St Anton am Arlberg, 100kms west of Innsbruck on the Tyrol/Vorarlberg border, was the host for the 2001 World Alpine Championships and is arguably one of the best ski resorts in the world. It sits more than comfortably in the 'Big Boy' league that includes Chamonix, Zermatt and Whistler. St Anton is mostly an experts' resort, with awesome off-piste, moguls and powder.

St Anton am Arlberg is a compact resort village with a five-storey limit on buildings, and the focal point here is the main street. This fashionable town is situated at a medium altitude and no cars are allowed in the business area; however, sleds and skis are plentiful. Strolling around the pedestrianised centre, with its shops and cafés, is delightful.

St Anton has thousands of beds available in a wide range of luxury and more modest hotels, guesthouses, pensions and apartments. There is a superb range of après-ski and hectic nightlife on offer, with bars and clubs galore. There is a kids' school, a nursery and babysitting on request as well.

Including the Arlberg area, St Anton boasts a total of 82 state-of-the-art cable cars and lifts, 440kms of descents, superbly prepared slopes (the longest of which is 10kms) for all ability levels, challenging steep slopes and deep-snow ski runs. Beginners stick to the slopes down below; while for the more experienced skiers, there are the runs from the Galzig and Valluga peaks.

Alternatively, the extensive skiing of sophisticated Lech and Zürs is just a bus ride away. The Ski und Heimat Museum (Skiing and Local Museum), in the Arlberg-Kandahar House, traces the development of skiing in Arlberg, as well as the region's history. The local library is also housed in the Arlberg-Kandahar House, and the nearby park provides a variety of leisure activities. Farther afield, Innsbruck, with its fantastic architecture, is easily reached by train.

The long ski season runs from late November to late April/May, with the best deals at the beginning of the season, mid-January, and towards the end of the season. Zürich and Munich airports both have good access to St Anton, and trains from Munich go via Innsbruck. Innsbruck Airport receives less air traffic but is more convenient.