Best Of The Alps Winter Road Trip Volume 5 Powered By Audi
A week full of winter adventures in the Alps.
Eight people from all over Europe embark on an seved-day Road Trip through three of 13 Best of the Alps destinations, featuring Audi.
In December, as the first snowflakes ring in the new season, it is time for the Best of the Alps Road Trip. This year, we set out to discover another three prestigious Best of the Alps destinations, and we took along eight bloggers and influencers (Helin Bereket, Nina Gigele, Jack Harding, Long-Nong Huang, Jan Kaya, Greta Omoboni, Luke Penn and Robin Uthe) and the perfect vehicles from our partner, Audi – all with the car manufacturer’s quattro technology. This year, our guests were invited to take the exclusive RS 6 and RS Q3 Sportback models for a spin.
Join us on our journey to the three places we visited on the Best of the Alps Winter Road Trip powered by Audi. They all have their own, unique characteristics. But they all showcase most perfectly the beauty and diversity of the Alps.
Lech Zürs am Arlberg: Snow
On this day, the Flexengalerie tunnel seems like the gateay to a whole new world. As our Audi RS 6 exits this iconic tunnel dating back to the 19th century, we enter the great white open. The surrounding summits and slopes are nothing but breathtaking and give us a first impression of what lies ahead of us in the next few days.
A seemingly endless straight road leads us to the small resort of Zürs, covered in heaps of snow. Nestled between slopes and summits, this place clearly offers plenty of two more things than snow: space and time. Space and time to be yourself and to indulge in everything the region has to offer. High quality levels are standard here, in the hotels, the bars and restaurants and the region’s recreational offerings.
A few kilometres down the road we reach Lech. The river of the same name meanders through the world-famous town with its picturesque houses. People stroll along, crossing the many little bridges here and there. Talking to locals, we hear them call this place a “snow hole”, and they use this label as a form of endearment. After all, this means there is a high likelihood for snow already in the weeks before Christmas. And there’s more to enjoy in the usually hectic days leading up to the holidays: tranquillity.
THINGS TO DO IN LECH ZÜRS AM ARLBERG:
Master the legendary “White Ring” ski circuit
Go for lunch at Schneggarei, located right next to the slopes
Go sledding, from Oberlech to Lech
Have dinner at the historic Gasthaus Älpele inn
Stay at the charming Schmelzhof boutique hotel
St. Anton am Arlberg: Sports
As we reach the mountain pass above St. Christoph, big flakes of snow start falling, but is not until we leave our Audi Q3 RS Sportback that we realize how cold and sharp the wind is blowing across the mountain. In this little place above St. Anton you do not only get in close touch with winter. It also takes you closer to the heart of skiing than most other places.
After all, the Arlberg area is not only Austria’s biggest ski resort, it is also considered the cradle of Alpine skiing. The Ski-Club Arlberg, counting more than 9,000 members, is the oldest of its kind in the Alps. We pass the Ski Austria Academy, a state-of-the-art building by the Austrian skiing association, take the curvy road down to St. Anton and stop at the local museum. There, in the Arlberg-Kandahar House dating back to 1912, we learn fascinating details about the history of skiing and the legacy of this place. Fortified by a hearty meal, we venture out to tackle the outdoor activities awaiting us.
On our way to the Galzigbahn cable car where we plan to start our day of skiing we stop several times to let skiers cross the road. In St. Anton, skiing does not end on the slopes, although they reach all the way down to the town centre. Skiing is everywhere here. Restaurants, inns and bars are filled with people in skiing attire and ski boots. Those who come to St. Anton are not here for a winter holiday: They are here for a skiing holiday.
THINGS TO DO IN ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG
Take at least one of the 88 state-of-the-art lifts or cable cars
Have lunch at Hospiz Alm
Enjoy Après-Ski at MooserWirt
Have dinner at Museum St. Anton am Arlberg
Stay at Hotel Maiensee in St. Christoph
Davos Klosters: City Life
Taking our Audi Q3 RS Sportback and our Audi RS6 through the last turn before Davos Klosters, we catch the first unobstructed view of the city. From here at Wolfgang Pass, you can see the lake, partly frozen over, and a lot of buildings in the background: Davos is not another village, Davos is a city – and, at 1,500 metres above sea level, the highest in Europe.
Long curves and a road along the shores of the lake take us to the Promenade, running all through the city centre. Left and right to the promenade cafés are awaiting the city’s 11,000 citizens and its visitors. They stroll along, gazing at the colourful shop windows of the countless shops. On the terrace of the Hard Rock Hotel we talk to other guests. They come here for the cultural events Davos Klosters has to offer – think museums and music festivals – and for its great infrastructure and serene surroundings: The best of two worlds combined in one place.
We get to see more of these surroundings in the following days as we discover the more tranquil side of Davos Klosters. Outside the bustling city centre we get to experience the solitude of Alpine life in the pristine Sertig valley during the day. At night, a horse-drawn carriage takes us to the Dischma valley for some heavenly cheese fondue. We feel like we reached the end of the world – 4 miles from the city centre.
THINGS TO DO IN DAVOS KLOSTERS
Explore the secluded little valleys of the region like Sertig or Ditschma valley
Lunch at Restaurant Walserhuus
Go cross-country skiing in the city centre
Arrive for dinner at Restaurant Teufi by horse-drawn carriage
Stay at the Hard Rock Hotel and have a nightcap on the hotel terrace
Our journey will continue next year – we are ready for more adventures with our partner Audi in more Best of the Alps destinations.
Text: Harald Triebnig // friendship.is
Photos: Ian Ehm // friendship.is
Video: friendship.is
Feb. 12, 2020