Vorarlberg travel guide

An insider's guide to Vorarlberg, featuring the best hotels, restaurants, shops, attractions and things to do, including how to travel there and around, by our Telegraph Travel expert. Click on the tabs for the best places to stay, eat, shop and visit.

Why go?

Vorarlberg is Austria’s westernmost province. With its snow-topped peaks, unspoilt valleys, picturesque villages and beautiful Lake Constance, it would be worth visiting for scenery alone. But there’s more. Bregenz, the capital, has city pleasures, such as lively museums, restaurants and shopping, as well as a world-class summer music festival, with opera on an extraordinary floating stage. And there is also culture in the countryside: Schubert fans from around the globe travel to Schwarzenberg and Hohenems for the summertime Schubertiade festival.

Meanwhile, in the mountains the lifts and cable cars that transport skiers in, for example, Lech Zürs am Arlberg, are open in summer and autumn for hikers – and anyone who enjoys terrific views. These resorts, like the villages in the quiet Brandnertal valley near Bludenz, are perfect for families and active types, as is the Kleinwalsertal valley, walled off by peaks and only accessible by car via Germany.

In Vorarlberg, locals are proud of the region’s architecture, design and woodworking skills. In the Bregenzerwald, for example, the distinctive wooden shingles of the past are matched by modern glass, steel and wood. Find out more in Andelsbuch, where the Werkraum Bregenzerwald is a showcase for craftspeople.

As for food, gourmet restaurants and informal pubs feature local produce: fish and meat, fruit and veg, cheese (60 types in the region) and fruit brandies (try a Subirer, distilled from pears).

There are also surprises, such as the world’s largest museum collection of Rolls-Royce automobiles in Dornbirn.

With so much variety, it is not surprising that I return to Vorarlberg over and over again.

When to go

Vorarlberg rises from west to east, from Bregenz on Lake Constance (400m above sea level) up to Lech am Arlberg at 1,500m. So weather conditions can vary. By Lake Constance, temperatures can be 2-6C higher than in the mountains. In general, April and May have warm, dry days with highs of 15C to 20C. In early summer (June), temperatures climb to 20-25C. July and August can be hot, from 25C to well over 30C. Be prepared for showers – and also lots of sunshine. Whether you are on the lake or in the mountains, sun block is essential. In autumn (September, early October), days are dry and still warm – perfect for hiking, biking and touring.

Bregenz is at its busiest, and hotels are at their most expensive, during the Festspiele (see dates below). The same is true for the pretty village of Schwarzenberg during the Schubertiade festival (again, see dates below). In the mountains, it is wise to book ahead for hotels, but the great outdoors has room for all.

Vorarlberg is a mix of sophisticated culture and rural charm – and that is reflected in its festivals.

In Bregenz, the Festspiele (July 20-August 21, 2016; bregenzerfestspiele.com/en) is 70 years old and going strong. This year, Turandot is the major work on the floating stage, with its spectacular gigantic set and Lake Constance in the background.

The Schubertiade (schubertiade.at), the world’s largest Schubert festival, is shared between Hohenems (May 4-10, July 12-17, September 3-7, October 4-11, 2016) and Schwarzenberg (June 18-26, August 23-31, 2016).

Around the September 14 Hoalekrüztag holiday, Vorarlberg villages lay on Alpabtrieb autumn festivals, to celebrate the return of the cows from the alpine meadows, where they spend the summers. Locals don traditional dress, eat, drink and are merry. Schwarzenberg’s event (Sept 17, 2016; schwarzenberg.at) is particularly photogenic.

Know before you go

Visitor passes: Save time as well as money with one of Vorarlberg's Regional Inclusive Cards, valid on public transport, cable cars and lifts, guided hikes, in museums and more. Benefits and dates (usually April/May-October) vary from area to area. The cards are free from your hotel when you stay for one night in Kleinwalsertal and Lech am Arlberg, or at least three nights in Bregenzerwald. In Bregenz, buy the Bodensee-Vorarlberg Leisure Card at tourist offices and hotels: €32 for 3 days; children 6-15, €16; under 6 free. In Brandnertal, buy the Montafon Brandnertal Card at tourist offices and hotels: €46 for 3 days; over 65s, €43.50; youth 16-19, €34; children 6-15, €27.50; under 6, free. More information: austria-holidays.info/en/inclusive-cards

Emergency services: dial 112; ambulance 144

Foreign Office travel advice and help: see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria

British Embassy: 12 Jauresgasse, 1030 Vienna (00 43 171 6130)

Time difference: +1 hour

Flight time: about 2 hours, plus at least one hour transfer time

Currency: Euro

International dialling code: 43

Tipping: A 10 per cent tip shows appreciation in restaurants and bars. For taxis, round up to the nearest full number for a short fare; for longer rides, around 10 per cent is a nice thank you

Local laws and etiquette: When you meet or bid farewell to your host, a group of people with whom you’ve been chatting or your guide, be ready to shake hands

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