Basic information
Summer in Vorarlberg
Fancy new sound experiences, architectural tours, time out in nature or the finest culinary delights? In the very west of Austria, in Vorarlberg, there’s plenty to discover and do. What’s more, all destinations are easily accessible by public transport.
The best connections
Visitors to Vorarlberg don’t need a car. The region is well connected by train and bus. The timetables are coordinated. With the regional Inclusive Card, holidaymakers can even travel for free. You can take your bike with you on most trains. There are also a number of treats for public transport travellers. Some event and museum tickets include travel to and from the venue within Vorarlberg. This advantage also applies to those who book a round trip, special trip or event trip with the ships of Vorarlberg Lines and with the historic ships, the MS OESTERREICH and the DS Hohentwiel. Many other events and destinations are easily accessible by train and bus. The whole of Vorarlberg can be explored and travelled around using the hop-on hop-off principle.
Moving experiences
The diverse valley and mountain landscapes are ideal for hiking and cycling excursions. In some places, cable cars shorten the ascent or descent. Numerous hiking trails tell stories or are artistically designed. Along the route, for example, you will be amazed by leaning sculptures such as those on the Georunde Rindberg in the Bregenzerwald or installations such as those on the Gauertaler AlpkulTour in the Montafon. The “Natursprünge” trail in the Brandnertal valley, featuring 11 interactive stations, is perfect for an educational nature experience. One of the most popular cycle paths is the Lake Constance cycle path. Escape stories from the years 1938 to 1945 are told on the 100-kilometer audio cycle path “Over the border”. In the Bregenzerwald, “culinary cycling” combines enjoyment and architectural exploration. Mountain bikers and e-bikers can hire bikes in many places and take part in guided tours. Downhillers can ride downhill on trails, for example in the large Brandnertal bike park or in the trail park on the Hochjoch in Montafon. In Kleinwalsertal, the nature explorer adventure expands the interactive offer for nature lovers. “Respect your limits” is the motto in terms of nature and animal protection.
New impressions
The towns and villages show that Vorarlberg builds and designs differently. Architects and craftsmen go about their work in a modern, bold, straightforward manner and with a sense of sustainability. Wood is their favourite building material. If you want to go on an ArchitekTour, you can choose from seven routes that are also easily accessible by public transport. The ArchitekTours lead to remarkable buildings and showcase Vorarlberg’s innovative craftsmanship and design. The twelve “Umgang Bregenzerwald” trails, all village tours, and the Walser culture trails in Kleinwalsertal also provide insights. Long-established craftsmanship demonstrates consistency. 2024, The Bezau craft guild looked back on 150 years of history and was celebrating two major events in its anniversary year. Art also amazes in public spaces, from sculptures on the Lake Constance promenade in Bregenz to the “Skyspace Lech” created by US artist James Turrell.
Great culinary delights
Vorarlberg spoils its visitors with culinary delights of the highest calibre in down-to-earth inns, mountain inns, alpine huts and in the many excellent and from Gault-Millau and/or Guide MICHELIN awarded
restaurants that are known for their creative cuisine. Wherever possible, the chefs use regional ingredients. The cheese that flavours the Kässpätzle, for example, comes from the Alps and alpine dairies. Fish comes from Lake Constance or from sustainable fish farms. Fruit and vegetables thrive in the gardens near Lake Constance. Fine products, from chocolate to spirits, are produced in gourmet manufactories. Specialities of all kinds are also available in farm shops and at the weekly markets in the towns and some villages.
Cultivated art of living
Opera on Lake Constance, pop music in Feldkirch, jazz concerts in Montafon: there is plenty to see and hear for culture lovers in 2025. The highlight of the season is the Bregenz Festival, which stages opera performances on the spectacular lakeside stage under the open sky. From July 16 to August 17, the revival of Carl Maria von Weber’s opera “Der Freischütz” takes center stage. In the Festspielhaus, George Enescu’s opera “Oedipe” opens the festival. The poolbar pop culture festival, featuring events both outdoors and in Feldkirch’s old indoor swimming pool, is a hotspot for cultural discourse, design and live music. This year it runs from July 2 to August 10.
The Schubertiade in Hohenems (April/May, July and October) celebrates its 50th anniversary. In June and August/September, concerts and song recitals take place at the Schubertiade’s second venue – in Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald. The Montafoner Resonanzen presents music ranging from folk to jazz from July 31 to September 6. Lech Zürs am Arlberg features jazz and classical performances. From August 15 to September 6, the Walserherbst festival brings together LandArt, folk culture, music, cinema and literature. This festival in the Grosses Walsertal takes place every two years.
FAQ Bregenzerwald, a forum combining festival atmosphere with culinary excellence, addresses contemporary issues from September 3 to 7. “Adventure: In Praise of Unavailability” is the theme of Philosophicum Lech, which encourages discussion and reflection from September 13 to 28.Many other larger and smaller events round off the festival summer in Vorarlberg.
Inspiring exhibitions
The museums and exhibition centres bring different worlds to life. With changing exhibitions, the Kunsthaus Bregenz impresses all those who appreciate contemporary art. Works by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas will be on display this summer (June 7 to September 28). The vorarlberg museum in Bregenz also shows several permanent exhibitions as well as changing special exhibitions.
The interactive nature show inatura in Dornbirn is a popular destination for families and those keen to experiment. The Jewish Museum Hohenems is showing “Yalla. Arab-Jewish Relations” until October 5. A new attraction in Hohenems is the Literaturhaus Vorarlberg, which opened in May 2025 and offers a diverse program for writing and reading enthusiasts. In Hittisau in the Bregenzerwald, the Women’s Museum is celebrating its 25th anniversary and takes a critical look at consumer culture with the exhibition “Stoff/Wechsel” running until October 31. A few villages away, the Werkraumhaus Andelsbuch showcases innovative craftsmanship. In
Au, the Baroque Master Builders Museum tells the fascinating story of the masters from the village and region who constructed around 800 baroque buildings throughout southern Germany, Switzerland, and Alsace during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Warm hospitality
Vorarlberg is known for its well-kept, mostly family-run hotels and for hosts who are highly committed to their work. Many hotels and holiday accommodations also stand out structurally. Conversions and new builds are largely in the style of contemporary Vorarlberg (timber) architecture. Wooden furniture, woollen fabrics, felt and other natural materials, designed by innovative craftspeople, create a stylish and extremely pleasant atmosphere. Whether remodelling or new build: sustainability and energy efficiency take centre stage.
