Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
SET SIGHTS ON SALZBURGERLAND
Discover the best regions to visit to make for a sensational Salzburg adventure…
Chocolate box pretty Salzburg may be famous for Austrian culture, Mozart and The Sound of Music; but some visitors might not realise that just beyond the city’s historic streets, the wider holiday region of Salzburgerland can offer a breadth of summer countryside adventures. Direct flights from the UK to Salzburg airport will soon have you hiking and cycling
in the mountains and soaking up that dramatic scenery...
LAKES & GORGES
If you love mountains, lakes and glaciers then Zell am Seekaprun is for you. Located in the heart of Salzburgerland, Lake Zell tempts for swimming from its lidos and there’s myriad walks and cycle routes that saunter across the countryside, with more options when you board the cable car up the
Schmittenhöhe mountain.
To the east, St. Johann in Salzburg is ideal for cycling with well-marked trails to suit all levels of fitness. It’s handily on the Tauern Cycle Route, a 300km path considered to be one of the country’s finest, leading from Krimml through to St. Johann and Salzburg, and onwards to Passau.
While here, a visit to the Liechtenstein Gorge – one of the longest and deepest gorges anywhere in the Alps – comes recommended, with wooden walkways that can help visitors get right in and among the spectacular landscape.
HAPPY TRAILS
As the highest mountain pass road to be found in the country, Großglockner Hochalpenstraße (between Salzburgerland and Carinthia) can happily claim ‘Austria’s highest view’. Drive, and each bend on this dramatic high alpine road opens up some awe-inspiring vistas. Or, strap on those hiking boots to explore the paths that dot across the High Tauern National Park and on the Großglockner.
Closer to Salzburg, the region of Altenmarkt-zauchensee offers the best of both worlds for hikers, with over 240km of trails to be found, from gentle walks to more vigorous options around Altenmarkt im Pongau.
Or, just to the north of Zell am See, you can find Saalfelden Leogang. With its ‘Simply Hiking’ concept, this region seeks to help walkers break away from ‘action-packed’ trails and instead reconnect with nature. The area is also renowned for its cultural scene, with ALM: KULTUR a summer highlight, which sees a programme of arts and craft workshops, dances and concerts transform the Alpine pastures. It’ll have you believing the hills really are alive with the sound of music, especially to those who take the time to explore all that Salzburgerland has to offer.