18 Oct 2018
The Arlberg in Austria's west is one-of-a-kind. It unites a gigantic ski area, packed with electrifying events and Alpine culture at its best - a winter holiday at the Arlberg is filled with superlatives. The country's largest interconnected ski resort, with 305 kilometres of slopes and 88 state of the art lifts, welcomes the 2018/19 season with a premiere: daring skiers will kick off the new season with a spectacular downhill race in the dark, "Catch me if you can - the night of the long turns" on the evening of 29th November 2018. Official ski operations then commence at sunrise the very next morning (30th November).
Top things to do at the Arlberg
65 downhill runs connect the entire resort and are skiable in one seamless tour. The 85-kilometre-long circuit is dedicated to the Arlberg's heroes of Alpine skiing and will make anyone feel like a legend on the slopes. The Run of Fame can be entered from almost any point in the skiing area and cover an incredible altitude difference of 18,000 metres.
t the highest art and concert hall in the Alps in St. Christoph
The Arlberg's highest village also has the longest tradition in hospitality. It all began in the 14th century, when a local shepherd built a hospice for travellers traversing the Alps. Located at 1,800m above sea level, St. Christoph remained small and traditional. With the opening of the arlberg1800 Contemporary Art & Concert Hall in 2015, a completely new and unique cultural centre arose at the Arlberg. In addition to a 230m2 concert hall, the highest art and concert hall in the Alps includes a 700m2 exhibition space as well as two Artist-in-Residence studios.
Zürs am Arlberg is the only place in Austria that offers heliskiing. It's a bucket list item for many visitors and certainly one of the most memorable ways to spend a day in the Austrian Alps! Two magnificent peaks await high above Lech Zürs. The Mehlsack summit is perfect for experienced skiers while the Schneetäli-Orgelscharte offers a slightly gentler pitch.
A trip on the Valluga cable car is a must while in the Arlberg region. It takes you straight to the top of the Valluga mountain where visitors get an unforgettable vista of the Austrian, Swiss, and Italian Alps. Valluga View, a panoramic restaurant, is ideal to linger and count the peaks that tower over 3,000 metres.
One of the Arlberg's most iconic ski events happens on the last day lifts are open in St. Anton. 555 pro and amateur skiers kick off at the Valluga ridge and launch into a course that both involves steep downhills and uphills. Contenders have to hurry up the mountain to cross the finish line, shouldering their skis. The White Thrill is one of the most physically challenging ski races and tons of fun to watch on the sidelines. The next race takes place in April 2019!
Listen to funk and blues rhythms in St. Anton
During the weekend from 5th to 7th April 2019, the 6th “New Orleans meets Snow” Festival brings a dash of southern flair to St. Anton am Arlberg for three whole days. The ”Blues Night“ on Saturday evening (6th April) forms the highlight of this concert extravaganza, with sounds ranging from jazz to rhythm & blues and funk that transform Rosanna River into the Mississippi, before the Markus Linder Band welcome a star guest from New Orleans to the stage. Admission is free.
Indulge in a world of culinary delights in Lech
Numerous gastronomic awards, the highest density of highly-rated restaurants compared with other international locations, an ambience which emphasises hospitality and epicureanism, the sophisticated mountain village of Lech am Arlberg has it all. It well deserves to be called “World Gourmet Village”. This year's hot spots: Aurelio's Gourmet Restaurant (3 Toques), Rote Wand Chef's Table (3Toques) and Post-Stuben (2Toques)
Locals of the Arlberg are expert skiers – and carry on the long tradition of ski schools in St. Anton/St. Christoph/Stuben and Lech/Zürs that helped the region to world-wide recognition. Around 1,000 ski and snow sport instructors populate the area today and can help anyone, from absolute beginner to experienced skiers, take their skills to a new level.
Winter in Austria is not just synonymous with skiing but also its distinctive Christmas traditions. Villages and cities decked out in traditional decorations, fir trees adorned with bees wax candles, freshly baked Christmas cookies and mulled wine. Austria boasts hundreds of Christmas markets throughout the country, from the Arlberg all the way to the capital of Vienna in the east of the country.
2018 holds a very special anniversary. On 24 December 1818, Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber sang the song "Silent Night" in Oberndorf near Salzburg for the first time. Two hundred years later, the song is sung by around two billion people in over 300 languages and dialects around the world. "Silent Night" is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and world peace song, international cultural asset and musical legacy. The big anniversary is celebrated in the 13 Silent Night locations in SalzburgerLand, Tirol and Upper Austria, with new museum openings, special exhibitions, a new stage play and numerous other events.
Detailed information:
- Austria's top ski resort: austria.info/arlberg
- Christmas Markets: austria.info/christmas-markets-in-austria
- Silent Night: stillenacht.com/en/
To download 300dpi images, visit views.austria.info or contact:
Austrian National Tourist Office
Astrid Mulholland-Licht, Director Australia
T: (02) 9299 3621
astrid.mulholland-licht@austria.info
