10 reasons why we’re looking forward to summer in SalzburgerLand

#1 FREEING THE SOLE – WALKING BAREFOOT IN SALZBURG’S LUNGAU REGION

For many of us, walking barefoot in dewy grass belongs to some of our most beautiful childhood memories. It’s a real shame that as adults it’s increasingly rare for us to remove our shoes and socks to feel the ground beneath our feet. Many studies also show that not only is it pleasant to go barefoot; it’s also healthy. It improves circulation, strengthens the muscles, and sharpens the senses. Do you want to rediscover the childlike joy of going barefoot? If so, come to Salzburg’s Lungau region. Here you will find all sorts of opportunities to enjoy true freedom walking on forest floors and through Alpine meadows. For example, on the Leisnitz Waterway, where people fond of good circulation park their shoes on the jetty and wade through ice-cold water. Freedom on foot is also the top priority during a walk along the Longa river in the Weißpriachtal valley.

© SalzburgerLand Tourism – Walking barefoot in Salzburg’s Lungau region

#2 BEING THE EARLY BIRD – CATCHING THE SUNRISE IN THE MOUNTAINS

For the following mountain tour, dry off your feet, put your socks and hiking boots back on, and make your way to the Gamskarkogelhütte mountain hut on Europe’s tallest grass mountain. However, this isn’t the only record held by the 2,467-metre-tall giant, which is situated between the Gastein and Großarltal valleys. The Gamskarkogelhütte, found on the summit, was built in 1828 and is one of Europe’s oldest mountain huts. It’s worth the trek not only for the long hut tradition; the magnificent views will also stay with you for a long time. Once you’ve reached the top, stopping off and staying overnight at this place run by Veronika is a must. Tip: in the evening you can either gaze at the starry skies or go to bed early, as the highlight of the tour is definitely watching the sunrise. As the first rays of the sun greet the dawn, the nostrils of early risers are slowly greeted by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Veronika brews it first thing – for her early birds.

#3 THE GREATER THE EFFORT, THE SWEETER THE AWARD – EXPLORING MOUNTAINS AND LAKES IN THE SALZKAMMERGUT

There’s an old German-language saying: “when I see a lake like this, I don’t need the sea anymore”. We don’t know who first penned this. However, it is clear that whoever it is must come from the Salzkammergut. Nowhere else in the world do mountains and lakes form such a perfect ensemble as here, between the Fuschl and Attersee lakes. The combination of mountains and water was popular not only with the Kaiser. It delights everybody who likes to reward themselves with a refreshing dip after a hike in the mountains. If you’d like to experience the unforgettable Habsburg charm of the Salzkammergut, you shouldn’t miss out on a boat trip on Lake Wolfgang, followed by a ride on the SchafbergBahn. This nostalgic cog railway has been chugging up the Schafberg mountain since the time of the Kaiser and offers an alternative to hiking up the mountain.  

© SalzburgerLand Tourism, Franz Pritz – The summit of the Frauenkopf mountain overlooking Fuschl and Lake Fuschl.

#4 SUP-ER SUMMER – STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING IN THE SALZBURG LAKE DISTRICT

Both legs firmly … on the board – and glide over the lake with a paddle in your hand. Maybe even looking out for the perfect spot near the water or in a secluded bay – for a waterside picnic. Stand Up Paddleboarding is the perfect combination of sport, relaxation, and refreshment. By a paddle stroke of luck, in the Salzburg Lake District two lakes can be explored back-to-back. You don’t even need to disembark to do this, as an idyllic canal connects the lakes of Mattsee and Obertrumer See. The Weyerbucht in the centre of Mattsee is a good place to climb aboard. From there, paddle past Mattsee Castle – taking in breathtaking views as you go. If you can’t make your mind up between a SUP board or yoga mat, you can start at the other end of Mattsee, at the Strandbad Lochen am See lido. Here yoga teacher Danique offers yoga on a board. Namaste on the lake!

#5 EWE’LL LOVE THIS ON HOT DAYS – EATING EISL ICE CREAM

From refreshing dips to creamy whips. The Eisl family, who live at Wolfgangsee Lake, have lost their hearts to organic sheep’s milk products. And because people like to do what they love, sheep’s milk has been transformed into tasty treats since 1982 at the Seegut Eisl. The great love story started off with two sheep, and today 140 bleating contemporaries live at the farm. The four-legged friends are milked twice a day because, in contrast to cows, they yield an average of only around 1.5 litres of milk a day. For a good few years now, the valuable milk has been transformed into cheese and yoghurt alongside ice cream. Austria’s first sheep’s milk ice-cream parlour can be found in the famous Getreidegasse in Salzburg. The proof is in the pudding there of just how creamy sheep’s milk ice cream can taste. The Eisl family also scooped the Golden Stanitzel award in 2019 for the best ice cream in Austria.  A tip: be sure to try the blueberry-rosemary and poppyseed flavours!

© Helge Kirchberger Photography – Eisl-ice cream. Who can resist the temptation?

#6 THE AGONY OF (HUT) CHOICE – HIKING IN THE “VALLEY OF THE ALPINE MEADOWS”

You need all your senses about you on the mountain. And just so your sense of hearing isn’t distracted by the loud rumbling of your stomach, here’s some important information for all hikers. If you spend a lot of time exercising in the fresh air, you’ll automatically get hungry. And in SalzburgerLand’s mountains, this hunger is best satisfied with a hearty Alpine snack. Incidentally, this sometimes includes Eisl sheep’s milk ice cream. When culinary delights and Alpine pastures are mentioned in the same sentence, the talk is mostly of Großarltal.  This place lives up to its nickname of “Valley of the Alpine Meadows”: freshly baked bread, smoked bacon, and homemade cheese await at more than 40 cultivated mountain pastures. Once your hunger is satisfied, it’s time to make a move again. Incidentally, although you’ll feel well-fed after feasting on culinary delights in Großarltal, you’ll never be fed up with seeing the nature in Großarltal.

#7 HERBALISM IN OBERTAUERN – LEARNING FROM THE TAUERN “WITCH”

During the summer, culinary delights can be found not only in the designated herb farms but also in cottage gardens and on herbal paths throughout SalzburgerLand. As soon as snow and ice melt away, more than 200 medicinal herbs sprout out of their safe hiding place in the ground. People such as Michaele Veit are especially delighted by this. Whilst demonstrating a great deal of respect for nature, the herbal educator transforms precious plants into ointments, tinctures, and oils. Michaela doesn’t like to keep her knowledge all to herself. In the summer, she initiates guests into the secrets of nature during her herb walks, telling them which plants are ideal for syrups and which ones alleviate joint pain. As the “Tauern Witch”, she also offers cooking courses and outdoor training sessions, and demonstrates how  tea, spreads, and soups can even be made out of “weeds”.

© Michaela Veit – The “Tauern Witch” at work

#8 IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHEESE IN TENNENGAU – TAKING A CULINARY CHEESE TOUR ON TWO WHEELS

Sticking here with the theme of “spreads”. Cheese lovers from all over the world, you’ll have to stay strong, because you’ll be forced to make a lot of decisions during a visit to SalzburgerLand! Herb cheese, butter cheese, goat’s cheese, soft cheese – and that’s just a brief insight into the array of culinary delights offered by cheesemakers in Tennengau. In order to give guests an understanding of the diversity on offer, the gourmets of the Tennengau “Pleasure & Adventure Region” have devised an incredibly special cheese experience. The Cheese Experience Tour takes you on a 21.5-kilometer bike ride through the stunning landscape to Alpine dairies, farm shops, and inns. There are a total of eight different places throughout Kuchl, Golling, and Bad Vigaun that invite along the way to stop off and sample cheese. It’s a real treat for the mind, body, and tastebuds. Anybody interested will learn all sorts of interesting facts about the origins of cheese as a cultural asset. I bet you’ve really worked up an appetite now, haven’t you?

© SalzburgerLand Tourism, Achim Meurer – Cheese signpost in Tennengau

#9 UP, DOWN, AND RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE – E-BIKING IN THE SALZBURGER SAALACHTAL

In the Salzburger Saalachtal, a leisurely bike ride is swapped for one that is more action-packed. In this place, where the wild waters of the River Saalach rush and waterfalls hurtle into the abyss with a deafening roar, you can explore the region’s world of mountains and valleys on two wheels. If you opt to ride an e-bike on your trip, you can put less effort into pedalling and pay a visit to places in the mountains with ease. The region was one of the first in Austria to adapt to the needs of e-bikers. Today there are more than 100 rental e-bikes, countless charging stations, and bike-friendly accommodation available in the Salzburger Saalachtal. This means that nothing stands in the way of a bike-tastic holiday.

© Robert Maybach – Biking in the Salzburger Saalachtal

#10 OPEN-AIR JAZZ – VISITING THE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL IN SAALFELDEN

During the summer in SalzburgerLand, not only are there numerous mountain adventures, bike tours, and delectable hut cuisine that you can look forward to; there’s also a thriving cultural scene and its programme often moves outside during the summer months. In August, an entire city district is transformed into a “festival district” for performances from the areas of opera, drama and concerts. The highlight is definitely the evening atmosphere at Domplatz, which is broken by the distant call of “Jedermann”. Almost at the same time as the Salzburg Festival takes place in the city, jazz greats from all over the world meet 70 kilometres away in Saalfelden. At the International Jazzfestival, you’ll find a steady stream of jazz legends who swap their finely tuned guitars for their hiking boots once their work is done. Over the course of four days, more than 50 concerts take place on the most diverse stages in the country: on Alpine pastures, in the city park, museum, and on the roof terrace. Jazz greats who play their music out into clear starry skies, far away from the big city lights and noise of the traffic: it makes for an unforgettable experience for music fans.

© Artisual.at – Jazzfestival Saalfelden enthralls music fans