ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG Walkers, e-bikes and spas in this Alpine wonder

St. Anton am Arlberg in the Austrian Tirol is a worldrenowned winter playground, but in summer it stars too as its spectacular peaks and Alpine meadows burst alive with adventures for everyone, from high-energy sports junkies to groups of friends and families.

Hikers are in their element with 300km of marked walking paths, cable cars that stay open in summer, and a sprinkling of well-equipped mountain huts where you can rest and fuel up on hearty food. Darmstädter Hütte boasts its speciality of dumplings, while Tritschalpe offers homemade cheese. The Wonder Walking Way around the Senn Hut, at an altitude of 1,500m, opens up the area’s collage of scenery, as well as the bountiful local flora and fauna.

The climbing and bouldering are superb too, with the Arlberg via ferrata even touted as one of the most challenging trails in the entire Alps. This 3km route takes in epic views working along the long ridge to the Weißschrofenspitze Peak.

For mountain bikers, there is over 350km to bash around. This summer also sees the E-bike Fest enter its second year, plus the Arlberg Giro and the Arlberg Bike Marathon are both on hand for more traditional riders looking to test themselves. Other superb routes to check out include the St. Jakob Putzen Alpe, which sweeps over 15.5km, with an uphill climb followed by an easier alpine circuit with beautiful views of St. Anton. The 40.5km epic up to the Heilbronner Hut challenges with over 1,000m of elevation so more experienced riders can push their limits.

It’s not all about walking and hiking though, with a nine-hole golf course in the Nasserein district, and surging mountain whitewater ideal for rafting, kayaking or canyoning. For a bird’s eye view of one of the most scenic corners of the Alps, paragliding is a great option.

If you want to just relax, the leisure and wellness areas of both the Arlberg-well.com, in the heart of St. Anton am Arlberg, or the Wellnesspark Arlberg Stanzertal, in Pettneu, are great. The latter’s indoor swimming area includes a large 25m pool. The Museum St. Anton am Arlberg meanwhile is good for those looking to delve into the rich history of this fascinating slice of the Tirol. wanderlust.co.uk March 2019