Camping in Vorarlberg

Despite its tranquil size, Austria's westernmost federal state offers nature experiences that provide plenty of variety, especially when camping. Thanks to its picturesque landscapes between high mountains and crystal-clear lakes, the idyllic region is often referred to as Ländle by the locals. On holiday, long hikes, bike tours and fishing trips are part of the leisure programme when camping with children and/or dogs.

Special features of camping in Vorarlberg

If you want to go alpine hiking on holiday, it's best to look for a campsite near the Rätikon mountain range. The beautiful mountain ridge stretches from Vorarlberg in Austria across Liechtenstein and into Switzerland. Mountaineers can forage through several valleys, past lakesides and forest embankments before stopping off at rustic mountain huts. Visitors can also go on hikes or bike tours with the whole family in the Bregenzerwald, which offers trails of varying degrees of difficulty between Lake Constance and the Hochtannberg Pass. In picturesque towns such as Bregenz and Bludenz, culture lovers will also get their money's worth during their camping holiday.

How to get there

Motorhome drivers do not have far to travel from the south of Germany to Austria's neighbouring country, as the distance is around 190 km. Visitors travelling from the north should expect a longer journey. From Munich to the capital of Vorarlberg, Bregenz, guests drive along the A96 motorway in the direction of Lindau. They pass Landsberg am Lech, Memmingen and Leutkirch in the Allgäu region before crossing the border to Austria near Lindau after around 170 km. The town on Lake Constance is well worth a visit thanks to its location on the large body of water, so it is well worth taking a short break for sightseeing or a swim. The remaining kilometres to Vorarlberg can also be driven in one go: Holidaymakers can take the exit towards Hörbranz/Lochau on the A14 motorway and shortly afterwards turn onto the B190 federal road to Bregenzer Str./Vorarlberg Str. Tolls are payable in Austria and a vignette must be clearly visible in the car.

Destinations in Vorarlberg

Vorarlberg's picturesque towns and villages are located in the Oberland and Unterland, offering a wealth of art and culture against the backdrop of the mountains - from Bregenz to Feldkirch.

Pure culture: Bregenz

On the eastern shore of Lake Constance lies the picturesque capital of Vorarlberg, which has become famous over the years as a city of culture. Music is not only performed here in summer during the festival. The Kunsthaus, Lisi Hämmerle Gallery, Magazin 4 and Palais Thurn und Taxis also open their doors for interesting exhibitions and art events. Visitors who want to enjoy a change of scenery while camping in Vorarlberg can visit the Landestheater am Kornmarkt.

Feldkirch: Austria's Montfort town

The town gates and defence towers of the former town fortifications from the Middle Ages are impressive. In addition to the cathedral church of St Nicholas dating back to 1478, the Vidalhaus and the Liechtenstein Palace, which was completed in 1697, are well worth a visit.

Characterised by nature: Dornbirn

The majority of the municipality is mountainous, so many hikers, families and alpine climbers can be found here. The inatura - Erlebnis Naturschau exhibition complex, which impressively demonstrates how man, nature and technology can harmonise, is also dedicated to flora and fauna.

Top 5 sights

• Schattenburg: Bregenz is home to this beautiful 12th century monument, which also houses a museum of local history.
• Rappenloch Gorge: In Dornbirn, visitors will find the impressive and accessible gorge, which is one of the largest of its kind in Central Europe.
• Karren: The impressive panoramic mountain at 976 metres above sea level offers fantastic views as far as the Swiss Alps and Lake Constance near Überlingen.
• Rolls-Royce Museum: The globally impressive exhibition temple in Dornbirn displays over 1,000 examples, including many original cars, over an area of 3,000 square metres.
• Dornbirn Nativity Scene Museum: More than 120 nativity scenes from all over the world are exhibited in a 150-year-old stable.

Top 2 insider tips

• Bregenzerwald: The area is a paradise for mountain bikers. Professionals search for the best way to get an adrenaline rush across scree. If you don't want to set off alone on a tour during your camping holiday in Vorarlberg, join the guided bike route at the Der Hirschen mountain inn near Sibratsgfäll.
• Körbersee: The clear water is something of a natural phenomenon in Vorarlberg. In summer, it attracts camping holidaymakers and promises exuberant swimming fun. In winter, up to 11 metres of snow fall here every year - more than in any other Alpine region.

Activities and excursions

Vorarlberg always offers active travellers that little bit extra: be it hiking through water gorges, canyoning or mountain climbing in the Rätikon.

Jumping, sliding and gliding through the gorge

Campers can try out the new trend sport of canyoning particularly well in the gorges of the Kobelache. With a team, brave souls glide over natural water slides and steep cliff edges, abseil through dark passages, climb steep walls and jump from rock to rock. With the right equipment, this sport in an ice-cold torrent is the best way to refresh your body.

Alpine hiking for professionals

Mountain climbers take a journey through the history of alpinism in the Rätikon. The Schesaplana was climbed as early as 1610, but it wasn't until 1730 that a second attempt was made. Today, guests can follow in the footsteps of Beat Kammerlander, who opened the Silbergeier route on the south face of the Kirchlispitze in 1993. It has always been one of the most challenging routes for alpinists worldwide.

Events

Whether at the lake, on the mountains or in the legendary festival theatre: culinary delights, sport and good music are celebrated all year round in the towns and villages of Vorarlberg.

June

• Holi Flash: The "Spirit of Colour" festival transforms the city of Dornbirn into a small India for a day. The event, in which all participants throw, spray or paint colours on each other according to Indian custom, is intended to remind people of the idea of equality. The outdoor festival is accompanied by live bands.

July - August

• Bregenz Festival: Every year, this event for lovers of classical music offers impressive operas between the Festspielhaus and the lake stage: from Massenet's Don Quixote to Verdi's Rigoletto, the concerts by the Vienna and Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestras are the highlights of this highly endowed music festival.

August

• Bregenz Harbour Festival: Culinary delights, local specialities, live music as well as games and leisure activities for the whole family make this event on the waterfront a convivial get-together for locals and holidaymakers.

September

• Craft Beer Festival: Whether tart, refreshing or dark - brewers showcase their craft at this event in Dornbirn. In addition to classic quality beers, there is also room for unusual hop varieties and beers with special flavours.

Gastronomy

In summer, the people of Voralberg serve up a hearty snack. In winter, on the other hand, people like to warm themselves up with a Brennsuppe from the region, which was once a popular recipe for stomach ache. If you want to enjoy a hearty, warm meal in a restaurant instead, you will be served something delicious with cheese spaetzle and fried onions. In Vorarlberg, this is served with sour cheese, potato salad or apple sauce. On the farms in the Bregenzerwald, mountain and alpine cheese is traditionally part of the savoury snack. The hard cheese is made exclusively from hay milk in a total of 16 village dairies and 90 alpine dairies. The same applies to other local cheeses such as raw milk Emmentaler and Bachensteiner Rotschmier soft cheese: the longer it matures, the more flavourful it tastes.

Weather

July and August are the warmest months in Vorarlberg with a constant 16 degrees and the highest probability of sunshine between Lake Constance and the Rhine Valley. When choosing a campsite location, you should also bear in mind that the west and north of the state promise a mild, Atlantic climate. Temperatures in the continental mountain regions are cooler, with the Arlberg Alpine Pass at 1,793 metres between Tyrol and Vorarlberg forming a natural water and climate divide. Thanks to the Atlantic westerly winds, snowy winters, sometimes with temperatures of around 6 degrees below zero, are guaranteed. Summers, on the other hand, are usually cool. The regional climate is also characterised by the foehn wind, which in many cases ensures good visibility in the Alps.