Separated from the rest of Austria by mountains, Vorarlberg looks westward toward Lake Constance, Switzerland, and Swabia. Its architecture, dialect, and economic history reflect these Alemannic connections rather than the Danube world of Vienna. From medieval towns on the Bodensee to high Alpine valleys, the region stands apart as Austria’s most distinct western frontier.
Austria's westernmost province feels distinctly different from the rest of the country—its Alemannic dialect closer to Swiss German, its traditions shaped by proximity to Lake Constance and the Rhine Valley. Vorarlberg was the last acquisition of the Tyrolean counts, and its people have maintained a strong sense of regional identity ever since. The region offers remarkable contrasts: the cosmopolitan lakeside town of Bregenz with its famous floating stage, the textile heritage of the Bregenzerwald with its distinctive wooden architecture, and the high Alpine landscapes of the Montafon and Arlberg, where skiing was first popularized in Austria.
