Lech

One of Austria's best known and most upmarket ski resorts, Lech is chocolate box pretty and boasts access to Austria's premier ski area. The traditional town has a number of fantastic hotels, boutique shops and superb bars and restaurants both on the mountain and in resort. This resort is perfect for families, with accessible slopes and plenty of activities in the resort. 

The scenery in the resort is spectacular, with dramatic mountains, wooded slopes and high Alpine lakes. Nearby Zurs is slightly more modern, and the linked resort of Warth is small and quaint. Warth regularly gets the most snowfall of any resort in Austria, and the slopes remain a little more peaceful than the rest of the Arlberg region. 

Although the apres ski scene in the resort is excellent, the recent link between the Lech-Zurs ski area and the St Anton ski area makes it easier than ever to enjoy an afternoon in one of the legendary apres ski bars in the Arlberg. 

There have been major improvements to the Arlberg ski area over the last few years, completely changing the face of what was once a fairly disjointed ski area. The link between Lech and Warth opened up one of the more snowy areas of the region, while the new link between the Lech-Zurs ski area and the St Anton ski area means there is now a total of 305km of skiiing available.

43% of the slopes are beginner to intermediate level, while 57% is taken up by red or black runs that confident intermediates and advanced skiers will enjoy. The Lech ski area itself is superb for beginners, with a good progression in the immediate slopes that take improving skiers from easy blue runs to intermediate reds. The ski school is excellent, and there is heli-skiing available for those looking for the ultimate experience.

There are 200km of additional routes in the mountains, with plenty of off piste and unpisted terrain that will keep experts entertained; the Arlberg region has been popular amongst keen skiers for its steep slopes and high, snowsure powder fields for decades. 

An in summer, Lech is the most family friendly resort in the Arlberg region. The 60m forest swimming pool is home to a giant slide and a large paddling pool for children, while the buxbaum family play park and the sport park are also popular amongst the kids. The whole family can enjoy mountain biking, with ski lifts open to take back up the mountain in between runs. 

For the active types, mountain climbing and tandem paragliding offer a little more of a thrill, while the Supersauser summer toboggan run is an exhilarating 800m track accessed via a gondola. Trout fishing and bore rifle shooting are available for those that are looking for something a little more traditional while they're in the mountains.

Lech is home to a number of summer events and festivals that are attended by both locals and tourists, including the traditional Lech village festival, the Lech Classic Festival and the Festival on the Mountain. Each thursday, the Tannberg market is held, featuring local food and craftsmanship. 

Lech is an incredibly upmarket resort, largely consisting of chalets; there is very little in the way of new building projects in the area, with only one or two new chalets on the market at any one time. Property prices here tend to be high, reflecting the resort's exclusive reputation. 

Newly connected Warth is a smaller, cuter Austrian village, which boasts slightly more new developments. New build projects in the resort have been largely apartments, with hotel services and ski in, ski out access making property in the area popular amongst buyers looking for an apartment that will be as much an investment as a private home.