The Kunsthaus Bregenz was built between 1994 and 1997 to a design by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor and opened in 1997. Each year, it presents exhibitions by four different contemporary artists. The history of the building and contemporary art offer a striking introduction to Vorarlberg’s cultural diversity.
The region stretches from Lake Constance to mountains reaching heights of up to 3,000 metres. There is plenty to discover: contemporary art, regional crafts, historic buildings and protected natural areas offer a range of themes to inspire your travel plans.
Art, Architecture and Regional Culture
The Werkraum Haus showcases regional craftsmanship and serves as an exhibition and meeting place, bringing together global and regional perspectives. Those interested in architectural culture can explore Vorarlberg on seven themed day tours, compiled by the Vorarlberg Architecture Institute and Vorarlberg Tourism. Themed hiking trails in all of Vorarlberg’s regions also lead visitors to discover history, ways of life, traditions and natural features.
Individual buildings also reflect the breadth of the region’s history. The medieval Schattenburg Castle above Feldkirch is considered one of Vorarlberg’s best-preserved castles. The Martinsturm in Bregenz is described as the largest onion dome tower in Central Europe. A panorama room on the fourth floor of the vorarlberg museum in Bregenz offers views of Lake Constance. The Frauenmuseum in Hittisau is described as Austria’s only women’s museum.
Beyond individual sights, Vorarlberg has a diverse cultural infrastructure, with historic monuments, more than 80 museums, numerous stages, artworks in public spaces and modern architecture. inatura in Dornbirn offers another way to explore nature and knowledge: its interactive nature exhibition, housed in a modernised industrial building, covers nature, people and technology. It includes interactive games, videos, and live and preserved animals that visitors can touch. More than 40 interactive stations explore technical and physical phenomena.
Landscapes and Routes on Different Scales
Vorarlberg’s natural diversity ranges from high alpine areas and wooded valleys to species-rich meadows, moorlands and river landscapes. The region has 39 Natura 2000 sites. Verwall is Vorarlberg’s largest European protected area in the Natura 2000 network.
The Wiegensee European protected area is a raised bog northeast of Partenen, at an altitude of 1,920 metres at the foot of the Versalspitze. Moderate, scenic day hikes pass by the protected area from the mountain station of the Tafamuntbahn. Specially trained nature guides also offer tours through Vorarlberg’s protected natural areas, sharing knowledge about biodiversity and rare animals and plants.
It is also worth considering the length of each route: Min Weag circles Vorarlberg in 31 stages. The Vorarlberg Cultural Cycle Tour is a cycling journey of around 252 kilometres across the region. These details give you an idea of different ways to explore Vorarlberg without equating the two routes.
Cheese Culture and Getting There
The Bregenzerwald Cheese Road is a brand representing a rural region, a network of producers and retailers, and an experience for visitors and locals. Its members offer programmes, tours and products, or serve specialities made with regional ingredients. The specific programmes offered by individual members may change.
If you are travelling by train, it is worth checking the timetable for your travel date. Railjets, ICE trains and other express trains stop in Bregenz, Dornbirn, Hohenems, Feldkirch, Bludenz and Langen am Arlberg.
Discover more destinations: Bludenz, Bregenz, Feldkirch, Dornbirn, Tyrol, Styria, Vienna, Carinthia.
Back to the main travel overview: Austria.
