Help Wikitravel grow by contributing to an article. Learn how.

Bregenz

From Wikitravel

Vorarlberg : Bregenz
Jump to: navigation, search

Bregenz is the capital of Vorarlberg in Austria.

[edit] Understand

Bregenz has about 28,000 inhabitants and has roots back to Roman times. The city was originally founded by the Romans in 15 BC, when it was known as Brigantium.

Bregenz is located at the northern edge of the Alps, between Lake Constance (the Bodensee) and the Pfänder (1064m). To the west lies the Rhine delta, a huge valley dividing Switzerland and Austria. To the south lie the mountains of Switzerland and southern Vorarlberg. To the north, overlooking Lake Constance, are the hills of the Allgäu of Baden-Württemberg and Bayern in Germany.

Bregenz is the capital of Austria's most modern province. The shore of Lake Constance, one of the biggest lakes in Europe, meets with Downtown! It is highly advisable to go down to the lake in the evening and check out the beautiful sunset. Inhabitants of Vorarlberg are said to be much more friendly and open than the rest of Austria.

[edit] Visitor Information Centre

Bregenz Tourismus & Stadtmarketing, Rathausstraße 35a, +43 5574 49590, Fax: +43 5574 495959, tourismus@bregenz.at. M-F 8.30AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-12PM.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Zurich-Kloten: quite a big airport, about 1 hour with train/car (100km). Friedrichshafen: smaller but closer, about 40 km from Bregenz. Approached by some bigger companies like Condor and Ryanair (to/from Stansted London). Munich: Biggest airport around. About 2.5 h to Bregenz. Altenrhein: Switzerland, about 20 km to Bregenz but few connections to Vienna.

[edit] By train

The Central station (Hauptbahnhof) is located in the north of the city, close to the lake and the city center. There are serveral daily connections from Vienna with stops in Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck, the train takes around 8 h from Vienna in general the Eurocity trains are faster than the Intercity trains there is also a highspeed train called ICE the price from Vienna to Bregenz the average price is around 60€. A few tickets for 29€ Sparschiene are available every day so check the OEBB Homepage .

One can also catch a railjet from Vienna to Bregenz, the train comes via St. Polten, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck and is operated every 2 hours. Average travel time is 7 hours from Vienna and quality of travel in a Railjet is superior.

[edit] By car

From direction Vienna: On the A1 via Salzburg via Germany. In Rosenheim/Ger, you have to decide if you drive via Munich (heavy traffic) or via Innsbruck (Arlberg Ttunnel 13€). From Chur/Zurich: about 10 km to the Swiss motorway.

[edit] By bus

Check out Eurolines from Vienna and Berlin.

[edit] Get around

There are a number of buslines in the city.

In summer, bicycles are perhaps the best way to get around, as Bregenz is quite small. Bicycles can be rented from the main railway station.

It is possible to travel along the lakeshore by railway to both Switzerland and Germany.

If you want to visit the nearby Bregenzerwald, a mountainous area south-east of Bregenz, take a bus from the railway station, or take the train to Dornbirn and transfer there.

[edit][add listing] See

Kirchgasse 29 [Photo: Rolf Palmberg]
Kirchgasse 29 [Photo: Rolf Palmberg]
  • Kunsthaus Bregenz, Karl Tizian Platz, +43 5574 48594-0, [1]. Daily, 10AM-8PM. Adults €10, students €1.50, other discounts for certain groups. Contemporary art exhibitions.
  • Martinsturm (Martin's Tower), +43 5574 46632. Open from Easter to October 15th. July 18-August 19: Daily, 9AM-6:30PM, otherwise closed Mondays. Adults €1, children under six €0.50. Bregenz's most famous landmark, the tower features the largest "onion cupola" in Europe.

[edit][add listing] Do

In summer, Bregenz offers many possibilities. Bregenz is splendid for swimming in the lake (the lake's temperature reaches 79 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer), hiking, cycling, and several other sports.

The Bregenz Festival (Bregenzer Festspiele), [2] is a famous festival running from mid-July to mid-August and attracting 200,000 visitors each year. The centerpiece of the festival is its main stage built on Lake Constance, the largest floating stage in the world. In 2007 and 2008, the floating stage will host Puccini's opera Tosca. The setting - 7,000 seats looking out over the lake, the larger-than-life stage, night falling during the performance, and the cool breeze coming off the lake - is truly spectacular. €46-€125. In addition to Tosca on the main stage, Benjamin Britten's opera Death in Venice and a series of orchestral concerts will be performed at the Festival Opera House.

Don't miss the 360° view from the top of the Pfänder mountain [3]: you can either walk (ca. 2-3h) or take the cablecar (6 min). Signage throughout town will direct you to the cablecar station. The cablecar operates daily from 8AM-7PM, with departures on the hour and half-hour. April 1-October 31, 2007: €10.20 round trip (adults), less for children and seniors. At the top, there's a restaurant (Berghaus Pfänder, +43 5574 42184) that is open daily, 9:30AM-6:30PM from May 9 to September 23, 2007. There's also an alpine wildlife park (free admission) and a Birds of Prey show (May 1 to October 3, 2007: daily 11AM and 2:30PM, adults €4.60, children 15 and under €2.30). You can also bike the Pfänder. A guide with suggested routes is available from the bottom cablecar station. The cablecar transports bikes daily from 8AM-10AM and 6PM-7PM for free, else it's €2.90.

The Lake Promenade is a very popular place for residents to stroll and spend the evening. There are shaded paths and outdoor restaurants. The sunsets in Bregenz are beautiful from any place at the lake.

Other things to do:

  • Swimming: the bathing complex by the lake has a large outdoor pool and an indoor pool. Early May – early September, daily 9AM–8PM. Approx. €4 for adults.
  • Boat cruises: From April to October, Vorarlberg Lines, 43 5574 42868, info@vorarlberg-lines.at, [4], offers a variety of cruises on Lake Constance, including a scenic 'three-country' cruise (daily 2:30PM); cruises to Friedrichshafen, home of the Zepplinmuseum (daily, various times); the "Flower Island" of Mainau (daily, various times); the city of Konstanz, home of the Sea Life Center/Aquarium (daily, various times); and a number of sunset and dinner cruises.

One can also consider a short trip to the german port Lindau (http://wikitravel.org/en/Lindau). On a sunny day, the port offers splendid views of the swiss landscape. The town is beautiful and one can also consider shopping in the main market, 5 minute walk from the port/train station. Cruise available quite frequently, €5 adult. The return trip can be made via cruise (another €5) or by catching a regional train called S-Bahn from Lindau station to Bregenz station for as low as €2.4, if purchased at OBB machine.

  • Casino Bregenz, Symphonikerplatz 3, +43 5574 45127, [5]. Daily 3PM-3AM, F and Sa to 4AM. Men must wear a shirt and jacket, though the casino will provide jackets for the unprepared.

[edit][add listing] Buy

In general, stores are open Monday to Friday from 9AM to noon and from 2PM to 6PM, Saturdays from 9AM to 4PM.

Wolford, 1-2 Wolfordstrasse, +43 5574 690-1458, Fax: +43 5574 690-1651, wbo94864@wolford.com, [6]. M-Th 9AM-7:30PM, F 9AM-9PM, Sa 9AM-5PM. The maker of stylish hosiery and lingerie is headquartered in Bregenz. This location includes a boutique, factory outlet and restaurant.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Bregenz becomes very busy during the Festival season that runs from mid-July to mid-August. During this time it's advisable to book accommodations ahead of time. Prices posted below are for the high-season summer months.

  • Bregenz Youth Hostel, Mehrerauerstraße 3-5, +43 5574 42867, Fax: +43 5574 42867-88, jgh.bregenz@jgh.at, [7]. Close to the lake and train station. Laundry facilities, meals available, Internet. From €19.20.
  • Ibis Bregenz, Sankt Anna Strasse 11, +43 5574 524500, Fax: +43 5574 52450555, [8]. Located across from the train station. 24-hour bar. Internet. Pets accepted. €49-€76.
  • Mercure Bregenz City, Platz Der Wiener Symphoniker 2, +43 5574 461000, Fax: +43 5574 47412, H0799@accor.com, [9]. Close to the lake. Two restaurants. Pets accepted. €70-€137, some discounts available.

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Get out

  • Lindau, [12], is a nearby island in Germany with a picturesque harbor and lots of little shopping streets.
  • Mainau Island in Germany, "The Flower Island", +49 7531 303 0, [13], is known for its warm climate and beautiful botanical gardens. During the season (roughly June 1 - Sep 30), the island is open daily from 7AM-8PM. It isn't possible to spend the night on the island. Vorarlberg Lines, 43 5574 42868, info@vorarlberg-lines.at, [14], offers daily boat cruises to Mainau. The trip is about 3.5 hours. Adults €24.80, children €4.00.
  • Liechtenstein, [15], is the fourth smallest country in Europe. Bus and train service [16] is available daily from Bregenz to the capital city of Vaduz. The trip is about 1.5 hours.

[edit] Contact

This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!
Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/en/Bregenz"