Lech Zürs – Formarinsee & Skyspace

Lech am Arlberg (1,444 m), a Walser foundation and in winter part of Austria's largest ski area, is a quiet place in summer with some 1,550 inhabitants, flower meadows and culture. The first destination lies 30 bus minutes up the valley: the Formarinsee (1,793 m), a karst lake that forms anew each year from meltwater and drains underground, beneath the 2,703 m Rote Wand. In 2015 viewers of the ORF programme '9 Plätze – 9 Schätze' voted it Austria's most beautiful place; the 125 km Lechweg trail to Füssen also starts here. Because the toll road into the Zugertal is closed to private cars during the day, take hiking bus 707 from the Dorfhus in Lech (mid-June to early October, €26 per adult including toll, children up to 14 free with their family, as of 2026); from the lake it is 25 minutes to the Freiburger Hütte (1,931 m).

The second destination is art: the Skyspace-Lech by the American light artist James Turrell (2018) sits at 1,780 m on the Tannegg above Oberlech – a 15 m tunnel leads into an oval room whose dome opens to the sky. Visits during the day are free (€2 maintenance contribution); the 45-minute light programme at sunrise and sunset costs €15 and must be booked online; 15–20 minutes on foot from the Schlössle bus stop. Add the Rüfikopf cable car (2,350 m), the Lech Classic Festival (2–9 Aug 2026) and the Philosophicum (22–27 Sept 2026). From our house you drive 57 km / a good hour via Bludenz, the Klostertal and the Flexen pass (1,773 m); public transport: Arlberg railway to Langen, Landbus 750 to Lech. Park in the Anger car park opposite the Dorfhus (first hour free, day €11, as of 2026).

Last updated: 13 Sep 2026