The rock face in the gorge is so narrow and high in places that there is only a narrow strip of sky above. It’s always cool and wet in parts from the spray. A new spiral staircase leads 30 m (100 ft) down into the gorge. At the end of the walkway, a waterfall tumbles down from the mountain. At a length of 4 km (2.5 mi) and a depth of up to 300 m (1,000 ft), the Liechtensteinklamm near St. Johann is one of the largest gorges in the Alps. josalzburg.com
Photo: Tourismusverband St. Johann in Salzburg
The smithy in the village of Altenhof dates back to the 14th century and was once the workshop of the castle blacksmith. After being lovingly restored in minute detail, it has been open to visitors since 2016. Much of the equipment is in its original state. Just as in centuries past, the forging hammer is driven by a water wheel. The wooden mill race is also worth a look.
Photo: Christoph Hettegger
You’ll be overwhelmed by the ascent into the Tennengebirge range near the town of Werfen on Austria's steepest cable car. But it’s just a hint of what awaits you behind the approx. 20-m/65-ft-high portal to the ice cave: ice formations in all colours, huge stalagmites formed only by water. Yet only the first kilometer (0.6 miles) of the world's largest ice cave with a total length of 42 km (26 mi) is accessible. eisriesenwelt.at
Photo: Eisriesenwelt
The location alone is impressive: the castle, which is more than 900 years old, stands on a steep rock pinnacle in the Salzach Valley near Werfen in sight of the Tennengebirge and Hagengebirge ranges. After a short ride on the castle train, you’re plunged into the deepest Middle Ages. The interior of the castle is well worth seeing, as is the raptor free-flight show. You’ll see falcons, vultures, eagles and other native birds of prey show off their flying skills several times a day for the visitors. salzburg-burgen.at
Photo: Salzburger Land Tourismus
Welcome to the realm of the merry ghosts: Families float from the Alpendorf by gondola up to an elevation of 1,767 m (6,000 ft) to Geisterberg Mountain and its 40 play stations and hiking trails (suitable for strollers). On foot or by ghost train, they travel through the adventure park with its ghost worlds, adventure trails, ghost castle and ghost village, swings, bird’s nests and climbing towers. There are water games, a haunted ghost lake with a raft and a pine-cone shooting gallery. Tranquil Sonntagskogel Lake beckons with a gorgeous view of the Pongau mountains. A challenge for athletic teens is Drachi's via ferrata (equipment required). josalzburg.com
Equipment rental: Climbing harnesses, rockfall helmets and via ferrata sets are available for rent at the sports store at the bottom station.
Photo: Christoph Huber/Snow Space Salzburg
Stubnerkogel is ideal for families: it’s quickly reached by gondola and offers the best views in Bad Gastein. A circular summit trail leads to a number of different viewing platforms and across a suspension bridge high above the abyss. From the Glocknerblick viewing platform, you’ll feel like you can almost reach out and touch Austria's highest mountain. On the Rock Trail, you walk across a steel structure anchored to the sheer rock face towards a fantastic point overlooking the main ridge of the Alps. From the Talblick viewing platform, you can let your eye wander out over the Gastein Valley toward Goldegg, with Dachstein and Hochkönig mountains on the horizon. skigastein.com
Our tip: Take an evening trip up Stubnerkogel mountain.
Dates: 22.06.24 | 26.07.24 | 17.08.24 from 6–10pm (weather permitting).
Photo: Gasteiner Bergbahnen AG
Two outdoor thermal baths, a sizeable sauna area and two spectacular waterslides: Alpentherme caters to everyone. With 36,000 sq m (387,500 sq ft) of indoor and outdoor space, there is plenty of room for families, for those seeking peace and quiet and for sports and leisure fans. A visit to the Sauna World, with its indoor and outdoor cabins, and to the Crystal Lake is well worth it. In the summer, the large outdoor thermal lake is also open. And by the way, it’s within sight of our picturesque Weitmoser-Schlössl. alpentherme.com
Photo: Alpentherme Bad Hofgastein
The Celts were already mining the valuable salt from Dürrnberg mountain in Hallein in 400 BC. In the Middle Ages, the "white gold" made Salzburg’s archbishops extremely wealthy. Today, visitors rather than hard-working miners ride the mine train into the mountain, slide down two long miners' slides from floor to floor and ride a raft across the underground salt lake. The historic mine has recently been completely renovated and only reopened in May 2021. Registration necessary. salzwelten.at
Photo: Salzwelten/Bergauer
With over 250 three-thousanders, more than 300 glaciers, almost 1,000 mountain lakes, and an abundance of flora and fauna, Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest protected area in the Alps. The National Park Centre in Mittersill brings these natural wonders together under one roof at ten experience stations. hohetauern.at
Photo: Hohe Tauern National Park
An easy walk through the zoo: Park at Hellbrunn Palace (paid parking) and enter the zoo through the palace grounds and the north entrance. You could spend hours with the ibexes, bears, otters, pandas, gibbons, capuchin monkeys, nandus, jaguars and canaries or in the Africa section with rhinos, Watusi cattle, zebras, lions and Cape penguins. It’s then just a short distance back to the southern exit, across the wooded Hellbrunn Hill, past the magical Stone Theatre and the late-Renaissance Monatsschlössl, and back to the palace park. salzburg-zoo.at
Photo: Manfred Werner
From prehistoric times to the future. Young and old can discover the most exciting aspects of nature and technology in Salzburg's most popular museum. The journey starts with dinosaurs and a world millions of years ago and ends with the achievements of space travel and the mysteries of distant galaxies.
In between, there’s an aquarium with different ecosystems (feedings on Mondays and Thursdays), a reptile zoo with terrariums that recreate the natural environment, and a science centre for kids to experiment. hausdernatur.at
Photo: Haus der Natur
The baroque city and its city mountains are world famous. But who’s seen the view from these mountains? If you want to experience great hiking in the city, the parking lot at Augustiner Bräu brewery in the Mülln neighbourhood is the place to start. Take the stairs to the right of the beer garden and walk up to Augustinergasse and along the road up Mönchsberg mountain. After the next staircase, walk through both stone gates, Monikapforte and Augustinerpforte, and immediately afterwards take a sharp left onto the narrow path. Below the castle-like Hotel Mönchsstein, the path continues along the mountain side. After a few meters, descend to the left using the stairs to Humboldterrasse, one of the best viewpoints of all (if you’re not scared of heights). Then walk back up and continue on the upper path. At the Museum der Moderne (1.4 km/0.87 mi, 30 min.), you’ll see the next popular view of the city. If you want to do a big loop, continue on toward Festungsberg mountain and Nonnberg Abbey (3.2 km/2 mi, 1 hour). Above Sigmundstor, the entrance to the tunnel through the mountain, and at the fortress are also great overlook points. To get back down into the city, you can take the Mönchsberg elevator at the museum, the Toscanini Staircase at the Festspielhaus, or the FestungsBahn funicular from the fortress, or walk down Festungsgasse or the Nonnbergstiege staircase). Make your way back to Augustiner Bräu through the Old Town toward the church in Mülln. www.augustinerbier.at
Photo: Salzburg Tourismus / Günter Breitegger
180 attractions throughout the State of Salzburg. Includes a 24-hour Salzburg Card for the City of Salzburg, for sights like:
Purchase your Salzburgerland Card at salzburgerland.com
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