Overview

The Alpine villages of Lech and Zürs are popular year-round holiday destinations in the Arlberg mountain range. Nestled at 1440 metres, Lech am Arlberg is best known for its skiing, but is also gaining recognition for its summer activities - sporting, cultural, and culinary. Lech features exclusive hotels and top class restaurants, so not surprisingly it has become popular with royalty and celebrities, including Tom Cruise and Queen Beatrix. Despite being fashionable, Lech has managed to retain its village character and was awarded the "Most beautiful village in Europe 2004."

A couple of kilometres south of Lech am Arlberg is the village of Zürs.  This mountain resort set at 1717 metres at the Flexenpass is known for its luxurious hotels and backcountry skiing. Zürs can be reached by car, bus, or lifts and pistes during winter from the neighboring village of Lech am Arlberg.

Although quieter in the summer months, Lech-Zürs offers charming village traditions and plenty for outside activities. The surrounding peaks and rolling countryside feature more than 250 kilometres of signed hiking trails to explore - passing striking mountain scenery, clear streams, Alpine meadows, and fragrant forests. Paths are dotted with old mountain chalets which offer homemade culinary delights and drinks.

The area is well connected for hikers, with cable cars, chairlifts, and a hiker's bus, which make it very easy to get about without a car. Some of the most popular walking routes include the Lech riverbank path; the Fluehenweg circular walking tour; the Engerle forest path; and the Schlegelkopf summit walk. Jogging and Nordic walking are also popular activities.

Summer guests who stay longer than one night receive the Active Inclusive Card. This card is a free leisure ticket which include: all open cableways and chairlifts; the town and hiking bus; child care in the Kids Active Club; selected guided hikes; a forest swimming pool with slide and children's pool; football field and tennis courts; jogging and Nordic walking trails; a day ticket for the Lech Golf Academy; and entrance to local museums and Lech Leisure Centre with its miniature golf.

Popular summertime events in Lech-Zürs feature the traditional Lech village festival which is complete with live music and culinary specialities; the Lech peak triathlon which involves mountain biking, kayaking, and a running race; the rocking sounds of the Lech music school live on stage at the fishing pond in Zug; the Lech painting week which offers seminars for those interested in arts like paining and sculpting; the Arlberg music festival where the whole village celebrates the tradition of brass and oom-pah-pah music; and the Lech high elevation half marathon at the Ruefiplatz which offers panoramic views of mountains and meadows.

The closest airports to Lech-Zürs are Altenrhein (100 kilometres), Innsbruck (120 kilometres), and Memmingen (160 kilometres). The nearest railway station is Langen am Arlberg, 17 kilometres away, which offers regular taxi and bus connections and transfer time is approximately 20 minutes. Austrian motorways are subject to toll and motorway stickers are available at border checkpoints, service stations, and post offices.