Wandern – Fasten Ur Seatbelts

When you enter the Antholz valley, you cannot fail to notice that Antholz is connected to the biathlon. In fact, the annual Biathlon World Championship takes place in Antholz. At the same time, on the way to the Antholz Upper valley, one is already enchanted by the unspoiled nature and the small traditional villages. Before arriving at the Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Antholz, you will feel an inner peace due to the alluring solitude.

At the foot of the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, you’ll find not only those who’re seeking relaxation and love nature but also active athletes.

Falkensteiner Hotel Antholz, Südtirol, Antholz, Fasten Ur Seatbelts

Adults Only in Antholz

If I summarize our stay in three words, they would be: secret insider tips, idyll & pure nature.

South Tyrol is and has always been a popular vacation destination, especially during the Corona time, many people escape to the nearby vacation destination. I would describe Antholz as a hidden gem. The concealed but central location does not bring many holidaymakers to Antholz.

The modern Junior Suite Deluxe with loggia in alpine style invites you to a relaxing time. Thanks to the fresh mountain air and the great view of the mountain landscape, you start the day full of energy. We were even rewarded with the sight of a clear starry night from our lounge corner several times. Also, Chuck, our French Bulldog, felt very welcome! He and we especially liked the short walk into the forest in the early morning and late evening.

A personal highlight was the ¾ pension. In the morning, we could press our own orange-carrot-ginger juice at the breakfast buffet and enjoy the view through the panoramic windows. In the afternoon, there was always a snack when we came back from our trip. Not to forget, dinner!

A very special romantic moment in itself.

Every day we were surprised anew with an unusual gourmet menu. Not to forget the pleasant and incredibly friendly service. It was always a successful end to the vacation day.

Activities

Lake Antholz

Only at about 15 minutes walking distance from the hotel is the unknown Insta-Hotspot “Antholzer See”. It is the perfect alternative to the Braieser Wildsee. You have to have your camera with you in any case.

The turquoise Antholzer See has a huge advantage – no mass tourism. Here you can still experience and photograph nature in peace, whereas Braies Lake is also only an hour’s drive away from the hotel. However, it is mostly crowded with tourists who are approached by busses.

Around Antholz Lake, you can still walk in peace without being disturbed by a multitude of visitors.

Biathlon Shooting

Up until now, I had no connection to the biathlon at all. So I was all the more pleased that we were able to take a few test shots (5 shots/5€) in the nearby biathlon center (about 10 minutes walk away). Did you know that the pulse is about 150-170 for a biathlete?! A little tip: Withhold your breath so you can aim better!

This will be explained again on site. I found it very, very exciting! You can also watch the biathletes training in the morning.

Hiking

Of course, there are numerous hiking trails from the hotel. The reception has the best tips, or the hotel offers guided hikes every day. Also to the sunrise!

Wellness

If you just want to enjoy a day at the hotel, you can pamper your body and soul in the 1000 m² spa area. The wellness area offers a wide range of saunas, massages and spa treatments for relaxation, regeneration, health and vitality.

Absolutely special is the heated indoor and outdoor pool, from which you have a view of the Antholz valley and the mountains.

COVID-19

Although the coronavirus certainly brings restrictions, we felt absolutely unrestricted during our stay at the Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Antholtz.

Due to the good organization, we felt completely safe. In the whole hotel, there is mask duty. Of course, you can take off the masks in your room as well as at your place during dinner.

Also, in the wellness area, there is good regulation. Only a certain number of people can enter the sauna. During the day, you simply enter your name in a list for the sauna times.

Basically, like everywhere else, you should keep your distance and act conscientiously.

The arrival/departure

Despite our arrival on a Saturday, it took us only 9 hours from Cologne to the Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa in Antholz. We even made a stopover at the outlet at Brenner Pass. Of course, during the pandemic, there are often border controls, and you might end up spending 1-3 hours at the border if you‘re driving during the rush hours.

Enjoy your time in South Tyrol!

Nature and outdoor lovers in Andermatt are like a match made in heaven! I would even call Andermatt in Switzerland an insider tip because it is only a 90-minute drive from Zurich and yet you experience pure nature. Although I was on-site during the summer holidays, I could relax incredibly and was able to roam the small towns without much hustle and bustle. If you are planning a short trip or a longer active holiday in Switzerland, you should not underestimate the beauty of Andermatt.

How to get to Andermatt?

From Zurich Airport you have several options to come to Andermatt. You can either take the train and enjoy just under 3 hours driving through the mountains or rent a rental car and reach Andermatt within 1 ½ hour.

We drove from the airport by train to Andermatt. The train journey is incredibly fast. However, you have to change the train about 3-4 times. When you do arrive in Andermatt, you do not really need a car. You can reach everything on the spot by a train or bike. Inside, everything is within easy walking distance.

What to do?

Andermatt offers so many activities that you will not get bored. We borrowed e-mountain bikes, for a day, from the Mammoth Store directly across from our Radisson Blu hotel.

Within less than 2 hours, we drove past the famous Teufelsbrücke to the Göscheneralpsee, a beautiful reservoir that is not so popular, even on Instagram. We also had to drive about 5 minutes of the whole ride the main road. Other than that, you can enjoy the full ride to the fullest at every beautiful place and make pit stops anywhere you want. Take a look at the small lake beyond the campsite. The campsite is about 4km before the Göscheneralpsee. The family-run restaurant right on the Göscheneralpsee is also worth a visit. After a successful trip, we had an Aperol. The return to Andermatt took only 50 minutes.

But you do not have to drive that far to reach about 1800m altitude. The mountain railway in Andermatt drives you directly up to Gütsch and can you get a fantastic view of the Taldörfer and the Alps. At the top, there are numerous hiking routes. We decided to go down the mountain because we really wanted to pet the cows. On our way back to the valley, we made a little stop for a memorable picnic, which we were able to take from the hotel.

Where to stay?

Most of you have probably heard of the Chedi Hotel in Andermatt. But it is not the only place to be in Andermatt. Our hotel, the Radisson Blu Hotel Andermatt, was opened at the end of 2018 and is the perfect base for a relaxing or active holiday in the mountains. Here you are ideally kept whether you are enterprising and at the same time would like to use the great fitness and wellness facilities. My personal highlight was the view from the swimming pool and the gym. Also, the fitness equipment is the most modern and latest the market has to offer. The sports offer definitely motivated me to go to the gym every day.

Honestly, that was badly needed because I could not stop myself from eating voraciously at breakfast. Mainly only fresh and local products were offered, which of course I had to try at all costs! On the second day, I restrained myself a bit and prepared a fresh omelette and waffle.

Absolutely impressive is that no palm oil is used in the whole breakfast buffet.

In the evening, in the restaurant, we “Spun” a combination of Italian and Swiss food. There is something for everyone on the map. The spaghetti with truffles or, of course, the main “Surf and Turf” tasted excellent!

In an emergency, the very friendly waiters were always there to give us a tip. I like to pass on an insider tip! Normally I would not have ordered the dessert “Anderwald” before the nut nougat cuts, but I still dream of that refreshing dessert to this date!

Speaking of dreams … After a full day in the fresh air and a short sauna before we went to bed, I slept like a baby in our spacious Scandinavian-style room.

I often think of this great stay even now, because it was a completely perfect holiday for me and, definitely, not for the last time in Andermatt!