A warm, welcoming, comfortable refuge: in Austria, the state of mind experienced in such a place, they describe it with the word "Gemütlichkeit". Perhaps a little difficult to pronounce, it is easy to describe it: the snow that whitens the mountains outside and us under cover, between the embrace of wood, the crackling flames of a fireplace, the warmth of a ceramic stove and a good dish to share with the people we love. Is not this how we like to imagine winter? And then you just have to prepare the luggage with the heaviest sweaters (including the ever present with the snowflakes designed), the boots, the ski suit, and leave for the Christmas holidays!
Snow for everyone
If you love ski, but also enjoy the pleasures of the good table, the perfect destination for you is theArlberg, Austria's largest ski area, between Tyrol and Vorarlberg, where you can cross five countries with skis, the ski world Lech, then Zürs, Stuben (ideal for families), St. Christoph is St. Anton, cradle of alpine skiing. Eighty-eight lifts that lead up to 2,811 meters of altitude, 305 km of ski slopes for all levels and 200 for off-piste skiing, seven ski schools. And there are also winter trails for hikers -long which at sunset you can admire with a little 'luck deer and roe deer- tracks for cross-country skiing, guided snowshoe hikes, sleigh rides.
Gourmet at high altitude
Gourmets will appreciate in particular St. Anton which boasts seven restaurants in the 2018 edition of the Gault-Millau guide. Awarded with 2 hats and located at 2 thousand meters on the slopes of Mount Galzig, the restaurant Verwallstubefor example, every Thursday he organizes one gourmet candlelight dinner and live piano, with night ascent by cable car. In menu dishes from foie gras to calamari, from sole to Wiener Schnitzel, but there is also the restaurant ofHotel Tannenhof, where to enjoy creative alpine cuisine, andHospiz-Alm which boasts one of the world's largest collections of wines in large bottles.
Lech-Zürs has been defined instead "World Gourmet Village " for the high concentration in the area of high-level restaurants. Like it Schlegelkopf Restaurant, at 1,800 meters on the slopes, but easily accessible by cable car even by non-skiers. In Austrian specialties menu, but also juicy steaks, North Sea crabs, sushi and oysters as a tribute to the countries with which the town is twinned: Beaver Creek in the United States, Hakuba in Japan and Kampen-Sylt, in Germany. You can then taste them prestigious champagne enjoy a moment of relaxation with whiskey and cigars admiring the breathtaking view.
The authentic and genuine cuisine of Carinthia
If it is true that the cuisine of the great restaurants is rooted in the traditional, home-made cuisine that characterizes every culture, one of the most authentic of Austria can be savored in Carinthia, in particular in the territory ofAlpe Adria: here are fresh and seasonal foods, grown in a sustainable way and processed according to tradition, like theasparagus of the Lavanttal, the game of the Metznitztal valley or the famous ones Kärntner Käsnudel, tortelloni stuffed with potatoes and ricotta, with mint and chervil. Refined is the taste oflamb of the Glockner, which grazes in high altitude alpine pastures up to 3000 meters of altitude feeding on mountain herbs, and that of the trout Kärntna Låxn which grows in fresh, clean waters and is found only in four Upper Carinthian fish farms. Festivals and farmers' markets they mark the seasons and are the perfect time to meet producers and breeders.
A Slow destination to get your hands on
The Carinthian valleys Gailtal and Lesachtal they have become the first destination Slow Food Travel in the world. It can be done here a journey to discover flavors and processes putting yourself in the game in first person guided by the experience of the artisans. You can experience the experience of cooking the bread of the Lesachtal valley, recognized part of the UNESCO world heritage, of create infusions with alpine herbs, of produce cheese with the milk of the Jörgishof farm, to prepare a menu with regional products or learn how to close Carinthian tortelloni, to hear the story of the rediscovery of white corn from the Gailtal valley, to see how a beekeeping works or how it is produced Speck from the Gailtal valley in a charming castle.
It's Christmas (even at the table)!
And do not leave without tasting one of the typical Christmas sweets in Austria, from the beloved biscuits Vanillekipferl to Lebkuchen, the pan pepato, with vin brulè. Discover them all in the gallery where you also find the recipes to replicate them at home and savor the magic of Christmas in Austria every time!
Furthermore, the December 9th, from 12 to 15, on the Facebook page Holidays in Austria and on the Instagram account @visitaustria, you can follow a real time course (in English) to prepare Christmas sweets, namely Vanillekipferl, pan pepato and punsch. The ingredients will be communicated a few days in advance in order to have time to get everything you need.
For all the info: www.austria.info
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