Welcome to DandJWalks walking in Austria page. Here we detail some general information on walking in Austria and give a summary of the holidays we have taken in Austria with links (see bottom of this page) to the specific pages on Neustift, Ischgl , Kaprun, Finkenberg, Solden, Lech, Heiligenblut, Saabach. We hope you find it useful and would welcome any questions or feedback.
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WA Why Austria?
PH Package holiday or DIY? WG Where to go? WH When to go? AC Accomodation |
ME Meals
MW Maps and Waymarking MH Mountain Huts and Alms HF Hut Food and Drinks RV Resorts we have visited |
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Austria is a excellenyt holiday destination for walkers. The scenery is impressive, especially in the high alpine areas, with the snow topped mountains and the glaciers. There is great walking at all grades with a good choice of destinations, many being well served by the package companies. The hotels we have stayed at have invariably are of a very good standard, family run and serve very good food. The villages are very picturesque with flower laden window boxes on the houses. English is widely spoken. The infrastructure is excellent. Most resorts are served by buses, and many have access to cable cars and chair lifts. There are mountain huts and alms where you can food and refreshment during your walk. We normally take our own food, but a bowl of warming soup has perked us up on the occasional cold day.
The weather in the mountains can change quickly, and it may not be sunny every day, however it is generally more settled in the summer than the UK.
Most of the Austrian resorts are quiet in the evening (unlike apres ski in winter). Most nights will revolve around a good meal in the hotel, followed by a drink in the bar. Many villages have a concert every week featuring the local choir and band. Some resorts have kegelbahn (Austrian bowling) alleys, which can be fun, especially when combined with Schnapps. Some resorts put on Austrian Folk Evenings or Slide Shows for the guests. If you want to go clubbing every night then this isn't the place for you!
One of the first decisions to be made is whether to take a 'package holiday' or to book everything yourself.(*)
If you want a holiday where you visit number of resorts, and you are happy driving abroard, then it is probably best to drive your car to Austria. Aaccommodation is available at all levels, and so usually there should be no need to pre-book. There are some excellent campsites. Another alternative is to take a low cost flight to Zurich, Salzburg or Munich, and pick up a hire car.
If you want to stay in the one hotel for a week or two, then the cost of a package may well be less than organising it yourself. This is easy to check with a bit of googling, many Austrian resorts have there own websites, with lists of accommodation and prices. With a package you get the flight from the UK, the transfers between airport and resort and the services of a holiday representative.
(*) Another option, recommended by fellow travellers, is to ask the package companies to quote cost for flight and transfer, and book your own accomodation independently. The people we met used this option to secure more facilities and an extra course with the evening meal, whilst still paying less than the package price. Ask for the cost of transfer to be quoted separately as some times it is simple and cheaper to do yourself. However bear in mind that a delayed flight could mean you miss the last bus or train.
A number of companies offer Lakes and Mountains holidays, the two that offer the most comprehensive choice for Austria are Inghams and Crystals. These are the companies we normally use.
An alternative is to go with a specialist walking company such as Ramblers or HF. As well as providing a package of flight, hotel and transfers, you also get a walking leader for the duration of the holiday. These holidays can appeal if you enjoy walking in a group and prefer to have yor walks planned for you. The companies grade their holidays, so read the gradings carefully before you choose the holiday. Remember that the walking leader will lead walks at the grade of the holiday, so if you want harder or easier walking you would have to do the walks yourself. Because the infrastructure, maps and waymarking in Austria is so good, we prefer not to use the specialist companies. However, we have had some very good holidays with these companies in other parts of Europe. One point to note is that HF normally have two leaders and offer a harder and easier (but to quote Maggie, easier does not necessarily mean easy) walk.
Another type of walking holiday is a hut to hut walking holiday either with specialist walking company or self organised. There is a large network of huts in Austria, and so there are numerous hut to hut routes that can be done. The advantage of hut to hut is that the accomodation costs are reasonable, and you are keeping up high, giving time to do extra peaks.
If you are keen walkers like ourselves who will walk 12 or 13 days in a fortnight, you will need to ensure that the resort has enough walking to occupy yourself. Tthe holiday brochures often mention "kms of footpaths" within the resort information section. We would look for a resort with at least 200 kms (125 miles) of paths. The Crystal brochure used to give star ratings for their resorts which was quite useful. Recommendations from friends can help, but beware a resort which is 'heaven' for one person, may not be as good for yourself.
Normally after much research Dennis will make a shortlist of resorts, and Jackie then gets to choose from this list. For Dennis the planning of the holiday starts about 9 to 10 months before we go, leaving him plenty of time to research information from brochures and the internet. In some cases, he will order the appropriate Kompass walking map from Stanfords and spend much time studying the maps.
The problem we have now is that we have exhausted our shortlist of Austrian resorts that the companies go to - hurray says Jackie, can I have my trip to Mayhofen now? Dennis ruled it off the shortlist as it is just below Finkenberg. The companies do introduce new resorts from time to time, so keep looking, that's how we ended up in Heilingblut in Carinthia. If you really fancy a resort then it is probably a good idea to go sooner rather than later, especially if it is only offered by one operator. The operators will drop resorts from their brochure if the popular demand is not there. Solden, our holiday destination in 1995 is no longer offered. If you wanted to do Solden yourself then you could apprach the companies going to Obergurgl and ask if they would do a flight and tranfer deal.
The mountain huts and cable cars open from around mid June to mid September, so if you want to use them, then you will have to go between these dates. May and early June will be better if you are interested in alpine flowers, as they will be at their best. In July and August it can get hot, and especially at altitude the sun will be strong. By late August/early September any high paths are likely to be clear of snow. However in mountain areas the weather can change quickly, we have had snow at some time on many of our Austrian Holidays.
Normally we go for the two weeks that contain the August Bank Holiday Monday. This is to save on holiday leave from work, it is generally not too hot and the prices are more reasonable.
There is a wide range of accommodation available in most of the Austrian resorts, from Hotels and Pensions, to Self Catering Apartments and Campsites. Some of the resorts also have youth hostels. If you walk through any Austrian resort you will see 'Zimmer Frei' (Rooms available) signs outside many of the houses.
Most of the package holidays concentrate on hotels on half board basis. They may offer a few bed and breakfast Pensions or self catering appartments.
The hotels and pensions are graded using a star system ranging from * (basic) to ***** (luxurious). The hotels the package companies use are generally three or four star hotels. Most accommodation in Austria at whatever grade is clean and comfortable.
If you are staying in the same place for two weeks, then choosing a hotel will be an important decision. Many Austrian hotels have been in the same family for generations, and are very well run with the owners living in or close to the hotel. If possible choose a family run hotel, and take care with hotels that are run by the tour companies. This is not to say that they should be avoided but you may want to check meal times - a Crystal hotel that friends of ours stayed at served the evening meal in one sitting at 6:00pm
The brochures carry information on the hotels they offer, they also indicate if the hotels are family friendly, walker friendly or cater for special diets. The internet is also a good information source, and most Austrian resorts have information on accommodation and pricing, with many having online booking. Many Austrian hotels, especially four and five star, have their own websites.
In general with Austrian hotels you will get what you pay for. A three star hotel will be a good standard of hotel with generally good food and pleasant rooms. Four star hotels will probably offer more facilities such as swimming pools, spas and extra choices at the evening meal.
Normally hotels do not serve breakfast and evening meals at one sitting. For instance breakfast may be served betweem 7.30 am to 9.30 am, and evening meal served between 7pm to 9pm. This is really useful if you want an early start or late finish. It does not apply to all hotels, and if this is an important factor for yourself then it is probably best to check with the hotel or travel company direct.
One of the reasons that we delayed going to Austria for a while was a concern about the Austrians love for veal and pork. Most of our friends who had holidayed in Austria were happy with this. Jackie is not very keen on meat, and prefers to eat fish and vegetarian dishes. Our first few holidays were in bed and breakfast pensions, taking our evening meals in local hotels and restaurants. This worked quite well, most resorts have a number of restaurants and hotels open to non residents. You can walk around checking the menus for the meals that you like, and also what price range you are prepared to pay. If you are in a resort for a couple of weeks you will probably find a few favourites and stick with them. Overall you should be able to find somewhere that appeals to you, increasingly there are a number of places that offer vegetarian dishes or even wholefood/vegetarian set meals, often for prives comparable to, or less than, a British pub meal. It may be difficult if you are on a strict vegan diet.
Many of the hotels offer a daily table d'hote menu, this is often very good value for money. It will often comprise a three course meal with a couple of choices at each course. It can be cheaper eating in a four star hotel than in a local restaurant.
If you are eating out then it would be advisable to have a German/English dictionary, so that you can translate what is on offer. In the resort guides for Finkenberg, Ischgl, Kaprun, and Solden we have listed places where we enjoyed the meals.
The most popular option for people on a package is to stay on half board with the hotel providing the evening meal. Again hotel meals can vary from a basic three course meal, to a multi-course meal with choices. A lot of hotels offer a salad buffet along with the meal. This is normally taken as a seperate course between starters and the main course. Hotels will often put on special 'theme' evenings, or offer special buffets such as Farmers Grill, Dessert Buffets, Italian Buffets etc. In most hotel restaurants the dress code is informal, however a few require men to wear a jacket and tie. In hotels with English guests they will normally provide the menu in English.
Inghams brochure is very helpful as they denote (with a green letter v) which hotels cater best for vegetarians. This could mean a seperate vegetarian menu that changes daily, or can be a set list of vegetarian dishes which are always available. Again if this is an important factor contact the hotel or travel company directly.
Beer is a very popular drink with meals, you can get beer in a small glass (kleines) or a large glass (grosses). Popular brands are Kaiser, Stiegl amd Goesser. Wine is also available, and you can try out some regional Austrian wines which are not widely available in the UK.
Breakfasts will normally comprise of at least bread with cheese, ham amd jam and often boiled eggs. Again a lot of the larger hotels will provide a buffet breakfast that may also include cereals, fresh fruit, pastries and sometimes hot food such as scrambled egg and bacon as well. Tea or Coffee will be served, and fruit or herbal teas may be available as well.
The most widely available maps for walking in Austria is the Kompass series at 1:50000. These maps can be obtained from specialist map stockists in the UK. Note that these maps are not as detailed or accurate as the Ordnance Survey maps so they should not be used for mountain navigation away from the paths. If you want to climb in the mountains then you will need to buy an Austrian Alpine Map at 1:25000.
For most resorts one Kompass map will cover the whole walking area. Paths are clearly marked on the map in red and are often given a number. All the mountain huts and the majority of the mountain alms are marked on the map with the altitude given. As the maps give spot heights of villages and valley starting points you can work out the ascent needed to reach a certain point. Bus Stops are also shown on the maps with a H in a small circle.
On the map the paths are graded, Continous and broken solid red paths are generally well marked and should be relatively easy to follow. Small red dotted paths signify a path that may cross more difficult terrain or a scramble to a peak.
Accompanying the Kompass map is a guidebook in German, for some areas this is also in English. This will contain information on the Mountain Huts and Villages with some suggestions for walks and climbs. Some routes are marked 'nur fur geubte" (only for climbers) this can cover anything from a scramble to a rock or ice climb.
I always like to buy the map before the holiday so that I get a good idea of the walking possibilities. You can always wait until you get out to the resort as the maps will be cheaper there. Also in some resorts there will be other walking maps available at a greater scale.
Signposting and waymarking of routes is very good and quite a surprise if you haven't walked in Austria or somewhere similar before. Signs tend to indicate the walking time to a particular destination not the distance. The paths are marked by splashes of paint on prominent buildings, trees, rocks etc. Most of the main alpine paths are marked with the familiar red and white stripe which may also have the path number stamped on. Most path junctions will have a signpost indicating the choice of paths. This makes the navigation easy. However be careful as some paths that cross certain terrain can become indistinct especially in poor visibility.
There is a very extensive network of Mountain Huts in Austria. They provide accommodation for people who want to climb the nearby mountains or who are on a walking tour from one hut to another. For the walker the great thing is that they provide food and drink and in bad weather shelter. Many of the walks in the resort guides visit these Mountain Huts. Most huts in Austria are run by the DAV (German) or the OEAV (Austrian) Alpine Clubs. In some of the huts you pay a small 'tax' that goes towards the Alpine Club. You do not have to pay this if you are a member of the BMC or Austrian Alpine Club UK section, you will also get a discount on accommodation
Supplementing the huts and usually at a lower altitude are a number of mountain alms or restaurants. These may be very simple just selling milk or can offer an extensive menu.
If you are having a good buffet breakfast and evening meal you will probably not want too much to eat during the day. It is nice thought to treat yourself to a drink and some food in the huts or alms. Below are lists of food and drinks that you will find available in the huts
This is a personal summary of the resorts we have visited to date in Austria. A more detailed guide to each of the resorts can be found on the respective resort page.
Finkenberg - The Zillertal walking area is an excellent walking area, and a good introduction to Austria. If you choose to stay in Mayrhofen rather than Finkenberg, then this is a larger village, which offers more choice of in terms of accommodation and tour operators, and is the transport hub for the area. Four main valleys radiate from Mayrhofen, with an extensive bus service and many cable cars. There is a lot of walking to be done here, with an excellent selection of mountain huts and alms. Mayrhofen is a popular place and can get busy. If you want somewhere peaceful, then Finkenberg could be the better choice for you.
Heiligenblut - Heiligenblut is a very good walking area. The walking can be quite tough as there are steep slopes above the village, so we wouldn't recommend it for those people looking for a lot of easy walking. All walks are rewarded by excellent views. All but one walk we did was from the village or Franz Josef Heights. It is an area where it could be useful to have a car, as many of the valleys leading off from the main Moll valley are long with have road access and car parks.
Ischgl - This was the first Austrian resort we visited and we really enjoyed it. There was enough walking in the valley for a fortnight. The village was pleasant and was quiet. There is a very good selection of mountain huts in this area. Based on reports from friends the Idalp area above Ischgl has been much impacted by skiing developments since our holiday.
Kaprun - We would hesitate to recommend this resort, but we did not have the best of weather so that may have clouded our judgement. Kaprun itself was pleasant, but the walking was not well promoted in the area. There was a fair bit of travelling and changing buses, to get the best walking out of the resort and the choice mountain huts was limited. Kaprun is a good excursion centre.
Lech - We found Lech to be a very good walking centre. There was varied walking, with some high level paths and opportunity to climb some peaks. There was an excellent infrastructure of hiking buses and cable cars. Lech is one of the most expensive Austrian resorts, although once you are there all the transport is free for the whole duration of your stay. The village is pleasant and compact.
Neustift - We were a little bit disappointed with Neustift. The walking was not as varied as other areas, and some of the walking is limited to walking up to a hut and returning the same way. The area is famous for the Stubai High Level path which is a hut to hut route, this is something we would like to do in the future. There is a good bus and lift system, as well as the Stubaital Bahn tram. There seemed to be a reasonable choice of hotels, and there is enough walking to fill a two week holiday.
Saalbach - Saalbach is a very good walking area. It certainly exceeded our expectations, we had booked the holiday with a bit of uncertainty about the suitability of the resort for two weeks walking. The resort is good for all levels of walking as there is quite mixed terrain and there are the four cable cars to use. All the walks except one started and finished in the valley, the exception was the walk over to Zell am See. The hills and mountains around the valley are not that high by Austrain Standards (c 2000m) and this means that you can walk to the tops and along ridges. We found the top (western) end of the valley particularly attractive with some very nice peaks to climb.
Solden - The Oetztal like the Zillertal is an excellent walking area with a vast choice of walks. It is a long valley with a number of side valleys branching off. Solden is not currently offered by the tour operators. The nearest main resort is Obergurgl. Obergurgl is at the head of the valley, and has enough walking to keep most people occupied for a couple of weeks. Obergurgl is a very high resort, and if the weather is bad then the bus down the valley gives access to many more walking possibilities. The walking is well promoted in the Oetz Valley and there is a good selection of mountain huts and alms. Obergurgl like Mayrhofen is a very popular resort and can get busy, it is very popular with guests from UK.
This page was last updated on Saturday 3rd January 2007.