AUSTRIA
OTHER MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCES
Looking for something a little different in the mountains during the summer? Sticking with the Tirol, an unusual option
is to stay at the beautiful St Georgenberg- Fiecht monastery near Lake Achensee. Founded in 1138, it is still an active monastery and so not a five-star resort, but relaxation, meditation and spiritual counselling classes are available, making it a unique retreat where spiritually minded clients can escape the stresses of daily life. Three nights at the monastery start from £508 per person half board, including return flights to Innsbruck and resort transfers, through Inghams. Further west in Austria, the Hotel
Tannenhof in St Anton offers a two-day luxury BBQ and smoking course with three- toque head chef Christoph Zangerl. The hotel also offers a five-night detox, including algae body wraps, privately tutored yoga sessions and a private hiking guide for exploring the Arlberg massif. Book through Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
At the Hotel Cristallo in Italy’s Dolomites
range, adventurous guests can traverse the via ferrata, or ‘iron roads’, with their panoramic views of the mountains. These walkways use fixed cables, ladders and bridges, and were built during the First World War as Italy fought Austria for control of the mountains. The Cristallo can be booked through Carrier.
In Switzerland, the W Verbier offers the opportunity to try out a single paragliding flight or take a five or 10-day course. There are two 18-hole golf courses nearby, with e-biking, mountain biking and bungee jumping available too. Book through Carrier.
GIANT ATTRACTION: Swarovski Crystal Worlds museum
and cultural sights and has a thriving cafe and restaurant scene. The city is renowned as a winter sports centre and has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, but in summer the hiking and biking trails in the surrounding mountains are a big draw for both locals and visitors. There’s plenty to see in the city itself too, not least the former Habsburg palace of Hofburg, the most significant cultural building in Austria outside Vienna, which houses a cenotaph dedicated to Emperor Maximilian I. A more unusual experience can be had at the Innsbruck’s Grassmayr Bell Museum. You might not think you’re that interested in bells (at least, I didn’t think I was) but that’s before you’ve stood in one while an enthusiastic octogenarian tour guide whacks it with a massive hammer. Lichtblick on Maria- Theresienstrasse is a trendy place for evening dining where you can try a creative spin on local fare
68 — aspire september 2015
while enjoying a panoramic view of the city. For lunch you could take the city’s funicular and cable car into the surrounding mountains to eat at Seegrube, where you can choose from a number of traditional Austrian dishes such as Wiener schnitzel and Osttiroler Schlipfkrapfen – Tirolean noodles filled with potato and chives.
SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL WORLDS
There are several thought- provoking exhibits in the Swarovski Crystal Worlds museum’s main Chambers of Wonder section. If you have kids in tow, then the enormous Playtower is the real star of the show. Featuring four levels of soft play areas, interconnected by slides and a rope web from top to bottom, children (and adults who can keep up) can scramble, climb, swing and bounce their way around the complex, which they do with looks of utter glee on their faces – it’s kids’ heaven.
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