Excursions

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 Bregenz Festival is a must for any culture vulture, with a varied programme of opera performances, orchestral concerts, music and poetry presentations at its outdoor stage, the Festspielhaus (festival hall) and the Lake Studio.

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. 

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).

Vorarlberg has a long tradition of small-scale agriculture. Most farmers here live from dairy farming. The milk is used in numerous alpine dairies and in summer months in the Alps to make its Bergkäse, a tangy hard cheese. 

Situated right in the city centre, Feldkirch’s Montforthaus hosts various congresses and events all year round. Stunningly renovated in 2015, the building’s ultra-modern façade nestles smoothly between the city’s medieval structures. A new range of tours offer a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes, giving visitors insights into the hosting of exhibitions, congresses, concerts and trade fairs.

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. 

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.

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. 

There’s truly something to do on this picturesque lake all year round. From the start of April to October there are daily trips to the most beautiful destinations on Lake Constance. During the high season there are evening trips with music and dancing, as well as round trips to and from Bregenz. 

Werkraum is home to various forward-thinking and traditionally-rooted craftspeople from the Bregenzerwald area. The visionary building was designed by world-famous architect Peter Zumthor but built and fitted out by the collective might of the local craftsmen themselves.

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 cheese cellar in Lingenau is the place to not only buy and taste cheese but also to see it mature. Cheese and wine tastins with a sommelier is available to groups on inquiry.

Vorarlberg has a long and proud history of beer brewing. In fact, in years gone by almost every inn brewed its own beer. A number of these traditional breweries are still active today, such as the Fohrenburger brewery in Bludenz, the Mohren brewery in Dornbirn, the Egg brewery and the Frastanz brewery cooperative.