Austria. Media News.

Dear friends of Austria and fellow travelers,

Welcome to our fourth and final part of our special winter series. For all of you who couldn't join us at the Pop-Up in New York City a few weeks ago, we wanted to share some of the Untold Winter Stories from the Arlberg Region with you. 

World famous as the "cradle of alpine skiing", the Arlberg region is a place where everything is first-rate: from amazing slopes in St. Anton and the historical village of St. Christoph, to the home-away-from-home feel of Stuben, the international lifestyle of Zürs, and the multiple-award-winning restaurants in Lech. It is easy to find "your" winter hotspot in the Arlberg region. What unites this region is the locals' dedication to nature, tradition and hospitality, as well as their undefined love for winter sports. Skiing has been part of everyday life for more than 100 years and travelers have been enjoying the Arlberg for an authentic winter experience. 

Access to more than 186 miles of marked ski runs and 85 lifts with just one lift pass as well as more than 124 miles of off-piste skiing in deep powder snow; more than 30 award-winning restaurants, many awaiting with equally famous wine cellars, and down-to-earth Alpine charm - welcome to the Arlberg region!

Put on your snow boots or skis, and let's explore!

Sigrid Pichler & Helen Bitschnau

Managers of Public Relations
Austrian Tourist Office New York City
sigrid.pichler@austria.info 
helen.bitschnau@austria.info  
tel 212 575 7723 x 119 or x 112
www.austria.info 

   

The Arlberg region connects the two provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg and extends from St. Anton and St. Christoph in Tyrol to Lech, Zürs, and Stuben in Vorarlberg. Alpine and Nordic skiing, tobogganing, or a thrilling ride on one of the five winding toboggan runs in the region are just as inherent to the inimitable Arlberg experience as its iconic events, international World and Europe Cup ski races, or the spring music festival "Tanzcafé Arlberg". The “cradle of Alpine skiing” with its 185 miles of marked downhill runs, 125 miles of off-piste variants, and 85 lifts and cablecars forms Austria's largest ski area - Ski Arlberg.

Nestled on the Tirolean side of the majestic Arlberg Mountain Pass, St. Anton am Arlberg is a winter paradise for ski enthusiasts, renowned for its challenging slopes and legendary Après ski experience. Sitting 4,300 feet above sea level and with a population of around 2,400, St. Anton beautifully melds Alpine coziness, hospitality, tradition, and international flair. It is a global leader in sustainable tourism and was recently named a "Best Tourism Village 2023" by the United Nations World Tourism Organization UNWTO in recognition of its vast sustainability efforts and the preservation of local heritage and culture. Among those efforts is a successful transition to a 100% renewable energy supply. Since 2006, two hydroelectric power plants at Artellsee and Verwallsee made St. Anton self-reliant on electricity. Heating is supplied by a biomass heating plant, which hosts a separate solar heating system providing hot water. St. Anton is easily reached by train, as it provides a stop on a major European train route.

On the Vorarlberg side of Ski Arlberg ski resort, the villages of Lech and Zürs are known for their scenic beauty and luxurious vacation experience - behind the scenes they have demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainable development and have established themselves as sustainability trendsetters. The next step in sustainable development is the opening of the multifunction two-building complex "Lechwelten" in the heart of Lech in the summer of 2024. While the "Lechwelten Convention Centre" will invite people to meet and communicate in a variety of ways as a new meeting place, the neighboring "Dorfhus" will house the municipal administration offices, Lech Zürs Tourism Board, a library, a post office partner and the "village reception," which will serve as a central contact point for citizens and guests alike. 

With 32 hotels and guest houses operated by its 80 inhabitants, Stuben am Arlberg is the cozy and charming little brother of the Arlberg family. The picturesque ski town makes its mark in terms of sustainable infrastructure, with the new hydroelectric power plant and the opening of the new Albonabahn I this winter season 2023/24. The new Albonabahn I cable car represents a further improvement in quality for Stuben as well as for the entire Ski Arlberg ski resort. The Albona is well-known and popular for its long north-facing slopes, which promise pure skiing and snowboarding enjoyment until late spring. 

A long day on the slopes requires a lot of energy and what better way to fuel up and reward yourself for an active day with the perfect combination of wine and dine. Rest assured the Arlberg offers all types of culinary experiences.

Wine enthusiasts for sure have one specific wine cellar at the Arlberg on their bucket list - and it can be found in the village of St. Christoph. We are talking about the world's biggest collection of large-format bottles (more than 7,000 bottles) at the Hospiz Alm Restaurant. In the newly opened private tasting space "The Wine Dome" one can enjoy a glass of wine while gazing at the rare collection of Bordeaux wines. 

While all of the restaurants in the Arlberg region are increasingly focusing on sustainable sourcing, one family has gone the extra mile with their new project "Friends & Fools". Joschi Walch and his family at the Gourmet Hotel Rote Wand in the hamlet of Zug are tapping into the communities' and friends' sources and resources to create a more or less self-sufficient cooking and dining experience on an upscale level. The components of their vision include a bakery, a charcuterie, a farm, a meadow, a fromagerie, a vegetable, herb, and berries garden, a cookery school, and its own in-house research department, the Culinary Lab, just to name a few of them. 

The third time is known to be a charm and that is why the popular TIAN am Berg Pop-Up is opening its doors for the third (and last time) on December 15, 2023, at the Hotel Edelweiss in Zürs. The TIAN am Berg is the only vegetarian-vegan restaurant at the Arlberg and celebrates the high-level and multi-awarded cuisine of Paul Ivić's restaurant TIAN in Vienna.

At the Museum Restaurant (of the Ski Museum) in St. Anton, you get to learn about the history of "the Cradle of Alpine Skiing" while enjoying Austrian classic dishes. History comes to life in the dining rooms of the 100-year-old Villa Trier, including the Center Vestibule with its stone fireplace, the Library, the Farmhouse Room, the Study, and the Piano Room.