Side Events

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.

Making clocks, pepper mills and lamps from wood – all of that and much more is possible at the workshops that the Bizau-based Bär company organises in the Bregenzerwald. The idea is right on trend because the more digital the world becomes, the greater the desire is to make something from scratch with your own hands. 

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.

Creative minds and technical skills are required here. The task is to build a soapbox that can be raced from pre-made kits. There are no limits to creativity here. The next two hours will see participants fastening, measuring, building, glueing, painting and carrying out several test runs.

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.

This bridge is high, fair enough. One hundred and six metres should suffice for a gentle fall on an elastic rope, as well as for a good adrenaline cocktail in your body. This jump is considered seriously cool – the extremely tough safety standards have been proving themselves accident-free since 1997. This is the perfect place for anybody bravely looking for the next adventure.

reat your customers and colleagues to something special with a golf taster or tournament. There are six golf courses in Vorarlberg that are waiting to be played by both beginners and advanced players alike. These include four 18-hole and two nine-hole courses as well as the highest golf course in Austria:

An anti-virus needs to be found within the next two hours, it’s the only way to save the population from disaster. Equipped with iPads and an agent case, the teams must set off on their adventure to solve numerous tasks at a total of 15 stations in Dornbirn’s city centre.

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.

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.

As the peak gets nearer and stress reduces with each passing second, the Pfänder mountain reveals the impact of having this nature paradise a stone’s throw from the city centre.

The ice-skating rink in Bludenz is one option that turns up when an alternative to the classic day of skiing is being sought. There is also a spectacular ice run there where visitors can test their skills on a Vutschko (bobsleigh) at speeds of up to 100 kph.

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 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 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.