After only a few hours of skiing The Arlberg, I understand why visitors from more than 60 nationalities flock here every year. This is Austria’s largest ski region, and being here reminds me what real freedom feels like, the spring sun warm on my face as I fly down one perfectly groomed slope after another.
My first taste of the alpine region’s finer side comes as I ski into the storybook village of St. Christoph. At the Hospiz Alm restaurant, a lederhosen-clad waiter guides us to the top terrace, plying us with platters of deer sausage, beef tartare and cheese. “Guests book this table two to three months in advance,” says Hospiz (‘emperor’s mess’), a traditional dessert of shredded caramelised pancake served piping hot in its pan with sides of whipped cream and plum jam.
