Feldkirch Travel Guide, Austria

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Location

Feldkirch is a border city in the eastern part of Austria, a captivating tourist destination with beautiful mountainous landscapes and rich history. Feldkirch travel guide reveals a few important features of this medieval city.

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Topography and Climate

Set in a magnificent deep valley and surrounded by tall cliffs, Feldkirch has all the natural advantages to be a top tourist destination in any season. Located at an average elevation of 460m and near several ski slopes the city has a mountainous character offering tourists the perfect place to spend their winter holidays.

Climate in Feldkirch is temperate central European and strongly influenced by the nearby mountains. Summers here are warm and sunny with occasional showers and winters usually cold with low temperatures and lots of snow. The long winters attract numerous tourists who enjoy winter sports until late April while summers are preferred by hikers who love to wonder through the surrounding green forests and valleys.

The city is crossed by the small Ill River which created the gorgeous valley in which Feldkirch is set.

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Flora and Fauna

Feldkirch is a green city, due to the presence of important forested surfaces within and nearby it. The dominant tree species found in the city are the oaks, willows in the wetter areas, beech and even fir, all these completed by numerous species of flowering plants which give a bit of color especially in summer.

Fauna is also diverse and is especially found in the forested and surrounding areas of the city. Mammal species like deer, hare, fox and rodents are quite common as well as birds like pheasants and partridges and also aquatic fauna sheltered by the nearby Ill River and wetlands. The city also houses a place called Feldkirch Wildpark, where tourists can admire especially local flora and fauna, a popular place to visit among tourists.

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Population

Feldkirch houses about 31.000 people and has as official language German, still most of them also speaking English. Besides tourism which brings important incomes for the local administration, the city houses several large companies which employ a significant number of locals thus keeping unemployment rate under 5%.

Feldkirch is also an important educational center with numerous elementary and secondary schools as well as a Music School, Conservatory and a Pedagogy School.

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Culture and Arts

The city’s long and eventful history has left numerous marks across Feldkirch, especially in the old city where tourists can admire the Scattenburg Castle and Katzenturm, two main expressions of local architects’ talent. Traditional music and dances are other good examples of local culture which can be observed usually during traditional festivals or in the local museum. Heimat Museum housed by the Scattenburg Castle’ building, also organizes numerous art exhibitions where local and foreign artists meet and show their creations.

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Transport

The best way to get to Feldkirch is by road or train, the city being located strategically at an important railway meeting point. Modern highways pass near the city so another good option is to arrive by car which will also give you the opportunity of a more flexible schedule. For tourists traveling by air the nearest airport is located in Zurich and is called Hauptbahnhoff; also located near a main railway station and motorway the airport is another option to get to Feldkirch in a short time. No matter what you choose you can easily get to Linz or Vienna.

Within Feldkirch many bus lines and trams can take you to any part of the city, especially in the summer weekends when some buses function until late in the morning.

Feldkirch, Travel Guide – Festivals

The main such events in Feldkirch have a traditional feature like the Wine Festival which brings together craftsmen, locals and tourists to enjoy together popular music, good wine and remember old customs or are very modern like Feldkirch Festival which takes place every year in a different form and celebrates different types of music from all over the world.