Side Events

The practice of hunting using a bow and arrow on skis has been handed down from prehistoric rock paintings in the far north. These days, this form of hunting is known as the biathlon and has become a trendy sport. Shooting with a steady hand after completing the cross-country skiing demands mental strength and precision, and even if there is no cross-country skiing involved, you still need to shoot, with all that is involved.

The gin stills are ready and waiting for participants to distil their own gin from high-quality ingredients and to discover the secrets of the art of distilling under the guidance of experts.

Award-winning Vorarlberg chef and restaurateur Mike P. Pansi has created an innovative pop-up restaurant concept in Hohenems: Pansi’s Kochmeisterei. His Chef’s Table, which seats four to ten people, is the place where participants may experience a new interpretation of the culinary culture to be found in Austria’s alpine region and Vorarlberg.

The Austria Guides have developed guided and themed tours of the city that present a wide variety of places, people and cultures and prove that it is the mix that makes Dornbirn the exciting city that it is.

The newly constructed cooperative cheese cellar in Lingenau is home to 32,000 cheeses. A visit to the cheese – which matures for between four and 18 months – constitutes an impressive walk through the storeroom at 10.5°C.

Hop on, brakes off, and downwards you go. Around curves, over bridges, through forests and meadows – the view is marvellous, and adrenaline is guaranteed: is there a better team event than this?

A natural, pure and characterful beer, visitors can now get step-by-step insights into the brewing process. Of course, such a tour also includes tasting sessions of everything from pale ale to wheet beer. 

The Bregenzerwald wouldn’t be what it is today without the famous Wälderbähnle. The original steam engine still services a stretch of the line – a cosy journey through time, whatever your age.

A different type of natural museum. The inatura – Erlebnis Naturschau is not something for simply looking at – it has been developed so that it can be explored, felt and discovered. It is a highlight for fans of science and nature and, compared with classic museums, it represents a refreshingly relaxed change.

The historic old town of Feldkirch at the foot of Schattenburg Castle and protected by a Buddhist monastery is home to many historical nooks and crannies, inns, taverns and markets and the legacy of the humanists who made history there long ago.

Once upon a time, you had to travel to the far north to take a dog-pulled sleigh ride, to experience up close the life of a musher in the wilderness. These days, however, a lovely team of dogs awaits guests in the Kleinwalsertal and in the Brandnertal.

The crunch of the snow, the crisp air, the panoramic views… a snowshoe hike brings you into the heart of wintery nature, to enjoy alpine landscapes with a sense of true calmness.

Anyone who has ever wondered how to learn ski jumping without falling can now try it out for themselves. Following a thorough introduction by expert trainers, you take to the ski jump and face your fears. Your first jumps are on a small, mobile K4 ski jump. Then you can try out a few jumps on the ramp of the HS22 ski jump.

The art of archery is underestimated – this sport is a far cry from our childhood games of cowboy and Indians. It demands a high degree of precision and concentration, discipline and inner tranquillity. All these are things which would be useful in daily life, if only we had gotten round to practising them.

While the head is spinning in meeting rooms in the mornings, the cobwebs can be blown away by the fresh mountain air on the Karren in the afternoons. Dornbirn's local mountain is right at the heart of it all and the cable car takes visitors up to 976 metres in no time at all.