Bildstein: Hiking Trails and Pilgrimage Church

Bildstein is situated on a sunny ridge above the Vorarlberg Rhine Valley, between Bregenz and Dornbirn. From here, you can see Lake Constance, the Swiss mountains and the Bregenz Forest. Marked hiking trails and the village’s pilgrimage history shape the area; for your stay, you can choose how to balance nature experiences, religious cultural heritage and the annual programme.

Hiking Trails and Nature Around Bildstein

Bildstein has a total of 34 kilometres of marked hiking trails. One specific route is the two-kilometre forest nature trail. It starts in the village centre at the pilgrimage church, passes the Apparition Chapel, runs through the Rickenbacher Tobel gorge and ends at the Baumgarten hamlet. Its information boards describe 25 native tree and shrub species. The trail thus follows a set route and explores a nature theme through the information boards along the way.

A shorter option with a precisely stated distance is the Short Pilgrim’s Loop: it runs for 0.7 kilometres from Bildstein to the Apparition Chapel and back. The loop has an elevation gain of 35 metres and a stated walking time of 15 minutes. The two routes differ in both length and course: the Pilgrim’s Loop returns from the chapel to Bildstein, while the nature trail ends at Baumgarten.

The views are also part of the village’s landscape: from Bildstein, you can see Lake Constance, the Swiss mountains and the Bregenz Forest. Together with the marked trail network, they offer various ways to enjoy the outdoors during your stay—from a walk with a specific stated duration to a nature trail with stops about native trees and shrubs.

Pilgrimage History and Sacred Buildings

The Basilica of Maria Bildstein is an early Baroque pilgrimage church. Since 2018, it has held the honorary title of Basilica minor. The basilica houses a miraculous image that has been venerated for centuries.

The local religious history also includes the Marian Apparition Chapel, built in 1930. It is a destination on the Short Pilgrim’s Loop and lies along the forest nature trail. Those interested in religious buildings will find two different sites connected with Bildstein’s pilgrimage history in the basilica and the chapel.

Annual Programme and Autumn Market

Bildstein’s annual programme includes guided hikes as well as concerts in the village square and churches. If you would like to plan your trip around a particular event, check the dates in that year’s programme. This lets you choose when to travel based on a specific event, rather than only on the hiking and cultural themes described as available year-round.

The Bildstar Market is traditionally held in autumn. Local agricultural products are sold there. Alongside hikes and concerts, the annual programme therefore also features a seasonal market. If you would like to visit the market, the specific date is a useful starting point for planning your trip.

Getting to the Region

The area around Bildstein is served by bus routes 24 and 45. If you are planning to travel by bus, check the timetable for your travel date.

Discover more destinations: Hörbranz, Schwarzenberg, Langenegg, Sibratsgfäll, Höchst, Warth, Hirschegg, Alberschwende

Back to the main travel overview: Bregenz.