CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 04/2020

LE SAVOIR XYX XYXYXY VIVRE WEEKENDER
Das Arlberg WellCom ist
St. Antons Wellness- und
Fitness-Oase.
The Arlberg WellCom is
St. Anton‘s wellness and
fitness oasis.
Ein Tag am Berg: Rast
in einer der zahlreichen
Berghütten und eine flotte
Abfahrt auf großartigen
Pisten.
A day at the mountain:
Resting in one of the
numerous alpine huts and
a brisk descent on great
slopes.
INFO:
arlberg.net
zu bieten. Vom Kapall Restaurant in der Bergstation
der Kapallbahn auf 2.300 Höhenmeter kann man sogar
über die Berggipfel bis nach Deutschland, Italien
und die Schweiz blicken. Schöner kann Winter nicht
sein.
Ski enthusiasts can’t contain their excitement
upon hearing the name Arlberg. The things
that come to mind! Like, for example, the fact
that skiing was invented right here. Or that one of the
first alpine ski races ever took place here. Then there
is the fact that St. Anton am Arlberg is also the venue
for the infamous Kandahar downhill race. And the
world cup ski circuit races are regularly held here, as
well as two of the most spectacular and challenging
competitions for amateur skiers: the “White Ring” in
Lech, Zürs, Zug and Oberlech, and the “White Rush”
in St. Anton, both of which have become cult events.
There are more than 305 kilometres of marked ski
runs between St. Anton, St. Christoph, Stuben, Lech
and Zürs, 200 kilometres of high-alpine deep snow
runs and 88 mountain railroads and lifts, making
this the biggest inter-connected ski resort in Austria,
and the fifth biggest in the world. So, this is how it all
began: the myth of the Arlberg mountain. Hence, it
should come as no surprise that the renowned travel
magazine Condé Nast Traveller has just declared St.
Anton am Arlberg the second-best ski resort – in the
world.
All of this is impressive enough. It’s not just alpine
skiing that makes Arlberg what it is. For this mountain
region, which links the two Austrian provinces
of Vorarlberg and Tyrol, has plenty more to offer.
Here, every alpine sports enthusiast will get his or
her money’s worth. After all, this is where, as the
Arlberg’s marketing slogan puts it, “slopes and powder,
culinary delights and hospitality combine into a
comprehensive and top-notch experience.”
But there are also those who want to do other
things with their skis than rush down the excellently
groomed slopes – those are the cross-country skiers.
They too know that they will be well taken care of at
the Arlberg region thanks to its 80 kilometres of
cross-country trails and skating tracks. Those who
prefer to explore the natural world by foot have a cleared,
marked and extensive network of winter hiking
trails at their disposal which also includes elevated
paths. The back-country version with snowshoes is
perfect for exploring still forests and mountain slopes
– either on your own or with a guide.
And if you’re a hopeless romantic? How about a
horse-drawn carriage or a relaxing hike through
snowy landscapes? Romantics will also love the toboggan
and the 4.3-kilometre-long natural toboggan
run that runs from the Gampen to the Nasserein
mountain, and also the ice-skating and curling rinks.
Wellness lovers, on the other hand, can recharge
their batteries not only at the wellness oases in the
various luxury hotels, but also in the Arlberg Well-
Com, the wellness and fitness centre in “Stanton” (as
opposed to “St. Anton”), as the locals like to call their
home the American way.
But the Arlberg also has plenty to offer for gourmets.
“The fact of the matter,” says Karl Hohenlohe,
publisher of the Austrian Gault Millau, “is that there
is an increasing number of guests who come to Lech
and Zürs not just for the ski slopes but also for the
excellent gastronomy.” There are two restaurants in
Zug in particular that have earned a reputation as favourites
among discerning gourmets. The Rote
Wand Chef ’s Table, where Max Natmessnig – one of
Austria’s most exciting young chefs – is at work, as
well as the Jakob & Ethel im Klösterle, where a chef
from Singapore and another from South Tyrol, who
met at the legendary Swedish restaurant Fäviken,
combine alpine tradition and contemporary trends.
This trend is further cemented by the number of
Gault Millau toques in the area. Taking into account
the population number, the five Arlberg destinations
boast the highest concentration of toque-winning restaurants
in all of Austria: 22 in total. One of Europe’s
highest three-toque winning restaurants is located on
an elevation of 2,085 metres above sea level: The Verwallstube
on the Galzig has, next to its delicious cuisine,
also a gorgeous view of the snow-covered summits
of the Verwall mountain range and the Lechtal
Alps. And from the Kapall Restaurant in the mountain
station of the Kapallbahn mountain railway at an
elevation of 2,300 metres above sea level, you can
even see all the way to Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Winter doesn’t get better than this.
PHOTOS: CHRISTOPH SCHOECH (2), ARLBERG MARKETING
Outstanding
Red Wine from
Carnuntum
Ausgezeichneter Zweigelt
aus Carnuntum
17 von 20 Pkt.
GRAND
CRU
SIEGER
95
Pkt.
17,5/20 by Julia Harding MW
JancisRobinson.com
132 Cercle Diplomatique 4/2020
MARKO
Lukas Markowitsch
Göttlesbrunn | T.: +43 2162 82 26 | weingut@lukas-markowitsch.com | www.lukas-markowitsch.com