Peaceful blue waters surrounded by mountains where parasailers float in the sky above and hikers climb. This is Austria’s bucolic Salzkammergut region of lakes and mountains, located just an hour from Salzburg.

Today the region feels pristine with a sprinkle of modern comforts. It’s very easy to get around, whether taking buses from city to city, finding a ferry to the surrounding villages, renting an e-bike, or hiking on well-marked trails. Read on for nine unforgettable things to do at this nature lover’s paradise.

1. Enjoy water activities on the lake

The crystal waters of the lake are the perfect place to enjoy water activities including swimming, paddleboarding, boating, waterskiing, and more. There’s something luxurious about the background of jagged mountain peaks.

Check for boathouses, activity parks, or other equipment rentals available on each lake. Waterfront hotels usually provide some equipment for guest use.

2. Climb the mountains

Discover an entire world in the mountains of the region for all types of hikes, from wilderness strolls to via ferrata. Up here you’ll find gasthofs to recharge, activity parks, and the best views.

Gondolas provide a way to reach some of the best trailheads and activities. In St. Wolfgang, you can ascend the Schafberg via Austria’s steepest cog railway.

Look up official information from the town or lake authorities to find trails in the area. You can also ask your hotel or host for information; you’ll often find lovely trails in walking distance from where you’re staying.

3. Take the ferry to explore the lake

The best way to explore the lakes is pick one town to stay in, and take ferries to visit the others. Public ferries provide perfect views from indoors or outdoors decks, and sell refreshments to make the ride even more enjoyable.

A historical ferry, the RMS Kaiser Franz Josef I, operates between St. Wolfgang and St. Gilgen on Wolfgangsee.

4. Walk through picturesque lakeside towns

Postcard-perfect lakeside villages await in Salzkammergut. The most picturesque to visit are Mondsee, Hallstatt, St. Wolfgang, and Gmunden, each small enough that you won’t need more than a few hours to visit.

While the lakes offer more or less similar activities, they all have a distinct character. Hallstattsee’s fairytale setting feels less quaint due to all the tourists, while on Attersee you might feel like you have the lake to yourself. Read more about the lakes and the best places to stay.

5. Enjoy art and music performances

Music performances are held in local venues like churches, community centers, and even town squares. These concerts are a magical way to experience some of the best classical performances around and evening shows provide something to do at night. During the summer, musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra take a monthlong break from their performances and head out of the city to perform intimate concerts.

Find events in advance advertised on the regional tourism site or town websites (for Mondsee, check Musiktage Mondsee). Bad Ischl, a mountain spa town, is a popular destination for music performances and well worth a visit.

6. Paraglide for panoramic views

What better way to view the lakes and mountains but from up near the clouds? For around $180 USD, you can do tandem paragliding flight with professionals who will take you on a thrilling (and safe!) 20-minute tour. A popular spot for paragliding is to take the Zwölferhorn cable car from St. Gilgen for a tandem flight over Wolfgangsee .

7. Enjoy traditional food and beer

Local specialties include game such as venison and trout and char species that can only be found in these lakes. You’ll also find sheep and goat dairy products, sweet and savory dumplings, pastries, and of course apple strudel. There truly are few bad eateries in the area, but for a special meal stop at Welterbe-Wirsthaus Steegwirt near Hallstatt for farm-to-table food.

For baked goods and products to take home, head to the weekly farmers’ markets. Local drink make special, easy souvenirs:

• For award-winning gin, See-Destellerie in St. Wolfgang uses herbs from the surrounding Alpine region
• On Attersee, try beers and shnapps at Brennerin or local brews from Bierschmiede.

8. Learn local history

The salt industry drove the region’s prosperity starting in the Bronze Age, and the best way to see this prehistoric past is at the Salzwelten Salt Mine in Hallstatt. It’s very touristic but a really a well-done excursion. Take the funicular up for views of the lake, and return by the 30-minute walking path which has additional historical information; just make sure you follow the signs back for town.

In the Altaussee Salt Mine, starting in 1943 Nazis once hid more than 6500 pieces of art they had looted from Allied countries. Zeitgeschichte Museum Ebensee is one of the best history museums in the region, covering modern history from the First Republic and Austro-Fascism up to the postwar era.

9. Ride a summer coaster

A thrilling way to enjoy the mountainsides is to zoom around on a summer coaster. You’ll have a view of the greenery as you ride in a toboggan-style car; it’s what the Disney Matterhorn ride is based on, except here without snow.

On Wolfgangsee you can drive to the toboggan run at Strobl. From Mondsee, you’ll need to take up the Grünberg cable car in Gmunden.

10. Detox at a sauna

If you love saunas, you’ll be amazed at Austria’s spa culture. To experience the large spa complexes, you’ll have to venture away from the lake to the mountain towns. The Hotel Winzer in St. Georgen im Attergau is the only sauna I’ve needed a map for, featuring three distinct spa areas with more than 20 different sauna experiences, including an Aufguss ritual.

Wellness Alm in St. Wolfgang is a family-friendly option with multiple pools and eight themed saunas. Even smaller hotels may provide a well-equipped wellness area, so you may not need to go far.

Saunas are clothing-free, but in my experience sauna-goers tended to still trend towards privacy when nude, i.e. covering with towels and not sharing smaller saunas between multiple parties.

Conclusion

The lakes of Austria offer unforgettable and unique experiences with plenty of tourist infrastructure. Summer is the perfect time to go to escape the heat of the cities. If you have a week, choose a couple of lakes to base your travels and you can easily visit other lakes and their towns as day trips.

While this guide is for Salzkammergut, there are similar experiences and tourist infrastructure in the Tirol region closer to the German border.

Reach out with any questions, and happy planning!