Vorarlberg is Austria’s westernmost Bundesland, separated from the rest of the country by the Arlberg pass and culturally distinct in dialect, architecture, and orientation. Bregenz on Lake Constance is the capital, with the Kunsthaus Bregenz (designed by Peter Zumthor) and the annual Bregenz Festival on a floating lake stage in July and August. The Arlberg ski area in the east is the largest in Austria. The Bregenzerwald valley is internationally recognized for the quality of its contemporary rural architecture. The Montafon valley runs south from Bludenz with its own ski area and Hemingway connection. Zurich is 90 minutes by train; Feldkirch on the Rhine is the base for a Vaduz day trip. Vorarlberg rewards a 5-7 day exploration that moves between the lake, the valleys, and the mountain zones.
state
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the smallest Austrian Bundesland and the one that most clearly does not feel Austrian. The Alemannic dialect is closer to Swiss German than to Viennese. The architecture in the Bregenzerwald is internationally recognized for its quality of contemporary rural building.