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.

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. 

Angelika Kauffmann was a sophisticated artist of international renown and a pioneer of her time. Her home village of Schwarzenberg boasts not only the Angelika Kauffmann Hall and a baroque parish church but also a museum dedicated to the life and works of its most famous daughter.

The only Women’s Museum in Austria plays host to varying exhibitions on women past and present, from a regional or supra-regional perspective. Frauenmuseum Hittisau aims to make clear the cultural contributions of women throughout history and in present day, and as such has hosted over 30 exhibitions to date on various topics. 

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”. 

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 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 cityscape of Bregenz is strongly defined by this iconic museum, which draws crowds as much for its architecture as its exhibitions.

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. 

Lake Constance and the sunny slopes of the Rhine Valley used to be home to many vineyards. Nowadays just a few wine growers remain; among them is Josef Möth in Bregenz, whose vineyards are located within touching distance of Lake Constance.

Only 20 minutes from the centre of Dornbirn lies a unique playground in the midst of a magnificent mountain paradise. The Ebnit sports club has a variety of activities on offer, overseen by outdoor specialists. 

The museum landscape based around the yearly Schubertiade Festival is a delightful mix of small and historically significant spaces. First and foremost are the Franz Schubert Museum and Schubertiade Museum where visitors can get a comprehensive overview of the stories of the great composers. 

Austria is famous for its schnapps production, and there’s none finer than here in Vorarlberg. The local Prinz distillery in Hörbranz offers a unique behind-the-scenes look of how their spirit is produced. Visitors are able to watch master distillers at work and gain fascinating insights into the fine art of distillation. 

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.