Austria's Most Beautiful Village - The village of Alpbach, in the state of Tyrol, in western Austria

 "Life is like skiing. Just like skiing, the goal is not to get to the bottom of the hill. It's to have a bunch of good runs before the sun sets."

-- Seth Godin
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(in the state of Tyrol, in western Austria) A place of idyllic magnificence and beauty, Alpbach is in the midst of the Kitzbühel Alps. It owes its title, "Austria's Most Beautiful Village," to its uniform, traditional wooden architecture, and its abundance of colorful flowers. Alpbach has a quaint, antiquated atmosphere and a charming toy village style, which looks particularly charming when dusted with glittering snow. Skiers will also enjoy Alpbach, an area that is perfect for beginners and amateur skiers, who can practice on the nursery slopes, located in the village center, before tackling the more challenging mountainous strips.

+ Considered one of Europe’s best resorts for its serious slopes and epic, challenging landscapes, St Anton am Arlberg attracts throngs of advanced skiers to its mountainous terrain every year. The runs range from demanding to devilish, and so it is an area that is only appropriate for confident skiers and snowboarders. However, you will be able to find some friendlier slopes a few miles away, in the towns of Lech and Zürs.
+ The road leading up the valley to Alpbach was not built until 1926, and the isolated location of the village led to the development of a distinctive style of architecture and furnishings, and also enabled the local folk traditions to be preserved for much longer than in most of the valleys of the Tyrol.

+ Tourists first began arriving in Alpbach at the beginning of the 20th century and by 1938 the village had accommodation for 110 visitors. Since then this figure has increased to 2500 and Alpbach now attracts some 22,000 visitors in summer and about the same in winter for an annual total of 300,000 nights. Tourism is the main source of income for today's 2300 local residents, but there are still 105 working farms in Alpbach (the same number as a hundred years ago).

+ Since 1945, Alpbach has been the venue for the Alpbach European Forum, an annual two-week conference of leading figures from the worlds of science, business, the arts. and politics. The Forum and the participation of so many people who have shaped the thinking of their times has given Alpbach the nickname, "The Village Of Thinkers."

+ The first conference hall in Alpbach was built in the mid-1950s and named after the Austrian poet Paula von Preradovic, who wrote the words for the Austrian national anthem. The plenary hall was named after the physicist and Nobel Prize winner Erwin Schrödinger. (He lies buried in the Alpbach cemetery.)

+ In 1999, the new Alpbach Congress Centre was opened, together with the 55th European Forum. With its combination of exciting architecture and a minimum environmental footprint, the main architectural feature is a spiral shaped gallery with floor-to-ceiling glazing for a unique view of the spectacular mountain backdrop.