Side Events

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.

Now and then we all wish for a bit of variety, whether at work or at mealtimes. If this sounds all too familiar, look no further than a baking or cooking course as a team-building activity.

How does a steam locomotive actually operate? And how far can it go? You can find out all this and much, much more at Rhein-Schauen.

Fantastic opportunities to escape the hustle and bustle of the city exist in and around Dornbirn. For example, the guided tours through the Rappenloch and Alploch gorges. But it never is actually completely quiet in the cool gorges because the gurgling and rushing of the Dornbirner Ach remain constant companions.

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.

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.

A very special natural monument takes you right down to the depths of the Cave Schneckenloch in Bizau. The biggest cave in Vorarlberg requires a certain degree of stamina and sure-footedness, yet once the visitors get back to terra firma they are usually lost for words, overcome by images of subterranean halls, stalactites and natural tunnels, some of which you have to crawl through.

There are many ways to drink beer. But when does the opportunity to brew your own beer ever crop up? Brewing assistant and beer sommelier Johannes shares in-house beer brewing know-how with beer enthusiasts at Verner’s Brewing Day.

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 only Women’s Museum in Austria plays host to varying exhibitions on women past and present, from a regional or supra-regional perspective. Frauenmuseum Hittisau aims to make clear the cultural contributions of women and shows one or two exhibitions a year on topics relevant. 

Wild and romantic gorges, paradises for waterfowl, steep waterfalls and deep diving basins – up to and including the serious whitewater, rafting in the loveliest mountain rivers in Europe has everything that nerves of steel and sharp eyes could possibly want. Appreciation for the beauty of Mother Nature and respect for her emerge as a matter of course.

For a few weeks, a small festival with a large fan community attracts international stars and an international audience to Schwarzenberg and Hohenems. Established in 1976, the famous Schubert Festival grew to such an extent that it now hosts over 90 events a year.

How can gin be so subtle? How can kummel liqueur be so sophisticated? And what inspires these combinations of flavours? Participants on a guided tour at MAAN – makers of fine spirits in Alberschwende – will discover the love, patience and quality that goes into every bottle. 

At the end of a hard day’s work in lovely meeting rooms, an exclusive wine-tasting session in any one of the many wine cellars in the region is the stylish way to finish off the evening. For instance, the water tower on Gebhardsberg built in 1079 has been afforded a new role since over a hundred different wines from the best wine-growing estates in Austria and the region of Bodensee-Alpenrhein have been stored in it.

For those who simply can’t get enough of it, head to the Alpenkäse Bregenzerwald Sennerei on a journey of discovery. There you can learn how cheese is still produced in the time-honoured way.