“It’s nice to talk to customers regularly, to chat about this and that with them”, says Susanne Maaß from the Bluamahof farm. That’s why she books a stall at the market in Dornbirn every Wednesday and Saturday. A crowd of people usually quickly gathers around it. That’s because she sells freshly made roast pork in a roll or Leberkäs, which is a type of meat loaf, from there. Many consume their purchases right there on the spot because they can’t resist the tempting smells.

The farmers’ market in Dornbirn is one of the most beautiful in all Vorarlberg: stalls with full-flavoured mountain cheese, fruit and vegetables from the surrounding areas, flowers in all colours and intensely fragrant herbs are to be found along the pedestrian zone. Matthias Neuhauser sells the honey that his 300 bee colonies produce, Naturmanufaktur’s Ines Orsag offers her home-grown vegetables and medicinal herbs. Buck’s-horn plantain, purslane, pimpernel, for example.

Once the shopping is done, it’s time to catch up with friends in one of the many cafés that have sprung up around the Rote Haus, the city’s landmark that dates back to 1639. Or to take some time out at the parish church of St. Martin where music is performed on the large Behmann organ from 10.30 to 11.00 a.m. – a beautiful combination of culture and enjoyment.