Lustenau

Lustenau lies on the flat floor of the Rhine valley in the far west of Vorarlberg in Austria, where the Rhine River forms the border with Switzerland. To the east, the wooded slope of the Pfänder and the Dornbirn hills rise toward the Alps, and to the north the Rhine runs on toward its delta at Lake Constance. The town is large by Vorarlberg standards, with over 22,000 residents, and it has the status of a market town rather than a city, a distinction that Lustenau's people are proud of.

The industrial story is the key to the place. In the nineteenth century, Lustenau became one of the main centres of machine embroidery in Europe. Families set up machines in their own houses and worked in the evenings and at weekends, and from the 1860s the town supplied lace and embroidered fabrics that were sold in Paris, London and New York. Large factories followed, and the town acquired wealth, villas and a distinct culture. The embroidery industry shrank in the twentieth century, but specialised textile firms remain, and some of the historic factory buildings have been converted for new uses. Lustenau’s dialect, one of the most distinctive in Vorarlberg, and a strong tradition of clubs and societies are legacies of that independent history.

The Rhein-Schauen Museum is the main visitor attraction. It is located at the river and presents the history of the Rhine as a natural force and as a border, explaining how the river was straightened, how floods were fought, and how the landscape of dams, ditches and meadows came to exist. A viewing tower gives a wide view along the river. The museum also covers the local railway and the wider technical and social history of the area. Check the current opening times, as they are seasonal.

The St. Peter and Paul Parish Church, the Pfarrkirche St. Peter und Paul, dominates the town's centre. Parts of the building have Gothic roots, and its interior reflects later changes. Near the centre, the town library, the Bibliothek Lustenau, is a modern building used as a meeting place for the community. Markets and festivals, including a lively local carnival tradition, fill the calendar, and the town's active club culture means there is almost always a concert or fair in progress.

Nature is closer than the industrial image suggests. The Rhine dams form a long, flat embankment that is used by cyclists, walkers and skaters, and a section of the Old Rhine, the Alter Rhein, is protected as a nature reserve with reedbeds, meadows and many bird species. Further north, the Rhine delta, the Rheindelta, is one of the most important bird habitats in Central Europe, and it lies within a short ride. The Rhine cycle route passes through Lustenau on its way to Lake Constance, and mountain views toward the Swiss Alps are a bonus.

The food of the region is a mix of Vorarlberg and Swiss traditions. Käsknöpfle, small cheese dumplings with fried onions, Riebel, a cornmeal dish served with apple compote, and the local mustard, Lustenauer Senf, are part of the repertoire. Cafes sell Vorarlberg pastries, and the border with Switzerland means that many shoppers cross in both directions.

Lustenau is a practical base for exploring the Lake Constance area. Bregenz, with its famous opera festival on the lake and its modern art museum, is about 20 minutes away by train, and Dornbirn, with its science museum and markets, is closer still. Swiss towns such as St. Gallen lie across the border, and the Liechtenstein capital, Vaduz, can be reached in less than an hour.

The best time to visit is from late June to early September, when the weather is warm and the lake is suitable for swimming and sailing. Spring and autumn are good for cycling and for quiet sightseeing, and in September the light over the Rhine meadows is especially fine. Winters are cold but have a cozy side, with Advent markets and warm cafes.

Getting there is easy. Trains link Lustenau with Bregenz, Dornbirn and the main line to Zurich, Munich and Vienna, though some services require a change at Dornbirn or Bregenz. By car, the A14 motorway passes nearby, and there are exits for Lustenau and Dornbirn. Zurich airport is about 90 minutes away by road or rail, and Munich is about three hours. Local buses connect the town with the lake and the surrounding region.