Star Trips in Western Austria from Montafon
Introduction
Austria is an amazing country that has become an attractive destination for Israeli
travelers. It's just a pity that everyone travels and stays in the same areas: the
Salzburg region (especially in Flachau and its surroundings), the Tyrol region (mainly
in its central and eastern parts), and recently people have started discovering the
Carinthia region a bit.
It is no wonder that some of my clients told me that the most widely spoken
first language in Flachau in the summer is Hebrew...
I decided to look for
other areas, no less charming and brimming with family attractions, for those who want a little
variety and especially for those who have already fallen in love with Austria
and are looking for additional destinations in it.
Recently I discovered the Montafon valley Montafon, right in western Austria, near the border with Switzerland in the south of the Vorarlberg region.
Between towering mountains lie picturesque and cute towns with plenty of cable cars and loads of travel options for every age and style. A magical place, cheaper than the Salzburg and Tyrol regions, less crowded and jammed, and very successful.
Zurich Airport is located about a two-hour drive away. Other airports within a similar driving distance are Memmingen at about an hour and a half and Munich at about three hours.
Accommodation Recommendation:
Of course, it is important to know where to live in this area.
I recommend staying at the holiday village Chalet-Resort Montafon where there are over fifty apartments located in about thirty chalets and one central building.
The apartments are equipped with everything needed. Clean, spacious, and very comfortable for a family of any composition. There are apartments with a bedroom, living room, and kitchen suitable for a couple or a couple with one or two small children, apartments with two bedrooms, living room and kitchen and balcony or garden. Each bedroom has separate toilets and a shower, in addition to guest toilets, up to apartments with four bedrooms, huge living room and dining area, kitchen, garden and balcony and even a private sauna, suitable for accommodating ten people.
The prices are very attractive. This is not a holiday village with entertainment and attractions like Center Parcs, but a pleasant, safe, and comfortable place for star trips in the area. The scenery visible from the apartment windows is lovely and each apartment has an attached parking space. On-site there is a washing and drying machine (in the main building) and also the option of ordering bread rolls every morning to the room and even full meals. For an additional charge, breakfast can be eaten at the restaurant in the main building. Nearby are the bus and ski bus stop, the Zamangbahn and Grasjoch ski lifts, the Aquarena pool, a shopping center, and a supermarket within a 1 km distance.
Montafon in Summer and Winter
Montafon is suitable for both the winter and summer seasons.
In the summer the place
is suitable for star trips in Austria and Switzerland, you can enjoy walking trails
and bike paths in the area, travel to lakes, ride the cable cars and climb to the glacier,
view the lovely scenery or play
on the golf courses. A few minutes' walk from the resort there are two
cable cars that will lead you to the high peaks. Within up to an hour's
drive you will find alpine coasters, rope parks, a zip line over a lake,
huge and special slides at the top of the mountain, lakes, glaciers,
dams, and even a chocolate factory. Switzerland is within a reasonable driving distance for a day trip
to its eastern part - the Heidi region, and you can even
reach a visit to the small and cute principality - Liechtenstein in less than an hour's drive.
In the winter the place is suitable for ski holidays. Within
a four-minute walk from the resort you will find two cable cars that will lead you
to high peaks.
Star Trips from Montafon
GOLM Cable Car
A quarter of an hour's drive from the holiday village in Montafon is the
Golmerbahn cable car
which out of all the dozens of cable cars in the area is the most attractive for families.
The cable car has three stages: the first leads to a lovely lake with a dam around which
is an easy and successful walking path, a zip line over the lake, a rope park
and children's play facilities. This is also the starting point for a long and attractive alpine coaster
leading to the lower cable car station.
At the second cable car station you reach a cool and unique attraction - a series of seven steep and winding metal slides down which you slide to the first cable car station (near the lake). At the third cable car station there is a walking trail with surprises and activities for children.
Of course, in each
of the areas there are many additional walking and biking trails of all difficulty levels
and also restaurants.
Undoubtedly - a perfect place for a day trip, family fun and action.
Silvretta Montafon Peak
This is the place for action lovers with a variety of rafting, canyoning, rock climbing and paragliding activities. Of course, this peak also has activities for younger or less daring children including a lovely adventure park called Adventure mountain Hochjoch , a descent down the mountain on mountain trikes, riding electric bikes and children's motorcycles and another entertaining park called Alpine World Nova where children interactively experience milking cows, making cheese, learning about local herbs and more. Of course, there are countless walking and biking trails at every level on the peak, including unique tours such as the "culinary herb tour". A place to spend a whole day. It's worth staying until evening and watching the stunning sunset. Just about a half-hour drive from the holiday village!
Lünersee Lake
Lünersee Lake is located in the Montafon area in western Austria, right
next to the border with Switzerland. About 50 minutes' drive from the holiday village.
It
is located at an altitude of almost 2000 meters above sea level and is reached
by a cable car ride. The lake is bordered by an impressive dam.
In winter the lake is completely frozen solid. It opens to visitors around May (exact date must be checked). In summer it of course looks completely different. Along the dam is an impressive walking trail with views of towering mountains and of course the view of the valley below and the lake view.
In summer there are many walking trails in the area. A most impressive site with dramatic views.
Two minutes' drive below the lower cable car station, in a place that still has snow in spring, is located a wonderful restaurant with typical, high-quality and tasty Austrian food at cheap prices. It is recommended after descending from the cable car to stop there for a hearty meal including of course goulash soup or knödel.
Milka Chocolate Factory Shop
For all chocolate lovers: in the city of Bludenz in western Austria ( 20 minutes' drive from the holiday village in Montafon) is the Milka chocolate factory Milka Lädele. Although there is no guided tour in the factory, there is a cute little museum and an attractive factory shop, with chocolate of all kinds and flavors from the Milka company at really affordable prices and in addition merchandise (quite expensive). We came out with full hands...
Nearby is a small water park combined with the VAL BLU Resort Spa & Sports baths and of course also the Muttersberg cable car from which a wonderful view of the city is seen and near the upper cable car station a cute playground.
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a tiny country with only 38,000 residents located between Austria and Switzerland. It makes for a successful day trip (or for those more intensive - half a day trip) in which you discover a new, special and well-kept country. It is located about a 50-minute drive from the holiday village in Montafon and is suitable for a trip in any weather. The capital and main city in it is Vaduz, the symbol of which is the castle where the royal family resides.
Guided tours in Liechtenstein:
In Vaduz there is a lively and colorful main street, abounding with statues and luxury shops as well as several museums and a street with old houses located near pastoral vineyards. A tourist train runs around the city for 35 minutes and while driving you learn everything you need to know about the tiny country.
Short videos about the above attractions:
Destinations distant up to an hour and a half from Montafon:
In Austria:
You can set out from Montafon for star trips also in the Tyrol region, mainly in its western part: for example, in the Oetz valley you will find many attractions such as Area 47 adventure park, (located an hour and a half away), or Lake Constance whose eastern part is about an hour's drive from Montafon and which also borders Switzerland and Germany.
Area 47 adventure park:
Eastern Switzerland:
At a distance of an hour to an hour and a half from Montafon it is highly recommended to visit the Heidiland region. It is worth visiting the town of Maienfeld where "Heidi's House" (Heididorf) is located, where you tour independently between the rooms of the house and see Heidi's room, grandfather's room, the kitchen, etc. From the parking lot of the Heidihof Hotel, a path leads to the house. Along the entire path there are nice statues related to the famous story.
The entire area borders mountains with a view of fields. The author of the story lived in the area and got her inspiration for the story from the beautiful scenery in the surroundings. Near the house is a small museum with many books in different translations, tapes of the movies produced based on the book and more.
In the same building there is also a souvenir shop entirely dedicated to Heidi. In the museum courtyard are additional statues of characters from the movie. Energetic hiking enthusiasts can climb up the mountain and reach Heidi's hut in the mountains where Heidi's "grandfather" will await you. The trail passes between 12 different activity stations that allow you to experience various scenes from the famous story.
Nearby you can spend time in the hot springs Tamina Therme in Bad Ragaz :
Or in the Appenzeller dairies producing fine cheeses and for chocolate lovers: a guided tour including many tastings at the Maestrani's Chocolarium chocolate factory.
Nearby, even in expensive Switzerland, there are lovely free attractions, for example: the "Barefoot Trail" (Barfußweg) where you walk in fields and hills between towns without shoes. You walk on grass, mowed grass, puddles and mud and other sections to experience the feeling on the soles of the feet.
The trail is marked and is about 5 kilometers long. It starts at the Jacobsbad railway station and ends at the Gontenbad railway station and in the middle also passes near the Gonten railway station. You can do the route in one direction and return by train to where you parked. At the ends of the route and also in the middle there are water taps to wash muddy feet. You can also do a half route, preferably the half between the towns of Gonten and Gontenbad since the scenery on this route is more attractive, green hills, cows, golf courses and a view of mountains and towns. Charming.
