16 Best Sights in Bregenz, Innsbruck, Tirol, and Vorarlberg

The Pfänderbahn cable car takes you up to this 3,491-foot peak overlooking Bregenz, one of the most famous lookout points in the region. From here, you can see four countries—Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland—and almost 240 Alpine peaks. It's a breathtaking view, with the city directly below on the shores of the Bodensee and the lake stretching for 64 kilometers (40 miles) into the hazy distance. On your left lies the Rhine valley, and you can see the hills of Liechtenstein and Switzerland in the distance. Just across the water from Bregenz you'll notice the ancient and fascinating German island-city of Lindau in Bavaria, once a free state (a status it lost in 1802). The restaurant at the top is open throughout the summer, while children will enjoy the Alpenwildpark, a small outdoor zoo with Alpine ibex, mouflon, and wild boar that's open year-round.

Sweeping along the southeastern shore of the Bodensee, this peaceful lakeside promenade is the perfect place for a stroll any time of year. It runs all the way from the Festspielhaus to the harbor and is lined with charming cafes, hip bars, and tree-shaded benches all the way. As well as enjoying sweeping lake views in one direction, there are also city landmarks to see in the other, from the Neoclassical Post Office, to the glass-cube Kunsthaus, to the local mountain Pfänder. If you want to wander even farther, the Pipeline promenade continues northward from the harbor all the way to Lochau, near the German border. Or, in the other direction, the lakeside gets more natural with some lovely picnic and swimming spots.

Eagles and other birds of prey demonstrate their prowess in free flight May–September at 11 and 2:30.

Amble on along Martinsgasse to Graf-Wilhelm-Strasse and the brightly shuttered Altes Rathaus, the old town hall. The ornate half-timber construction was completed in 1622.

From the hill outside the church there is a wonderful view of the southwestern wall of the Old City, including the Beckenturm, the 16th-century tower once used as a prison and named after bakers imprisoned there for baking rolls that were too skimpy for the town fathers.

Remains of the ancient city wall are to the right of the tower on Martinsgasse. The coats of arms of several noble Bregenz families can still be seen on the house standing next to the wall's remains.

Behind the Altes Rathaus on Eponastrasse stands the former Gesellenspital; remnants of a fresco still visible on its wall depict St. Christopher, St. Peter, and a kneeling abbot.

Located at the top end of Bergmannstrasse, the twin red-brick towers of the neo-Gothic Herz-Jesu Kirche are visible from far and wide. Built between 1905 and 1908 and entirely funded by the people of Bregenz, it is particularly notable for its bright and colorful stained-glass windows by Martin Hausle.

Vorarlberg has had its own modern art museum since 1997, and it sits right in the heart of Bregenz. This eye-catching, steel-and-concrete building with etched-glass panels was designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumtho, and is now used to showcase a series of ever-changing contemporary art exhibitions, with a big focus on video and multimedia (there's no permanent exhibition). The design is striking, with each room/floor lit by sunlight that enters through the translucent glass all around, but is not always easy to navigate; good luck finding the staircase on your first visit.

Owned by the princely Thurn und Taxis family until 1915, this building, erected in 1848, now contains a modern art gallery. The park surrounding the house is one of the largest public gardens on the Bodensee, with a host of rare trees and plants from around the world.

Stroll along the Kornmarktstrasse and you can't fail to notice this distinctive circular chapel. Built in 1757 to serve the city's fishermen and sailors, the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk has a richly decorated high altar and several paintings in the rococo style.

Just around the corner from the foot of the Meissnerstiege (Meissner steps) lies the parish church of St. Gallus, the oldest in the lower part of Vorarlberg, which combines Romanesque, Gothic, and Rococo elements. The interior is decorated simply but beautifully with pastel coloring and subtle stuccos and paintings, instead of the usual excessive gilding. Look out for the multiple depictions of legendary Irish monk St. Gallus with his bear companion, particularly on the remarkable silver altar in the left side chapel. Empress Maria Theresa donated the money for the main altarpiece; see if you can spot the monarch's features on one of the shepherdesses depicted there.

Next door to the current Rathaus (town hall), on the corner of Anton-Schneider-Strasse, is this beautiful old Lake Chapel, topped with an onion dome. The chapel was erected over the graves of a band of Swiss citizens, whose 1408 attempt to incorporate Bregenz into Switzerland was rejected.

Go left from Belrupstrasse onto Maurachgasse. Walking up Maurachgasse, you'll reach the Stadtsteig guarding the entrance to the Old City, which bears the emblem of a Celtic-Roman equine goddess (the original is now housed in the Landesmuseum). Inside the gate are the coats of arms of the dukes of Bregenz and the dukes of Montfort, the latter crest now the Vorarlberg provincial emblem.

Looming over Kornmarktplatz, this state-of-the-art museum with its facade of concrete flowers (look closely and you'll see they are molds of plastic bottle bottoms) has roots dating back 150 years. Today, it's home to four floors of exhibitions on the history, culture, and day-to-day life of Vorarlbergers. Expect everything from relics of Brigantium, the Roman administrative city that once stood where Bregenz is today, to Gothic and Romanesque ecclesiastical works, to videoed interviews with current residents. Information in English can be limited, but it's worth the entrance fee alone for the extraordinary top-floor blackout room with an expansive view over the lake. The exhibits in the atrium are free to view.