MichGuy

We're fine tuning our itinerary for September. Right now we have two full days (3 nights) in St Anton and two days (2 nights) in Innsbruck. The plan is to hike around St Anton, moderate stuff. But the videos I've seen mostly tout St Anton as a ski destination and there's not much about hiking. I don't think we can go wrong but could we do better?

I'm wondering about shifting a day from St Anton to Innsbruck. Or even cutting out St Anton completely, maybe trading it for the Stubaital valley as someone mentioned a while back. Any advice?

Ingo

St. Anton is famous as ski resort. You can hike there, too, but the landscape is not as scenic as in Stubai valley e.g. Less mountain huts also. It would not be my first choice, only if I already know the popular hiking areas very well and don't want to meet many other fellow hikers ;-)

MichGuy

Thanks for your insight. I tried to take one day off our stay in St Anton and add it to the other end -- Hallstatt or Vienna -- but moving the intermediate hotel reservations one day wasn't going to work. Things are pretty booked up.

We're driving south out of Innsbruck and I think we'll take a quick run down the Stubai just to get a peek.

MichGuy

To circle back: Our time in St Anton am Arlberg was worthwhile. The town is very accessible, on the main train line from Zurich to Innsbruck (and on to Vienna). We stayed two full days and three nights. We had great hiking on those two days plus a cable car trip up to Valluga. The town is doing a great job of making itself friendly to summer visitors. Your hotel gives you a pass that's good for one free cable car fare and free use of city busses. The hiking and cycling is very good. There's a public spa that we didn't use. Our hotel was excellent and very reasonable, good choice of restaurants. Great info center.

That said, we probably won't return to St Anton. Instead we want to visit Stubai valley and spend more time in the Salzkammergut. As Ingo said, it's not as scenic as some other places, at least down at the town elevation. But it was perfect for our itinerary and just right for a 2 to 4 day stay.

I don't know why we don't hear more about Austria as a destination. This was my first trip that focused there and it was wonderful. Scenery that rivals Switzerland but not as expensive. Great cities -- Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Vienna. Oh my, Vienna was outstanding -- palaces, museums, architecture, old town, great public transportation, etc. Scenery and hiking -- the Tyrol and the Salzkamerrgut. (Full disclosure: We also dropped south from Innsbruck into the Dolomites.) There's a well developed hospitality industry and English is widely spoken. What's not to like?

lavandula

Destinations come in and out of fashion - and by that I mean entire countries. I only comment on a reasonably narrow set of countries and cities and often do not emerge for a while if those countries do not get asked about. At the moment Mediterranean countries seem to be the flavour of the month (correct me if you think I'm wrong). Austria is lovely, a perfectly good destination, quite affordable and spectacular attractions. It's just not 'in' at the moment. I've seen a bit of Austria but never St Anton. OTOH I know Vienna and Innsbruck a bit. I agree with you, underloved! (But that will change.)

Lavandula

Melnq8

Glad you enjoyed your trip - we're headed to the Stubai valley and a few other spots in Austria in about a month.

MichGuy

Lavandula -- Am I wrong or is Portugal the "in" destination these days? I think the Mediterranean is always popular.

Melenq8 -- Which village do you stay in, in the Stubai? We just drove into the valley as far as Neustift.

neckervd

If you really want to enjoy the Eastern Alps, you best go to
Suldental (Sulden)
Martelltal (Gand)
Schnalstal (Unserfrau, Grawand)
Oetztal (Soelden)
Stubaital,(Rranat, Fulpmes)
Zillertal (Hintertux, Ginzling, Mayrhofen)
Virgental
Tauerntal
Kalsertal

lavandula

Yes, I think Portugal and Spain seem to be the destinations at the moment. Wondering if this is in the wake of Covid (no restrictions to travelling to Portugal during Covid).

Lavandula

Melnq8

Mitchguy - we'll be staying in Fulpmes. Also staying in Mayrhofen, Bad Gastein and Salzburg as well as St Cristina and San Candido in Italy and a few nights in Munich.

Melnq8

There were plenty of restrictions traveling to Portugal during COVID. We had to jump some major hoops when we went in 2022 after having to cancel in 2020 and 2021.