Alpine Collection
Lech, Austria

Skiing

Lech sits within the Arlberg ski region, a vast interconnected area encompassing four villages and 305 kilometres of pistes, widely regarded as the largest connected ski resort in Austria and the fifth largest in the world. Lift infrastructure in the Arlberg dates back to 1905, giving the region well over a century of skiing heritage. A single lift pass grants access to the entire area, while Lech itself offers a commanding thousand metres of vertical descent, with altitudes ranging from 1,450 metres to 2,450 metres above sea level. Reliably high snowfall, among the greatest averages anywhere in the Alps, ensures exceptional conditions throughout the season, and the resort's well-groomed pistes cater with equal confidence to beginners, families and accomplished intermediates alike.

For those seeking adventure beyond the marked runs, Lech is home to some of the finest off-piste and backcountry terrain in the Alps. Advanced skiers looking for yet more challenge will find it on the celebrated Run of Fame, an 85-kilometre circuit spanning the entire Arlberg, passing through St Anton, Stuben, Zürs, Lech and Schröcken before continuing to Warth and back, covering 18,000 metres of cumulative altitude change. Confident skiers can complete the circuit in a single exhilarating day, though those who prefer a more leisurely pace will find Lech's mountain restaurants an ideal setting for a long, convivial lunch. Uniquely within Austria, heli-skiing is exclusively permitted in the Arlberg region, offering the rare opportunity to access completely untouched terrain from above.

Ski instruction in Lech is underpinned by decades of teaching tradition, with established local ski schools offering private lessons, group tuition and dedicated children's programmes for every age and ability. Engaging a professional mountain guide remains the most rewarding way to explore the full breadth of the terrain, opening up routes and experiences that would otherwise remain out of reach. Whether you are a first-time skier or an experienced free-rider seeking untracked powder, Lech's combination of exceptional snow, varied terrain and genuine alpine character sets it apart as one of the great destinations of the skiing world.