sustainable-winterexperiences

OUT INTO NATURE

How can you experience sustainability on a winter holiday in SalzburgerLand? It's simple - put on warm clothes and sturdy shoes and get out into the fresh, clear air. Here comes our bucket list for your sustainable winter joys.

#1 FOREST BATHING IN WINTER

The birds are chirping, the leaves of the trees rustle softly in the wind and the water of the stream splashes playfully between the stones. That is, what you experience when you do forest bathing in summer. In winter, the forest radiates an intense silence and allows us to calm down and relax. As part of a walk, you can now discover the forest in winter dress in Gastein. Movement and breathing meditations open the senses for a special kind of nature experience, and the proven positive health effects of forest bathing quickly set in, even in winter. Meeting point for the joint hike is the ski centre Angertal, bus stop, Bad Hofgastein.

a road covered with snow in a snowy forest

(c) SalzburgerLand Tourismus, Achim Meurer, Winterlandschaft

# 2 WINTER HIKING AT HINTERSEE

Hintersee near Faistenau is about half an hour from the city of Salzburg. The loop around the lake is about five kilometres long. In winter, the lake is frozen, at least on the shore. Ice, snow and frost conjure up fairytale-like atmospheres. The surrounding mountains do the rest to turn the landscape into a picturesque backdrop.

#3 NORDIC PARK SAALFELDEN LEOGANG

The natural ice rink at the frozen Ritzensee lake in Saalfelden Leogang is an ice-cold delight. Here – even in the evening light – ice skaters do their elegant laps, hockey players chase the black puck and curlers pursue their traditional hobby. For all those who love the Nordic lifestyle, the Nordic Park offers concentrated winter sports expertise off the slopes: Skating and classic cross-country skiing, biathlon, the Nordic puzzle rally or extended winter hikes await young and old athletes and connoisseurs.

Eislaufen am Ritzensee c Florian Lechner

#4 SNOWSHOEING WITH HUSKY

The wild and romantic plateau of Sportgastein is a wonderful place to hike in winter. It’s a real winter adventure when you get a husky in your team and hike through the deep snow together with this friendly four-pawed traction support. On husky snowshoe hikes you experience perfect teamwork between man and dog on untouched trails. When you arrive in Sportgastein, the first thing you do is greet the dogs. They can hardly wait to lead “their” team partner through the snow on the pull rope. The approximately one and a half hour tour is an unforgettable experience for all sporty animal and nature lovers.

#5 WINTER HUT HOLIDAY

Living in a hut has long since ceased to mean foregoing every luxury. On the contrary! It is precisely the mixture of original furnishings and modern living comfort that encourages more and more holidaymakers to take a real hut holiday in Salzburgerland. In addition to homely comfort, a time-out at the hut also offers valuable insights and subtleties on top: here you learn to appreciate the mindful interaction with nature again, you can simply switch off and enjoy the silence – and still take the front starting position for all kinds of activities in nature.