We normally spend our summer holidays in Les Gets, Morzine or Val d'Isere as both our teenage lads are keen MTBs / as a family we prefer active holidays than lying on a sun-lounger reading John Grisham books.
We would like to go somewhere different this year and are planning a road trip to include a stay at one of the Italian lakes and 10 days at an Austrian resort.
Which Austrian town would fit the bill :
- picturesque / lovely setting
- lively in the summer months
- lots of activities in MTB, hiking, rafting etc.
Thanks
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You can't go wrong with Mayerhofen, easy to get to Innsbruck for days out, lots going on, biking, mountain coaster, summer skiing, via feretta etc etc etc.
We had our honeymoon split between there and Livigno.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
We spend a lot of time in Mayrhofen in the summer but it is not big on Mountain Bike trails. If that is important Saalbach/Hintrglem may be better.
We do a bit of Ebiking which is fine but are more focussed on walking/hiking and skiing up on the glacier. The via ferata is great but the rafting is a bit tame. Kids have done a bit of canyoning which they loved.
We couldn't have done this climb without the E mountain bikes, but it's worth the trip for the jump at the top.
Leogang for great mountain biking, scenery and hiking.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
The Stubaital could well work. There are a number of nice villages Neustift, Fulpmes etc (not too big so still feel like villages rather than towns). Easy to get to & from Innsbruck and also onto the Brenner if you are planning to go the the Gardasee etc (not sure that is a good idea as overrun with folk from Munich etc all summer). Lots to do, some first rate walking from easy strolls to strenuous hut hikes. Summer skiing (some good walks from the cable car mid station too). Cant vouch for the MTB stuff but there must be plenty of trails.
a road trip to include a stay at one of the Italian lakes and 10 days at an Austrian resort.
after Italy I would thoroughly recommend staying on the Italian side of the border in the Südtirol (Dolomites) - maybe Selva/Canazei/Arabba
The most stunning scenery in the Alps, with fantastic outdoor activities including MTB and some of the best ViaFerrata (scrambling/climbing) routes you'll find
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The resort hosts the annual World Games of Mountain Biking, and has been voted the best area for biking in the eastern Alps.
You also have the large and very scenic lake at nearby Zell am See for all manner of water sports, and also white water rafting, hiking, paragliding, summer tobogganing, etc.
Let me know if you’d like more information (I live in Saalbach)
After all it is free
After all it is free
The Salzkammergut in Upper Austria could well fit the bill.
There are 76 lakes in the region and it’s incredibly scenic. The history is of the area is interesting, most of the lakes are drinking water quality and, typically, around 20-23 degrees in Summer. Ambient temperatures tend to range from mid 20’s to mid 30’s C.
For a combination of history, culture and entertainment, Bad Ischl is a good bet. One can access much of the Salzkammergut region relatively easily from the city (it’s actually more like a town). In 2024 it’s the European Capital of Culture so I’d expect there to be quite a few test events taking place.
Other popular towns include: Bad Goisern, St Wolfgang (or Strobl, St Gilgen) on the Wolfgangsee, Ebensee, Gmunden. Obertraun is another option but it is generally quieter.
For accommodation, there is a wide array of hotels, apartments, guest houses etc. I wouldn’t recommend leaving booking for too long - in the peak months of July and August, there is usually a strain on availability. The area is extremely popular with Austrians, Germans and other Central European holiday makers.
If you’d like any specific information, let me know.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
And, if you go with Cacciatore's suggestion, I can attest that there is no more wonderful place to stay than Landhaus Fay.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
We Stayed in Ischgl this summer, Masses of hiking, mountain biking, e-biking, swimming. really was a great 10 days. we hiked and cycled in various places along the paznaun valley from See, kappl,ischgl, Samnaun(suisse), galtur and on to Silvretta strausee. As always free busses, and use of lifts are brilliant. upgrade your guest card its worth it to have free lifts available all the time (especially if you get stuck in switzerland).
As always the free valley bus service is enormously helpful.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
geoffers wrote:
@franga,
Quote:
a road trip to include a stay at one of the Italian lakes and 10 days at an Austrian resort.
after Italy I would thoroughly recommend staying on the Italian side of the border in the Südtirol (Dolomites) - maybe Selva/Canazei/Arabba
The most stunning scenery in the Alps, with fantastic outdoor activities including MTB and some of the best ViaFerrata (scrambling/climbing) routes you'll find
+1 to this the Südtirol is as "Austrian" as the other parts of the Tirol north of the Brenner, the scenery is stunning, lots of bike possibilities (both road & MTB), the walking is amazing, if you like via ferratas the best ones are here. It is also wine country which appeals to some. It tends to be slightly warmer than north of the Brenner though perhaps more prone to afternoon storms
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@franga, We stay in St Anton for a week minimum most summers (including a 2 week 2 locations plan for 2023), for hiking/ mountain biking and St Anton and neighbouring villages fits your requirements perfectly, as do most towns in Austria Tirol and also Salzburg area I suggest. Also look at Bregenzerwald and Lechtal areas.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Hurtle, awww, thank you lovely lady
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
franga wrote:
Hello,
We normally spend our summer holidays in Les Gets, Morzine or Val d'Isere as both our teenage lads are keen MTBs / as a family we prefer active holidays than lying on a sun-lounger reading John Grisham books.
We would like to go somewhere different this year and are planning a road trip to include a stay at one of the Italian lakes and 10 days at an Austrian resort.
Which Austrian town would fit the bill :
- picturesque / lovely setting
- lively in the summer months
- lots of activities in MTB, hiking, rafting etc.
Thanks
How about Zell am See; lake. mountain, glacier
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
The Salzkammergut lakes are nice. We camped there for several years, yonks ago, when I was a teenager. "Activities" then were limited to swimming and mountain walking - there's so much more organised these days. We had some great holidays but also some epic deluges. One evening we packed up the tent before getting flooded out of a camp site at Fuschl and spent the night sleeping in the car on a layby on the way home.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
One quick addition to the earlier post, if it’s of interest.
The Traun river (between Bad Ischl and Ebensee) now plays host to one of Europe’s largest river wave surfing facilities.
From feedback from various guests who’ve either tried as beginners, or as experienced surfers, it sounds great fun!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@pam w, it’s green for a reason… Even this summer, whilst Europe turned brown, it was amazingly lush here. Much to the happy surprise of a lot of visitors.
Incidentally, Fuschlsee (30 mins away) is one of my favourite lakes for paddle boarding and swimming. The colour of the water is incredible.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
OK, I know it is no longer in Austria but may I suggest the Dolomites. If you want some exciting activities try some via ferrata and the best of these are in the Dolomites
If mountain biking is important then in Austria you really want to look at Saalbach (includes Leogang and Hinterglemm), Sölden and Nauders. Quite a few of the areas named above have no *legal* mountain bike offering (Stubaital has a small but rowdy Bikepark at the Elferlifte, Bikepark Innsbruck (it’s ok but not the same league as the first 3) at Muttereralm down the valley and some great but not legal enduro trails).
Out of those Saalbach/Leogang (best bikepark in Austria IMO) tick your picturesque and lively boxes, but you’d probably have to drive to the Enns for rafting(?).
Sölden has Europe’s best rafting just down the valley on the Ötz, though the village itself is a dump (can mitigate that by staying in Ötz or Vent or one of the other villages instead). Area47 has a bunch of cool ‘active’ things to do too.
Nauders is kinda more ‘lift accessed enduro’ than a typical bikepark; no shaped jump lines but rather the trails feel very natural, rough and rooty. Great biking and you can link together some pretty epic loops too. Rafting nearby on the Tösens section of the Inn and/or the Sanna depending on levels (Ötz is also close enough too - and Serfaus bikepark too for that matter). Village is definitely further out of the way and feels less like crazy summer tourism than the others - less lively but definitely picturesque (wild enough to occasionally get a bear walking through too!).
If you’re traveling to AT viathe Italian lakes, you’ll also get great MTB at Lake Garda and on the way up to AT at Dolomiti Paganella (by Molveno) and all over the Dolomites (Plose has a small bikepark plus more ‘lift access enduro for example).
Sud Tirol is generally easier/better for biking than Austria because shared trails are the norm there, whereas in AT the land use laws mean 99% of the trails are legal only for hikers (in spring and autumn or early morning/late evening you can normally ride them without problems, but during the day in peak holiday times you will have issues with fascist hikers).
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 12-01-23 12:25; edited 1 time in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@clarky999, there is white water rafting at Taxenbach, just the other side of Zell am See (from Saalbach).
Thanks all for taking the time to offer your advice, suggestions, knowledge etc. I'm absolutely stacked at work but I will go through every single post over the weekend, talk to Mrs F and start forming a plan. I may come back with more questions if that's OK. Thanks again!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
All, again thanks very much for your input, recommendations etc ... its' much appreciated.
We have decided to extend our summer hols to just over 3 weeks and have started looking at the following in detail :
We'll head to Saalbach first (it looks lovely and the resort website is very helpful on summer activities) / we also have relatives in Hof near Salzburg so we'll pop over to see them too. Thanks @clarky999 and @tatmanstours for your suggestions.
We will then make our way to one of the Dolomite resorts - as a starting point we have started looking at the Val di Fassa website which is very comprehensive. Thanks @geoffers for the recommendation.
We will then start making our way back, stopping over at one of the Italian lakes for a couple of nights.
Mrs F is slightly sceptical about the amount of driving and distances involved but you only live once ...
After all it is free
After all it is free
franga wrote:
All, again thanks very much for your input, recommendations etc ... its' much appreciated.
We have decided to extend our summer hols to just over 3 weeks and have started looking at the following in detail :
We'll head to Saalbach first (it looks lovely and the resort website is very helpful on summer activities) / we also have relatives in Hof near Salzburg so we'll pop over to see them too.
Hof is the Western ‘gateway’ to the Salzkammergut - the Fuschlsee is only a couple of km down the road. If you have time and the weather is good, def head there for a swim, if nothing else. It’s a fabulous lake and one of my favourites for swimming/SUP. I’m sure your relatives will also have some pretty in-depth info etc.
Have a great Summer holiday.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Cacciatore wrote:
franga wrote:
All, again thanks very much for your input, recommendations etc ... its' much appreciated.
We have decided to extend our summer hols to just over 3 weeks and have started looking at the following in detail :
We'll head to Saalbach first (it looks lovely and the resort website is very helpful on summer activities) / we also have relatives in Hof near Salzburg so we'll pop over to see them too.
Hof is the Western ‘gateway’ to the Salzkammergut - the Fuschlsee is only a couple of km down the road. If you have time and the weather is good, def head there for a swim, if nothing else. It’s a fabulous lake and one of my favourites for swimming/SUP. I’m sure your relatives will also have some pretty in-depth info etc.
Have a great Summer holiday.
@cacciatore, thank you very much. We have incorporated this into our trip plan. So heading down to Val di Fassa for 2 weeks to start with. We will then go to see our relatives in Hof for a couple of nights and then spend the remainder of our last week in Salzkammergut / Saalbach.
I love touring holidays on the continent!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
franga wrote:
Cacciatore wrote:
franga wrote:
All, again thanks very much for your input, recommendations etc ... its' much appreciated.
We have decided to extend our summer hols to just over 3 weeks and have started looking at the following in detail :
We'll head to Saalbach first (it looks lovely and the resort website is very helpful on summer activities) / we also have relatives in Hof near Salzburg so we'll pop over to see them too.
Hof is the Western ‘gateway’ to the Salzkammergut - the Fuschlsee is only a couple of km down the road. If you have time and the weather is good, def head there for a swim, if nothing else. It’s a fabulous lake and one of my favourites for swimming/SUP. I’m sure your relatives will also have some pretty in-depth info etc.
Have a great Summer holiday.
@cacciatore, thank you very much. We have incorporated this into our trip plan. So heading down to Val di Fassa for 2 weeks to start with. We will then go to see our relatives in Hof for a couple of nights and then spend the remainder of our last week in Salzkammergut / Saalbach.
I love touring holidays on the continent!
You’re very welcome . As I said, have a terrific holiday and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any specific questions regarding the Salzkammergut .
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Even this summer, whilst Europe turned brown, it was amazingly lush here. Much to the happy surprise of a lot of visitors.
. As I said, have a terrific holiday and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any specific questions regarding the Salzkammergut . 