Travel guide Mittelberg
To the Kleinwalsertal in the Heart of the Allgäu
Mittelberg is located in the Austrian exclave Kleinwalsertal in the district of
Bregenz. The valley is surrounded by the high mountains of the Allgäu Alps. Access is only possible via Oberstdorf on the German side. The neighboring communities are
Hirschegg, Baad and
Riezlern. The journey to your holiday apartment or private holiday home in Kleinwalsertal is comfortable by train. There are direct connections to the destination railway station Oberstdorf from Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Hof, and Regensburg. The journey from Oberstdorf to your accommodation in Kleinwalsertal takes only 25 minutes. During the season, a public bus runs every 15 minutes. The current bus schedule of the Walserbus can be found on the Internet. With your own car, you can reach your apartment in Kleinwalsertal via the city of Ulm. At the Allgäu motorway junction, follow the signs towards Lindau/Kempten and from there to Sonthofen towards Oberstdorf and further to Mittelberg in Kleinwalsertal. Another alternative is the numerous long-distance bus connections to Oberstdorf, for example from Berlin, Erfurt, Coburg and Munich, as well as other cities in Germany.
Clear Mountain Air and Pleasant Coolness
The weather in Kleinwalsertal is influenced by the surrounding mountains. In the west, the Hohe Ifen rises 2,229 meters into the sky and in the north, the Gottesacker plateau with 2.000 meters. The Alps determine the strong temperature differences between summer and winter as well as day and night. In autumn, there is often fog over the valley. Above on the peaks, it is sunny and warmer than below. Unfortunately, climate change does not stop at the Allgäu either. Snow is guaranteed in winter, but snow cannons already support around 70 percent of the slopes in the Allgäu. In locations above 1,600 meters altitude, snow is still a matter of course. The large temperature differences and the clear air with intense sunshine act as a healing climate. Particularly those suffering from asthma find relief in Kleinwalsertal through the pure air. In summer, daytime temperatures rise to an average of 18-20 °C, while in winter they are around freezing point. At night, it cools down to 8 °C in the summer months and to as low as -9 °C in winter.
Pretty Village Churches and Ski Museum
The sights near your affordable holiday apartment or holiday home in
Kleinwalsertal are closely connected to the nature and tradition of the region. The ski museum is located in the Walser Haus in Hirschegg. A photo exhibition and a collection of historical skis show the history of winter sports in Kleinwalsertal. The Bergschau deals with the history of the Allgäu mountains in several stations. Take a look at the connections between humans and nature in the region. The evangelical Kreuzkirche in Hirschegg offers a contemplative atmosphere. The church was built in the middle of the last century according to plans by Professor G. Gsaenger from Munich. Other churches in Kleinwalsertal include St. Anna's Parish Church from the early 19th century, the Parish Church of Maria Opferung in Riezlern, and St. Jodok's Parish Church. The latter was consecrated in 1391. Its current appearance dates from the 17th century. In the church, you can admire the late Gothic relief busts of St. Jodok and St. John. A ceiling painting shows the Walser Saint Theodul floating above Mittelberg. The beautiful thing about Kleinwalsertal: all sights are quickly accessible from your holiday apartment or private holiday home in Mittelberg.
Tradition and Culture in Kleinwalsertal
Admittedly - the Kleinwalsertal and the village of Mittelberg are not known as strongholds for great art and cultural enjoyment. The secret of Walser culture lies in the small aspects and in the connection between nature and people. The Walser Museum in Riezlern offers insights into the customs, nature, tradition, and history of Kleinwalsertal. A significant collection of regional culture was created from various private collections. In addition to the museum, there is the Kulturweg Kleinwalsertal, where you can discover the special features of the valley at 40 objects. The brochure "Experience our culture and tradition" as a guide can be found at the local tourist offices. Gambling culture can be experienced at the Casino Kleinwalsertal. The house attracts not only with gambling: regular cultural events and other events complement the offer. The restaurant of the Casino Kleinwalsertal offers culinary delights at the highest level.
Krapfen, Spatzen and Knöpfle
In the restaurants near your holiday apartment or holiday home in Mittelberg, the traditional, rural cuisine of
Vorarlberg is particularly popular. The essential ingredients have always been eggs, flour, milk, and cheese. From these, noodles, Knöpfle, Maultaschen, and Spätzle are created, which come in the Allgäu as Kasspatzen (cheese Spätzle), cabbage and spinach Spätzle or Krautkrapfen. The secret lies in the quality of the basic ingredients. A real raw milk mountain cheese from Kleinwalsertal is a poem in itself. More and more guest houses trust in products from the surroundings and bring fresh, regional ingredients to the table, which ambitious hobby cooks can buy in the numerous farm shops and farmers' markets of the communities: fish from the mountain streams, meat from the alpine meadows, fruit and vegetables, eggs as well as sausage and cheese specialties. Popular destinations in summer are the cozy beer gardens, which spoil their guests with hearty snacks and cool beer. Also, the chapter on desserts begins with the basic ingredients mentioned above: strudel and Schmarren are often refined with fruity compote. A sweet shortcrust pastry, the Frauenküchle, is traditionally served on the Sunday after Ash Wednesday, the "Funkensonntag". Funkenfires on this day indicate the end of winter.
Activities for the Whole Family
Rent a
family-friendly holiday apartment in Mittelberg or a private holiday home in a quiet location for you and your loved ones. The municipality of Mittelberg is centrally located in the middle of Kleinwalsertal. All excursion destinations in the region are therefore not far from your holiday apartment or holiday home. Look forward to a
holiday in the mountains in Mittelberg with everything that goes with it: extensive hikes, bike tours, and climbing, skiing, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, and winter hiking. The whole family will enjoy their time in Mittelberg. Numerous attractions for children are right on your doorstep: a summer toboggan run, a family climbing route, and refreshing swimming lakes. Feel free to relax: find out about childcare options for a romantic evening or rapid descents on the demanding slopes. The total length of the slopes in Kleinwalsertal is more than 56 kilometers. Added to this are the slopes on the German side as well as cross-country ski trails with a total length of more than 40 kilometers.
Deep into the Rocks and High Up on the Summits
Depending on the season, the highlights of Kleinwalsertal are covered in white splendor or lush green: hiking in the summer months and skiing in winter. A special excursion leads to the Breitachklamm. The gorge has been created over the last 10,000 years by the Breitach. It is the deepest rock gorge in Europe and an impressive natural spectacle. It was not until the 20th century that Breitachklamm was opened up for tourism. The upper entrance of the gorge is located in the Austrian part of Kleinwalsertal, the lower entrance in Oberstdorf on the German side. The Breitachklamm is more than two kilometers long and 150 meters deep. If you want to go up to the peaks instead of deep down, take one of the numerous cable cars in Kleinwalsertal. The mountain stations of the cable cars are ideal starting points for hiking tours down into the valley during the summer months. Mountain inns and managed huts along the hiking trails provide refreshments on the way.