Winter Programme
St. Anton's ski area encompasses the entire Arlberg region, which, as well as the local St. Anton slopes, also includes the neighbouring resorts of Stuben, St. Christoph, Lech, Zürs, and the lesser known Sonnenkopf area to the west of Stuben. Stuben and St. Christoph are easily accessible via the lift system. Lech and Zürs are normally reached by bus, either by taking the post-bus from St. Anton, which carries a small charge, or by skiing to Alpe Rauz and catching the free shuttle bus from here to Zürs. Advanced skiers may prefer to hire an Arlberg ski guide for the day and ski off the back of Valluga, the only way to get to Zürs on skis.
Sonnenkopf is also accessible by public transport, but is really only recommended for visitors with cars who can get there under their own steam. If public transport is your only option, ski to Stuben and get on the bus to Bludenz. The bus stop is right by the Stuben tourist office.
St. Anton is renowned as a resort ideally suited to intermediate and expert skiers, and yet its two ski schools, the Arlberg and the St. Anton, provide top class instruction for all levels of skier, including the complete beginner. Hardly surprising, when you consider that the ski school concept was invented in St. Anton! Hannes Schneider, the father of ski school, was actually born in Stuben, but he has been adopted by St Anton as their local hero and you will see references to him everywhere.
The pistes around St. Anton are predominantly red but, due to recent changes made in preparation for the World Ski Championships, the number of blue runs has now been increased, providing ample terrain for novice skiers to learn and practise their sport. First time visitors to St. Anton might be surprised by the apparent lack of black pistes. However, the majority of black, and many of the red runs, in the Arlberg are classed as 'ski-routes' rather than pistes, and are denoted on the piste map as broken lines.
The Après-ski
One of St. Anton's many attractions is its après-ski. On the main run down to the resort centre, a bevy of bars and Stüble beckon, ranging from the (in)famous Krazy Kanguruh and the Mooserwirt for party animals, to the more genteel Sennhütte or the Kaminstube. The piste that brings you back down to Nasserein takes you past the Rodelalm, a very traditional, gemuetlich mountain restaurant, which is also accessible via the Fang chairlift. There are also numerous après-ski haunts in the village itself, such as the Postkeller and the Piccadilly. If you want to boogie in your ski-boots or swing your salopettes, many of the village and mountain bars offer a variety of live music. Alternatively, you can always head back to your chalet for a relaxing sauna and recharge your batteries in preparation for the evening ahead.
Non-skiing Activities
Non-skiers will find a variety of activities on offer. The 4km toboggan run from Gampen down to Nasserein is a popular evening activity, and as the route is lit, it is not as dangerous as it sounds. There are 15km of cleared walking trails along the valley floor from the Ferwall Valley via St. Anton and Nasserein to St. Jakob. Snow-shoeing courses and tours have recently been re-introduced by the St. Anton Ski School, and the scenic cross-country ski-route along the Ferwall is a must.
For those people who would rather avoid the snow altogether, St. Anton boasts an excellent tennis centre, with squash courts, which plays host to the Isospeed Tennis Trophy tournament every year. This event, which is normally held in early December, draws such superstars as Boris Becker, Goran Ivanisevic, Richard Krajicek and Yannick Noah. Racquets, balls and even trainers are available for hire.
St. Anton's Wellness Centre (ARLBERG-well.com) houses indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna, steambath, solarium and massage. The centre also boasts a bar and restaurant - the highly acclaimed Ben Venuto. Organisers of corporate group trips who expect their staff to work as hard as they play will doubtless be pleased to know that the centre also offers exceptional conference facilities.
St Anton also offers horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating, curling, a museum, and that ubiquitous 21st century phenomenon - the Internet Café. For the more investigative explorer, there is a regular train service to Innsbruck where a wide selection of shopping and sights are on offer.
