Damüls

If you’re looking for a hotel in Damüls, the village offers a range of points of interest to help you plan your trip: Walser history, a ski museum, alpine trails, and mountain farming. Damüls is a Walser settlement spread across Oberdamüls, Uga, and Schwende, at elevations of 1,300 to 2,100 meters. You can take this distinctive settlement pattern and the village’s history into account when choosing your destination, along with the range of excursions and leisure activities on offer.

Walser History and St. Nicholas Parish Church

The Walser colony in Damüls was first mentioned in a contract dated May 29, 1313. A prominent historic landmark is St. Nicholas Parish Church, which stands alone on the church hill. It features late medieval wall paintings and figurative artworks. Its construction history is also marked by several dates: the church was built in 1392, rebuilt in 1484, and given a Baroque makeover around the turn of the 18th century.

If you’re interested in the village’s development and religious art, the church brings together specific historical milestones and a clear connection to the area. The scattered settlement areas of Oberdamüls, Uga, and Schwende provide the geographic setting for the Walser settlement.

Ski History at the FIS Ski Museum

The FIS Ski Museum Damüls is housed in the Kulisse Pfarrhof. Its permanent exhibition features notable Vorarlberg ski pioneers and displays objects related to athletes who have won medals at the Olympic Winter Games or World Ski Championships. In total, the exhibition covers around 130 years of skiing history in Vorarlberg.

Another focus of the exhibition is the history of ski production in Vorarlberg, whose beginnings are presented in connection with wagon-making businesses. As exhibitions may change, check the latest information before visiting. This makes the museum a destination in its own right to include in your trip plans, alongside the trails and nature-related attractions in the surrounding area.

Walking Trails and Winter Routes

To plan your schedule, you can compare the details of two loop trails. The winter loop in Oberdamüls, also known as the “Big Loop,” passes through Unterdamüls, along the Höhenweg, and by Alpe Oberdamüls. It is 6.5 kilometers long and takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes; preparation depends on snow conditions. The Uga-Express – Alpe Uga – reservoir – Alpe Elsa – Uga-Express loop is 3.7 kilometers long and is listed as taking 68 minutes. Based on distance and stated time, it is the shorter of the two options.

The “Damüls | Mittagspitze” route starts at the mountain station of the Damüls Uga-Express and ends at its valley station. The hike leads from the alpine pastures of Ugaalpe along an alpine trail to the summit of Mittagspitze. The Uga-Express takes visitors to the area around Damülser Mittagspitze, which is 2,095 meters high. The routes therefore differ both in their course and in the stated distances and times.

The Damüls-Mellau-Faschina area also has a well-maintained and groomed 15-kilometer network of winter hiking trails. Grooming depends on snow conditions, so check current opening information in advance. The Damüls-Mellau ski area has a total of 109 kilometers of slopes. Since this figure should be checked seasonally, consult the information for the relevant season when planning your trip.

More Activities and Regional Specialties

The Damüls fitness trail runs through a wooded area near the village center and has stations with a range of workout exercises. The Damüls forest ropes course is suitable for children aged six and up; there is also a Bambini course for children around three to five years old. The forest ropes course includes a 200-meter-long flying fox reaching heights of up to 40 meters. The children’s themed trail is intended for children up to ten years old.

Regional products and working alpine farms can also be part of your trip. At Michels Sennhütte, you can buy regional mountain cheese and sample freshly tapped cow’s milk. Alpe Oberdamüls offers a traditional wooden platter and homemade products; opening hours and food offerings are seasonal, so confirm them before making a specific visit. Twelve working alpine farms take part in the alpine hut hike between Damüls, Mellau, and Faschina. For a specific tour, check which farms are participating and whether they are open seasonally.

Getting Here and Local Transport

Bus route 851 runs from Au in the Bregenzerwald to Damüls. During the winter months, a free local bus also operates in Damüls. As timetables and operating periods may vary, check the latest VMOBIL information and the local bus operating period before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Nenzing, Sonntag, Lech, Sankt Gallenkirch, Nüziders, Tschagguns, Sankt Gerold, Bürs

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