Our weekend in Hall-Wattens in Tyrol
Experience ...
.. Glitter! Sparkle! Glamour! Your teenager might look at you with a mixture of bewilderment and pity if you try to tempt them with these words for a weekend in Tyrol. Ha! If you're planning a trip to the Hall-Wattens region (4 hours and 4 minutes by train from Zurich, changing once in Innsbruck), then you can confidently go all out with your description.
... For 123 years ago, Daniel Swarovski founded the Swarovski company in Wattens. And exactly 100 years later, the conceptual artist André Heller created the Swarovski Crystal Worlds on behalf of the company – a unique world of experience that has been visited by over 14 million people since it opened. It has since been expanded twice and now covers an area of 7.5 hectares. Set within a sprawling park landscape, the site features art installations created by internationally renowned architects – including the Crystal Cloud, comprising 800,000 hand-set crystals – as well as a large play tower and playground with plenty of space for creative play.
... But the centrepiece is the 14 «chambers of wonders», as the themed rooms are called: you enter them through the head of a grass-covered giant and the first thing you encounter is the world's largest hand-cut crystal, the «Centenar»: weighing 310,000 carats or 62 kilograms. Right next to it lies the smallest crystal ever produced by Swarovski, the XERO Chaton, barely the size of a pen tip. The mega-crystal and the micro-crystal are surrounded by works by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Niki de Saint Phalle and Andy Warhol. Within the Wunderkammern themselves, distinct worlds unfold, created by designers and conceptual artists from all over the world. These include a crystal dome, which gives visitors the sensation of standing inside a crystal, and the «Silent Light» crystal tree, made up of 150,000 Swarovski crystals.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds, open daily from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm; from 1 July to 31 August, daily from 8.30 am to 10 pm. Admission for adults €19, for children aged 6 to 14 €7.50. swarovski.com/kristallwelten
... If parents or children ever find themselves seeing stars from all the sparkle, a trip to the Tyrolean Alps is highly recommended. For example, on one of the four crystal walks in the footsteps of the legendary Tux crystals. Anyone who picks up a stamp card from the tourist office beforehand and collects stamps along the way can even take a crystal home with them at the end.
www.hall-wattens.at
... And if you ever do get tired of crystals, you can, for example, take the Glungezerbahn cable car to the Kugelwald mountain adventure park on the Glungezer. Here, giant ball tracks wind their way through the high forest, and there are play and sports stations as well as a relaxation area with Swiss stone pine loungers and a viewing platform.
www.kugelwald.at
Enjoy ...
... For a culinary stop-off at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds, we recommend Daniels Kristallwelten, which specialises in seasonal cuisine and has its own patisserie. Daniels Kristallwelten, open Sunday to Thursday from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm (hot meals served until 6.30 pm), Friday and Saturday from 8.30 am to 11 pm (hot meals served until 9.30 pm); admission also available without visiting the Giant. kristallwelten.com/daniels
... At the Gasthof Goldener Löwe in Hall, you can find all the Austrian specialities from Tafelspitz to Wiener Schnitzel, as well as rarities such as «Grandma's potato pancakes with sauerkraut» or fresh veal liver.
Gasthof Goldener Löwe, Oberer Stadtplatz, Hall in Tirol. Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. www.goldenerloewe-hall.at
... If you're looking to treat yourself to Michelin-starred cuisine, award-winning chef Thomas Grander in Wattens is the perfect choice. He has received multiple accolades from Gault Millau and offers exclusive cuisine in a modern setting.
Grander Restaurant, Dr.-Felix-Bunzl-Str. 6, Wattens, Tel. 0043 5224/52626. Closed on Sundays. www.grander-restaurant.at
... At the Milsano Feuergrill Restaurant in Mils, a giant beechwood-fired grill for steaks stands in the middle of the room. Coffee and cake are also available.
Milsano Feuergrill Restaurant, Dorfplatz 1, Mils, Tel. 0043 660 7330 304, www.milsano.at
Accommodation ...
... The family-friendly Geisler Holiday Hotel in Tulfes is situated on a sunny plateau in the Tux Alps, surrounded by gardens featuring a large swimming pool.
Ferienhotel Geisler*** in Tulfes, family rooms for up to 5 people, accommodation from 72 euros per person, 50% discount for children up to 14 years old.www.geisler-tulfes.com
... The Alpenhotel Speckbacherhof is situated at the foot of the Karwendel mountains. It is ideally situated for excursions and hikes and features an organic swimming pond in extensive gardens, a wellness area, an adventure playground, mini-golf and a professional trampoline facility.
Alpenhotel Speckbacherhof**** in Gnadenwald, double rooms from 98 euros, 40% discount for children up to 14 years old. www.speckbacherhof.at