Shredding the Arlberg

Austria’s Arlberg region is the birthplace of and not long after the birth of any kids here, they’ll find themselves on a pair of skis or a tiny snowboard in this glorious skiing heaven, discovers dan avila.

Skiing in this picture-perfect part of the Powder puffs Strudel never tasted so good and the Austrian is as natural as walking. If some of the family are feeling more cheese, wine and the wiener schnitzel will In fact, it is a necessary part of the daily adventurous, moving off the perfectly bring a tear to the eye, all served with the commute in many cases. Kids here groomed pistes will amp things up to special love and care that defines Austrian learn competitive skiing and snowboard a whole new level. I’ve been fortunate hospitality, something that has been a racing, with the Arlberg producing a enough to ski backcountry many times specialty of the Arlberg for centuries. disproportionately high number on different continents, but making first of world champions. tracks in metre-deep champagne-powder The Arlberg is made up of five picture- through the pines of the Arlberg is unlike perfect towns that share a heritage for anything I have ever experienced. If alpine snow sports, each with their own powder-skiing is the order of the day, it’s off distinct flavour and personality. Families with the hard-cutting skinny skis and on Arlberg Resort Report staying in the region can now visit them with the wide paddles to assist in floating all easily thanks to the network of over and through the soft, cloud-like interconnecting runs and lifts. powder ... that is, until the inevitable gentle The largest and most cosmopolitan tumble and the challenging remount in Ski skiarlberg.at/en is St Anton, famous for its powder runs, what feels like a whipped meringue. Just Info austria.info/skiing parties and legendary après-ski. If a night to make the family feel like next-level Getting there Fly into Zurich and make the or two without the kids is on the cards, pros, off-piste skiing comes with the two-hour drive to the Arlberg. ski into the bars that are elevated above obligatory avalanche kit and beacon. It’s Stay & eat kristiania.at the village to experience the party that safety first, at least until the après starts. schwarzeradler.com/en alkira.at/en ends with a very careful, schnapps- Skiing the Arlberg powered night ski back to town. is just as much about The town of St Christoph is one of the world-famous 02 the highest resorts in the Alps with a après as it is the maximum of only 700 guests and has glorious slopes. Rug Cool tips 03 04 been a place of hospitality for alpine up and explore the The region has great value passes that get the family travellers since the 14th century. town in the early onto the world’s best slopes for about half the price of Stuben caters particularly well to families evening and, if those in Australia. and has direct access to 88 lifts and 300 there is a little snow kilometres of runs that interconnect falling, the setting Looking for ski boots? Some of the world’s best are the towns. Beautiful Zürs has Austria’s is truly magical. made in the Arlberg, with a mould taken of your foot for heli-skiing covered, but the restrained is particularly a precise and comfortable fit. elegance of the pretty-as-a-picture town of beautiful at Lech is my favourite, with more advanced night, with its skiing options, a chocolate-box setting historic architecture straddling the icy and a perfect size that is small enough to waterway that bisects the town. be quaint and walkable, yet with all the To explore a little further afield, all facilities and options to suit any family. members of the family can enjoy a It’s not just the towns that have their own snowshoeing experience through the ambiences; the slopes that surround them forest with occasional wildlife sightings, are also imbued with unique personalities. storybook landscapes and cascading With so many kilometres of groomed runs, rivers all surrounded by towering a week spent in the Arlberg will still have mountains that call you back to those you just scratching the surface. The size and endless, spectacular groomed runs. scale of the region, combined with variable conditions that change daily, mean that Chalets and strudel hiring a local guide is highly recommended. Accommodation in the Arlberg towns Our guide, Marcus Jenny – part of the is widely varied, covering all tastes and 05 06 former elite military Ski Hunter unit before budgets from the ultra-modern to strictly becoming a professional ski guide – traditional. My most memorable stay ensured that the skiing experience matched was at the quirky and beautifully eclectic our competence and ambition levels. Kristiania Lech, operated by Gertrud This made for the perfect combination Schneider, whose family is as much a of fun, exhilaration and challenge, part of the Arlberg as snow and strudel. always perfectly timed around lunch No exploration of the Arlberg is breaks at internationally acclaimed complete without a journey through the restaurants with jaw-dropping views. traditional culinary delights of the region.

01 Lech is particuarly pretty by night 02 The Arlberg is ski heaven 03 View from the hotel © Kristiana Lech 04 Kids are on skis here shortly after birth © Lech-Zürs Tourismus 05 An icy waterway bisects the town of Lech 06 Ready to shred in St Anton. Images 01,02, 05 & 06 © Dan Avila

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