions, it also offers rare insights into the history of the Grosses Walsertal (Great Walser Valley).

The history of silver mining at Kristberg stretches back over 1000 years. For more than half this time, a little church in honour of St. Agatha has perched high up overlooking Silbertal, the “Silver Valley”. 

Indoor golf has all the joys of golf, without the rain, blinding sun and long walks. This course in Götzis is home to not only highly acclaimed Golfzon simulators, but also a bar and cosy lounge. It's the ideal setting for team tournaments, as a work trip or as an activity during meetings or conferences.

This historic steamship first graced the Lake Constance waters back in 1913 and in the 21st century it retains a timeless charm and elegance. The flair of its decks, the chic salons, and the mighty steam engine whisk visitors back in time to days gone by.

The little sister of the elegant Hohentwiel steam ship has been back gracing the waters of Lake Constance since May 2019. The MS Oesterreich is a motor ship first launched during the 1920s golden age, and was considered a luxury liner at the time. 

Largely underground and barely noticeable from the outside, Skyspace Lech is nestled snugly amidst the high alpine landscape of the Lechquelle Mountains. In 2018, the contemporary American artist James Turrell created a work of installation art at 1,780 metres above sea level, part of a series of over 60 fascinating light space creations worldwide. 

This 8km-long hiking trail takes visitors all the way along the Pfänder ridge, from the cable car station to Eichenberg and Möggers, with various culinary stop-off points. Twelve boards along the way present hikers with interesting facts about the production of Vorarlberg cheese. 

This interactive centre is the region’s most visited museum and one of the most high-tech nature museums in Europe, with underwater cinema, avalanche simulator, science centre, and more. 

The Fenkart family specialise in a variety of delectable hand-made chocolates and pralines. They now offer tastings and guided tours in their showroom where visitors can find out everything about the cultivation of cocoa and the production of chocolate. 

The quaint market town of Rankweil is dominated by this fairytale-esque basilica perched on a hill at its centre. This formidable building on the Liebfrauenberg is a landmark in the truest sense, visible from all over the valley. 

Around 130 animals from 23 different species live here spread across an area of 10 hectares. Visitors can experience and observe numerous alpine animals first-hand during a walk in the Ardetzenberg Wildpark. 

Cobbled streets and romantic arcades lead visitors through the Feldkirch’s old town. The Schattenburg castle towers mightily above it, regaling with stories of times gone by.