The Bregenzerwald is a valley region in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, east of Bregenz and running up into the Allgäu Alps. In winter it offers skiing and snowboarding across a linked network of mid-sized resorts — Schoppernau, Damüls-Mellau, and the Mellau area among them — at accessible prices compared to the larger Austrian ski areas. In summer the valley transforms into excellent hiking and cycling terrain with well-marked trails through green meadows, forests, and alpine pastures. The most iconic landmark is the Kanisfluh, a dramatic cliff-faced massif rising above the valley.
The region is known for its strong local craft and architecture traditions, including a distinctive school of contemporary timber construction. The Bregenz Forest Railway (Wälderbahn) is a preserved narrow-gauge steam railway running through the valley. For art history, the Angelika Kauffmann Museum in Schwarzenberg commemorates the 18th-century Neoclassical painter with family roots here, and the Hittisau Women's Museum is the only museum in Austria dedicated to women's history.