Writer: Lina Sjölund Gröndahl
St. Anton am Arlberg is located in Tyrol, Austria. It is one of the largest and best-known ski systems in the Alps. In total there are approximately 300 km of slopes and 85 lifts, spread over three different systems. In the ski area there are both slope-friendly beautiful slopes and long slopes for advanced descents. The highest driving height is 2,811 meters above sea level.
St. Anton – one of the largest ski systems in the Alps
The large lift system St Anton – Galzig offers the best and toughest ski area with the longest slopes. We lived near the Galzigbahn and did most of our skiing in that area. Black slope number 52 is a real challenge. The famous Kandahar race took place here as early as 1928.
There really are many good reasons to go skiing in St Anton am Arlberg. The ski area is one of the most classic and popular ski areas in the Alps and is therefore one of the largest ski areas in Europe. Here you can really spend long days without making the same trip twice, and the area has something to offer for different levels.
It is also snow resistant and usually gets plenty of snow. In fact, often more than many other resorts at a similar altitude – and the high slopes (up to almost 2800 m) ensure that the snow lasts long and that the skiing is good almost all season.
If you also like more challenging skiing, St Anton is perfect as there is a wider ski system, lots of long blue and red runs, black runs and extensive off-piste with the possibility of deep powder snow when the weather permits.
The village of St. Anton itself has a wonderful Tyrolean atmosphere with restaurants, cafes and shops. It is also car-free, making it easy and pleasant to walk around after skiing. St Anton is often seen as the birthplace of skiing; it has a long history of alpine skiing and has contributed greatly to alpine culture. A tip is to go around with a ski guide one day to see the best slopes in St. Anton. We went with a very cute girl from Arlberg Classic ski school.
Berget Valluga – with a beautiful view
On a sunny, beautiful white winter day in March we started the day with our way from the village of St. Anton to Valluga! Mount Valluga is 2811 m high and is a must for all skiers. It’s quite a hike and takes a while to get there, but it’s definitely worth it for the amazing views.
From here you can go off-piste, but only under the supervision of a certified off-piste guide, or simply enjoy the beautiful view. On a really beautiful day with blue skies you can see no fewer than five countries. Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.
We contented ourselves with standing for a while and watching the skiers go off-piste. Impressive how they come down. Then the view, wow. I could stand here in the blazing sun all day and just watch.
Stay at Hotel Grieshof
When we were in St. Anton in March, we stayed in Cozy Hotel Grieshof. It is steps away from the elevator system. It is not with ski-in-ski-out mode, but a short walk from the Galzigbahn, which takes you to the ski slopes. From the balcony in the room you can look up at the ski slopes. So it was a beautiful view, both in the morning and to see the sunset from the balcony.
Hotel Grieshof is particularly suitable if you want to live centrally in the village, close to the lifts, restaurants and shops. The hotel is beautiful with a traditional alpine style, with modern amenities such as a spa, swimming pool and ski storage. It is suitable for both families with children and a couple.
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We stayed in a double room with a sofa bed and a balcony overlooking the ski slopes.
Hotel Grieshof offers a pleasant wellness and relaxation area with a heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, comfortable beds and different types of saunas. Our favorite was the infrared sauna. We sat there every day after a full day on the ski slopes.
Half board
We had booked half board, including breakfast buffet and an extensive afternoon buffet from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. and then a 5-course dinner. However, you can buy drinks.
Every afternoon when we returned from the ski slopes, a delicious afternoon buffet was ready. Everything was served here, from soup with bread to various sweet desserts.
The first evening we arrived at Hotel Grieshof, a Saturday evening, there was a welcome dinner. It looks like Saturday was the big arrival day at the hotel. A delicious welcome dinner was offered in the foyer with a welcome drink.
On the other evenings a 5-course menu was served, which consisted of soup as a starter. Then a salad buffet. Then they got another starter. To finish, you had to choose between two different desserts. As a chocolate lover, I used to have a preference for it.
This kind of dinner is very common at various mountain hotels and you are really hungry after a whole day of skiing. We usually always go to the restaurant when it opens around 6 or 6:30 PM. Then after a 5-course dinner you are usually very tired and you fall asleep well.
To wake up rested and hungry again, but ready for a hearty breakfast buffet. It was very chilly and there was a bit of everything, so they were quick to pick out new ones as soon as they were gone. I like to eat yogurt with berries, nuts and lots of fresh fruit for breakfast. Good coffee and preferably an omelette or scrambled eggs then you are ready for a whole day on the skis.
Find here
Hotel Grieshof
In Gries 20
St Anton am Arlberg
Restaurants
Sennhutte
If you want to enjoy a delicious Austrian lunch on a lovely outdoor terrace, you should not miss this Sennhutte. It is a nice restaurant with a real Austrian sensational après-ski with a live band. You come here first and eat a very nice Austrian lunch and after enjoying a few beers or a glass of wine on their sunny terrace you are ready for the afterski.
Arlberg Thaja
Arlberg Thaja is a charming mountain hut/restaurant and après-ski location high in the St. Christoph am Arlberg ski area. It is located directly on slope no. 64 above St. Christoph, so can often be reached directly from the ski slope. It has a large sun terrace where you can sit and enjoy the mountain views.
The menu focuses on regional Tyrolean dishes, often prepared with local ingredients such as meat, cheese and butter from nearby producers. There are classic dishes such as goulash, schnitzel, soups, dumplings and Kaiserschmarrn (sweet pancake dish), as well as various salads. They also have good drinks and wines from Austria.
Après-ski in popular St. Anton am Arlberg
After ski or After Ski in St. Anton is one of the best known and best Afterski i Austria. So you don’t just go to St Anton for the fantastic skiing, but also to have fun after a wonderful day on the slopes.
As well as having a huge range of ski slopes that are absolutely incredible, St Anton also offers great after-ski. It is said to be the best Après-ski places located in the middle of the hill. That is why if you take the Galzigbahn up from St. Anton and drive down the blue hill 50, there are several beautiful Après-ski stalls.
St Anton mainly has a very young clientele and this is evident not least in the après-ski that is offered here. There are five really popular After Ski places located next to each other, in the middle of the piste and of course I had to drive past them all to check the situation when I was in St. Anton a few weeks ago.
1. Arl One
Arl One is at the top of all these afterski places. The party on the ski slopes starts around 3 p.m. When the sun shines at its best, your legs may be a bit tired and that is perfect with a nice drink and enjoying the spring sun.
At Arlone there are outdoor DJs, smoke machines and entertainment in the form of stylish dancers. If you’re lucky, you can listen to DJ Ötzi live. There was a real party atmosphere here on March 1, a sunny Saturday in March during the sports holidays. There was no seat available, so you have to sit down, so you have to get here well in advance. Because it is extremely popular to attend Après ski in St. Anton.
2. Mooserwirt
Mooserwirt it is The après-ski resort which is closest to St Anton, although still a bit uphill. You could probably walk up the hill here if you didn’t want to come down from the top of course. Here too, it is already full of unconscious people around 3 p.m. You must be able to tolerate loud music and you can easily dance to the music coming from the speakers, whether you are gliding by on skis or perched.
3. Krazy Kangaroo
The most talked about, popular and legendary after-ski spot in St. Anton is Krazy Kanguruh. It is located more or less where slopes 29 and 50 intersect. In other words, you can take one of these ski slopes down to get here. It is said that many Swedes hang out here. Also guides from the resort and many ski enthusiasts. If you go up with the Galzigbahn in the afternoon, you can check out the situation before heading down for a little after-ski run.
4. Cranes
Taps is located right next to Krazy Kanguruh. As you can see from the photo, they are wall to wall and you can easily move from one place to another. It is said that the clientele at Taps is slightly larger than the other After Ski places. But I didn’t really notice it. All four After Ski locations are very popular and full every day. Anyway, all the days we were in St. Anton were full of unconsciousness, to say the least. For example, you like parties, or skiing and afterski. Then it is St. Anton where you should go for tramps!
5. Sennhutte
Here they have real Austrian sensational après-ski with a live band. You come here first and eat a very nice Austrian lunch and after enjoying a few beers or a glass of wine on their sunny outdoor terrace, you slip inside and listen to a live band from 3pm. Really good place for those who like to sing with live bands.
Res hit
We flew to Zurich with SAS. Then you can go to St. Anton by direct bus with the Arlberg Express or by train.
You can buy train tickets in Austria easily and conveniently online and they are valid for 24 hours. This means that it doesn’t matter much if the flight is a little delayed, you can take another train.
Lina of Liniztravel runs Liniztravel.com and the Instagram account @liniztravel. It is an award-winning blog about travel tips for families with children, couples, friends. Here you will find tips for travel destinations, both in Sweden and abroad. She also works as a flight attendant and travel writer. Spa and active trips with hiking, sunbathing and swimming or skiing have become favorites. But also to eat and drink well. She has visited 55 countries and more to come…stay tuned!
#Skiing #popular #Anton