Side Events

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.

One mission, one hour, one team. Many clues have been hidden but your team only has 60 minutes to solve the conundrum – your time starts now! A trend that is taking such major cities as New York and London – and now even Dornbirn – by storm. 

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.

As in life, everything about SUP (Stand-Up Paddeling) comes down to balance. Certified SUP instructors accompany the group with tips and knowledge about this special experience. 

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. 

Seeing what goes on behind the scenes at a schnapps tasting or chatting on a stroll through an orchard. A guided tour at the local producer Dietrichs Vorarlberg Kostbarkeiten creates a casual and entertaining setting for meetings, workshops and conferences. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Five hours of exploring boundaries: that’s an impressive mountain experience with team-building aspects. There is a challenge for everyone and more can be achieved together than by yourself. 

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.

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 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. 

Two architectural worlds combine at Museum Bezau – a typical Bregenzerwald farmhouse from the 18th century, a listed building, and a modern addition built mostly using local handworkers.