Montafon

Montafon is a 39km long Alpine valley in Vorarlberg, made up of a collection of traditional villages set between the Rätikon, Verwall and Silvretta ranges. Rather than feeling like one purpose-built resort, it has a more established, year-round character, with local shops, cafes, restaurants and services spread throughout the valley. Schruns is one of the main centres of Montafon, with an attractive historic centre, a good choice of shops and restaurants, a railway station and direct access to the mountains via the Hochjochbahn. Nearby Tschagguns adds further amenities and leisure facilities, while the smaller villages further up the valley offer a quieter, more traditional atmosphere. The mix of village life, good infrastructure and easy mountain access is one of Montafon’s main attractions for property buyers looking for somewhere that works beyond the ski season.

Montafon offers a particularly varied ski experience, with five main ski areas across the valley: Silvretta Montafon, Gargellen, Golm, Kristberg and Silvretta-Bielerhöhe. There is 297km of pistes across the wider Montafon region, together with extensive freeride terrain, cross-country skiing and winter walking. The best-known area is Silvretta Montafon, with skiing reaching 1400m to 2400m, while Schruns offers especially convenient access via the Hochjochbahn. For owners, the real advantage is the choice: rather than being tied to one mountain, Montafon gives access to several distinct ski sectors, each with a slightly different character.

Montafon is equally strong in summer, with more than 1160km of marked hiking trails running through the valley and into the surrounding mountains. Mountain biking is a major draw, with the Hochjoch Trail Park offering three trails over around 7km and 500 metres of vertical descent, while climbers can choose from a number of via ferrata routes with ranging difficulty levels. The valley also offers golf, tennis, swimming and a wide range of family-friendly outdoor activities.