Damüls is a Walser settlement spread across Oberdamüls, Uga and Schwende, at elevations of 1,300 to 2,100 metres. When planning a stay, you can choose different focuses: local history, Vorarlberg’s skiing history, mountain trails or regional alpine pastures. Consider whether you would rather focus on a specific route, cultural topics or seasonal activities.
Walser history and St. Nicholas Parish Church
The Walser colony in Damüls was first mentioned in a contract dated 29 May 1313. A prominent part of the village’s history is St. Nicholas Parish Church, which stands alone on the church hill. It was built in 1392, rebuilt in 1484 and given a Baroque makeover around the turn of the 18th century. Its features include late medieval wall paintings and figurative artwork. The building phases and surviving works of art give the church its own historical perspective within the scattered settlement.
Ski history at the FIS Ski Museum
The Damüls FIS Ski Museum is housed in the Kulisse Pfarrhof and presents around 130 years of skiing history in Vorarlberg. The permanent exhibition introduces notable Vorarlberg ski pioneers and displays objects relating to athletes who have won medals at the Olympic Winter Games or World Ski Championships. The history of ski production in Vorarlberg is also covered; its beginnings are placed in the context of Wagner workshops. As exhibitions may change, check what is currently on display before visiting.
Circuits, winter trails and Mittagspitze
The winter circuit around Oberdamüls, also known as the “Big Circuit,” runs via Unterdamüls, the Höhenweg trail and Alpe Oberdamüls. It is 6.5 kilometres long and takes around two hours and 30 minutes. Be sure to take snow conditions into account when preparing. Another described circuit runs from the Uga Express via Alpe Uga, the reservoir and Alpe Elsa, returning to the Uga Express. It is listed as 3.7 kilometres long and takes 68 minutes. The details make it possible to compare the different time commitments for the two routes while planning.
The Damüls-Mellau-Faschina area has a well-developed, groomed network of 15 kilometres of winter hiking trails. Grooming depends on snow conditions; check current opening information. The Damüls-Mellau ski area has a total of 109 kilometres of pistes. As this figure may change from season to season, it is worth checking the latest information before planning.
Mittagspitze can also be approached from different perspectives: the “Damüls | Mittagspitze” route starts at the mountain station of the Damüls Uga Express and ends at its valley station. The hike to Mittagspitze leads from the Ugaalpe alpine pasture area along an alpine trail to the summit at 2,095 metres. The Uga Express takes visitors to the mountain’s immediate surroundings.
More activities and age information
The Damüls fitness trail runs through a wooded area near the village centre and features stations with different workout exercises. The Damüls high ropes course has a 200-metre-long Flying Fox, up to 40 metres high. The course is considered suitable for children aged six and older; there is also a Bambini course for children around three to five years old. The children’s themed trail is aimed at children up to the age of ten. Each activity has its own focus, from exercise stations to courses designed for specific age groups.
Alpine pastures and regional products
At Michels Sennhütte, you can buy regional mountain cheese and sample freshly tapped cow’s milk. Twelve working alpine pastures take part in the alpine hut hike between Damüls, Mellau and Faschina. Alpe Oberdamüls offers a Brettljause and products made on site. As operations and food service there are seasonal, check whether the offer is available before making a specific visit; also check the participating pastures and their seasonal operating schedules when planning.
Getting here and getting around
Bus route 851 runs from Au in the Bregenzerwald to Damüls. A free local bus also operates during the winter months. As routes and timetables may change and the local bus runs seasonally, check the latest VMOBIL information and the relevant operating period before departure. This will help you plan your bus connections and seasonal activities to suit your stay.
Discover more destinations: Municipality of Ludesch, Dalaas, Bürs, Vandans, Partenen, Thüringerberg, Tschagguns, Innerbraz.
To the main travel overview: Bludenz.
