The magically beautiful setting of Maishofen, in a wide basin of the Saalach River Valley, promises countless opportunities for holidays filled with sports and relaxation. After an extended mountain hike to the surrounding summits, a dive into the glorious waters of Lake Zeller See, just a few kilometers away, is certain to be the crowning moment of a glorious vacation day. Admission to the town’s very own lakeside swimming beach is free to guests. One hiking tip promising magical views is a tour to the top of the some 2,000 meters-high Schwalbenwand, Maishofen’s own local mountain. The path leads you from the town center, through shaded forests and alpine meadows strewn with wild flowers, all the way to the top. At the huts dotted across the hillsides around Maishofen, visitors are treated to regional specialties, often from right there on their own farm. After homemade bread, bacon and Pinzgauer Bladln, it’ll be easy to convince you to take a sip of homemade schnapps – to aid digestion, of course.
A paradise for “Sunday cyclists” and trail-hardened MTBers
Maishofen is a family- and cyclist-friendly village, featuring bike paths close to town with very little traffic, leading all the way to the Zeller See. Circumnavigating the lake is always rewarding and utterly relaxing, with countless swimming and refreshment opportunities along the way. The town also lies on the 280 km-long Tauern Bike Path, while the Grossglockner High-Alpine Road is the ultimate challenge for all avid cyclists. If you prefer a more leisurely form of biking, you might prefer to opt for an e-bike, or even a round of “Bike, Hike & Golf” –a great way to discover the beautiful countryside which surrounds Maishofen.
Active in Winter
In winter, Maishofen is an ideal base from which to hop on the free ski bus and travel quickly & comfortably to the resorts of Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See or the glacier ski area in Kaprun. Winter sports fans are welcome to use the practice lift on the ski slope next to Schloss Kammer for free, barely one kilometer from the center of town. The broad, sunny valley bottom provides ideal conditions for cross-country skiers, where you can practice your gliding and skating technique free of charge on a trail network which is about 30 km in length. The night trail in Maishofen is open daily until 9 p.m. Weekly guided snowshoe hikes promise unique nature experiences in a silent winter world, while you should definitely set aside your Thursday nights for torchlight sledding on a natural hill just outside Schloss Kammer. The wintery magic of the mountain world entices you to set out on winter hikes, backcountry ski tours, or perhaps for a bit of ice skating or even a traditional game of ice stock on the Zeller See.
