A famous plastic surgeon smiles from the poster above the entrance to the chairlift. A little further on, sparkling jewels on a photo on the wall. Elsewhere, advertising for helmets, warm underwear or Alpine sodas is displayed at the lift stations - but not in Lech-Zürs.

The famous winter sports resort on the Arlberg is a sophisticated place. Chic fashion and sports boutiques, modern concept stores, jewelers, restaurants, bars and hotels line the heart of Lech, through which the river of the same name carves its way. The onion dome of the parish church towers above it all and, of course, the glistening white Omeshorn, the king of the summits at 2557 meters.

The small village is picturesque and the ski area on the Arlberg is the largest in Austria with around 300 kilometers of pistes and is also considered the cradle of alpine skiing. The legendary Arlberg Ski Club was founded in 1901 and today has well over 9,000 members from all over the world.

Skiing in Lech-Zürs is a pleasure. Regardless of whether you first take the Schlosskopf or Schlegelkopfbahn towards Oberlech or the Rüfikopfbahn on the other side of the river: predominantly wide, not too difficult, sunny pistes lead through the picturesque mountain world. The lifts are usually in operation until the end of April and you wish the weather gods would give the valley an extra portion of snow so that the wonderful sunny skiing continues. Because a ski safari beckons here that is only topped in length and summit scenery by the South Tyrolean “Sella Ronda”. The “White Ring” is a 22-kilometre ski circuit that connects Lech with Zürs, Zug and Oberlech. In half a day, skiing fans can comfortably conquer 5500 meters of altitude on easy to moderately difficult slopes - a wonderful sightseeing tour in snow and ice with wonderful panoramic views. Sporty skiers can also time themselves on the ski circuit: The “White Ring” race takes place every year in January with around 1000 participants.

Not to be missed: the Zürser Täli. The 4.2-kilometre descent from the Muggengrat into the valley is simply a dream and can also be booked as a “first track” with a mountain breakfast. The start has a challenging incline and leads through a high alpine backdrop with mighty rock formations. At the end, you let your skis “run” and finish on a soft track in Zürs. On the other hand, even experienced skiers will have “soft” knees at the start of the “Lange Zug”. The channel of ice and snow in front of the skiers is one of the steepest descents in the world with a gradient of 80 percent in the upper third. Skiing mistakes can end badly here. If you have enough skill and overcome your racing heart, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking ski thrill. The approach to the “Langen Zug” starts at the Rüfikopf restaurant via route 181, where you branch off towards the Schafalplift to get to the start. Once you have arrived, take a deep breath, admire the fantastic panorama of the surrounding peaks and then get into the “dark black canon”.

You can meet the ski resort's insiders at the Tritt or Rud-Alpe for a stop-off or an evening in a hut, at the Flexenhäusl for a fondue and, of course, for après-ski in the village: Casanova slices, Sylt Royal oysters and champagne are served at the Hotel Krone's ice bar every second to good-mood party music. The audience: guests from the DACH region who have been loyal to the resort for generations, ski fans from Brazil to the USA and even some celebrities. The Dutch royal family has ties to Lech and Queen Maxima and her mother-in-law Beatrix are often seen in February. If you want to see celebrities, the champagne gondola is the place to be: from Zug, you can take a gondola ride up to the heights with a sparkling view of the mountains.