What To Do In Summer In Alpbach Austria (Plus Useful Tips)

Pretty and unspoiled, Alpbach Austria is an ideal resort during the summer period for those seeking not only relaxation but outdoor activities. It has numerous hiking trails to suit all levels, that can be accessed directly from your hotel or a short bus ride. As well as castles, museums, gorges, and the Alpine Coaster, not just for the kids but adults too.

Your main problem is going to decide what activities you want to do in Alpbach Austria.

Despite my love of the mountains in winter, like many skiers, I was really intrigued to see what Alpbach had in store for me over the next few days. The big draw for summer visitors to Alpbach is the same as for the winter ones – an adventure in the mountains.

Summer in Alpbach village

Alpbach village in summer has chalet-styled homes and farmhouses with bright flowers outside. I found it interesting that they all looked similar but still had their own unique style. It reminded me a little bit of the city of Salzburg with charming buildings enriched with history.

I understood then, why Alpbach village is considered to be the prettiest village in Austria and has also won The Most Beautiful Floral Village in Europe award.

⇒ You can check what is currently required to enter Austria here before travelling.

Summer activities to do in Alpbach

Buese are free with an Alpbachtal Seenland Card, supplied by your hotel if you are staying longer than a night. Which is a similar incentive to the one in St Johann Austria. Not to mention the array of activities on and off the mountain, as well as the amazing food, the village of Alpbach Austria definitely has something for everyone.

To help travellers find their way around, here is our list of what to do in summer in Alpbach Alpbachtal:

1. Take a hike along the Path of Contemplation

Looking for a relaxing hike/stroll to warm up those legs or just want to get to know Alpbach village? Then how about taking a walk along the Path of Contemplation. It has several features along the way like a pond where you can dip your feet in, sculptures. As well as areas to learn about the village like the type of wood they used and even areas for resting.

1.1 Suitable for everyone

The gravel trail leads through the forest and is wide in most sections and is only a gentle climb upwards through the forest. The looped trail is suitable for everyone, even guests with pushchairs/buggies, and is the perfect introduction for Alpbach.

I found the path to be really peaceful and I loved that some of the features were interactive, like getting you to hug a tree.

Path of Contemplation Hiking Alpbach Austria Tyrol

2. Hike the Alpbach Nature & Heritage Trail

If you are up for it, you can extend your hike to the Alpbach Nature & Heritage Trail which will add on a couple of more km and maybe another hour. This path though is a little steeper and you won’t be able to take pushchairs/buggies.

However, you will get some amazing views across and down to Alpbach village. You will see why it is known as Austria’s most beautiful village and it is the most popular walk for families.

There are signs along the trail too, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost. It also has signs and features to give you an insight into nature and local history, as well as sitting benches to take in those incredible views across the village.

2.1 Information Path of Contemplation

Distance: – 2.2 kms
Suggested hiking time: – 1 hr
Fitness level: – Easy
Closed: – During the winter season

3. Hike to Wiedersbergerhorn summit for sunrise

What could be a better start to the day or even a trip in summer to Alpbach than to hike to Wiedersbergerhorn summit for a sunrise hike? You will be greeted with panoramic views over the Austrian alps while listening to sounds of the traditional Alpine horn playing and the tinkling of bells from the cows.

Watching a fiery sunrise from the Wiedersbergerhorn summit was definitely a great thing to do.

Nature lovers keep your Depending on the time during the summer season, experience the blossoming of rare plants and grasses such as the alpine flower, Almrosen (Rhododendron).

3.1 About the hike

Once you get off the Wiedersbergerhorn gondola top station, you make the ascent towards the Wiedersbergerhorn peak at 2.127m for sunrise. Don’t worry if you don’t make it all the way to the summit as there are a couple of viewing points (seats) along the way. From about halfway up, you can start getting panoramic views.

If you don’t make it for the sunrise hike or you want to stay up the mountain longer, there is a panorama path around the Wiedersbergerhorn, which is at about 1,880 m.

3.2 Additional Information

Ascent to the summit – 2.128 m
Times – Ascent (4:15 – 6:00 a.m.) Descent from 8:00 a.m.
Suggested hiking time: – 30mins – 1hr (Depending on your fitness)
Parking: – Free
The gondola fee: – 10 Euro’s (if bought prior to the day of the sunrise event) and 15 Euro’s on the day
Free – The lift is free with the Alpbachtal Seenland Card.
Ticket Purchase – Available from the Alpbachtal Seenland tourist offices
headlamps is advised.

4. Have a hearty breakfast on the mountain

If you are looking for a great hearty breakfast after your sunrise hike, then Hornalm is your place. It is located near the “Hornlift 2000”. Just make sure you book in advance (up until the day before). The Hornalm is open from 6:45 a.m on the days that the sunrise hike is open.

5. Ride the Alpine Coaster “Lauser Sauser”

One of the coolest things to do in summer in Alpbach is to ride the Alpine coaster known as the Lauser Sauser down the Wiedersbergerhorn mountain. It involves jumps, twists and turns at high speed while being strapped into a sitting position in a two-seater sledge.

You fly down the Wiedersbergerhorn from an altitude of 1.845 m while reaching speeds of up to 40kmph over 134 vertical meters. When the ride is over the coaster carries passengers and the sledge back to the top.

Don’t worry if you miss it in summer because the Alpine Coaster will open during the winter season, like the one in Pays de Gex.

5.1 Experiencing the Alpine coaster

Personally, I was a little scared especially at the start, when you fly around the two 360° twists. But it is very safe and you control the brakes. This means you can go as fast or as slow as you like, which made me feel better. Before I reached the bottom though I started building up courage and got a little faster.

Want to know more about the Tyrol area?

5.2 Additional Information

Price – €5.00 per child and €7.00 per adult (You get a discount if you buy in a block)
Located – At the top of the Wiedersbergerhorn gondola station.
Opening Hours – Daily | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Summer opening dates – 15.06.2019 – 03.11.2019
Duration – Roughly 4mins
Age Limit – 3 to 8 year olds must travel with another person.

5.3 Tip

You can not take your backpack on the Alpine Coaster, however, there are lockers at the start where you can leave your bags. It is a €2 deposit for the key, which you will get back when you return the key.

5.4 Experience the Alpine Coaster with me

6. Hike Wolfsklamm gorge to St Georgenberg Monastery

About a half-hour drive from Alpbach is the Wolfsklamm gorge and Georgenberg Monastery. Enjoy a stunning hike to one of Austria’s most beautiful gorges and admire the cascading waterfalls. Before heading to up to St Gergenber Monastery for a hearty traditional Austrian lunch with breathtaking views.

6.1 About Wolfsklamm gorge Hike

The trail leads over steps, ridges and rocky canyons through the gorge with some areas much steeper than others, but the view definitely makes everything worthwhile. Bring your camera because you definitely want to capture the waterfalls.

Just as you reach about halfway, you can look up and you are greeted with an amazing view of St Georgenberg Monastery. Which is perched on a clifftop. As you climb the mountain walking up through the lush alpine meadow, you are taken aback by the picturesque views, especially the bridge crossing over to the Monastery.

⇒ Read more in-depth about Wolfsklamm Gorge & St Georgenberg Monastery Austria

6.2 Addition Information

Distance: – 6kms
Suggested hiking time: – 3 hours
Fitness level: – Moderate
Entrance fee: – €4.50
Closed: – During the winter season
This is one of the optional excursions that is organised by Inghams to its guests that takes around half a day.

6.3 Tip

Around the halfway mark, there is a spot where you are allowed to stop and dip your feet into the water.

7. Have lunch at St Georgenberg Monastery

If you have time have lunch at St Georgenberg Monastery after your hike up. Not only will you get good hearty Austrian food but also the meals are huge. I had the Weiner schnitzel with fries, which were two massive pieces and it could have fed two people. I did try and eat both of them but unfortunately, I was not successful!

Make sure that you book your lunch at the St Georgenberg Monastery before you arrive, as it gets really busy and you don’t want to miss out on the food.

7.1 Tip

You can book this tour through your Inghams Rep and they will organise your transfer. They will also book the lunch but the meal will be at an additional fee.

8. Hike through Tiefenbach Gorge (Tiefenbachklamm)

Tiefenbach Gorge or Tiefenbachklamm is another great hike that should be added to your summer trip in Alpbach. Especially if you are on a walking holiday and want something that everyone can do. With its emerald green water gushing through the narrow ravine and its stunning waterfalls, the Tiefenbach Gorge (Tiefenbachklamm) is one of the prettiest that I have seen.

8.1 About the Tiefenbach Gorge hike

It is situated between Kramsach and Brandenberg in Alpbachtal region and only about a 16min drive from Alpbach village. This hike is about 4.5kms and should roughly take you about an hour and a half to complete. You can either start at Brandenberg or Kramsach, it really is up to you.

If you take it slow and stop for lunch at either Jausenstation Tiefenbachklamm or Jausenstation Stegerstall, it is a great half-day activity.

Around 1,5 km from the Kramsach starting point, you will reach the observation platform, an ideal spot to take in the breath-taking views. It’s best to wear good walking shoes that have a gripping sole through Tiefenbach Gorge (Tiefenbachklamm).

I wore my Merrell Women’s Siren 3 Low Rise Trainers. A lot of the trek is uneven and you will need to step over stones or roots of trees, especially when going through the forest. Also, most of the path above the Brandenberg stream is stone and gravel.

Please note: Due to safety reasons, the gorges are closed on days with heavy rainfall.

8.2 Addition Information

Distance: – 4.5kms
Suggested hiking time: – 1hr and half
Parking: – Free
Entrance fee: – It is free to hike through the gorge.
Closed: – During the winter season

8.3 Tip

If you are driving or you don’t want to hike back to where you started. You can catch a bus back, as they run to both entrances. Check the bus sign near either entrance for times and number.

9. Visit The Tirolean Farmhouses Museum

If you are a fan of history and architecture then a great place to visit during summer in the alpbachtal region is the Museum of Tirolean Farmhouse. Followed by a traditional delicious Austrian lunch afterwards at Wirtshaus Rohrerhof. On a 20-acre site, this intriguing open-air museum is the largest in Tyrol and is great for the whole family, especially with the interactive areas for children.

The intention of the outdoor museum is to preserve architectural buildings through 14 farms and 23 outbuildings. Gives you a feel and sense of what life was like in the various Tyrolean valleys.

It was interesting exploring these farmhouses and learning their history. Through projector images and stories on the inside of the walls about the people that had once lived in them and the hardship, they went through.

9.1 Additional information

Price – €5.00 per child and €7.00 per adult (You get a discount if you buy in a block)
Free – Entrance to the Museum of Tirolean Farmhouse is free with the Alpbachtal Seenland Card
Open – During the summer season
Duration – Roughly 1-2 hrs

9.2 Top tip

Book a guided tour if you want to know more about the museum. However, you need to book it in advance.

10. Have a Traditional Austrian Lunch

Wirtshaus Rohrerhof

After you finish walking around, have a traditional Austrian lunch at Wirtshaus Rohrerhof. Which is located at the entrance on the site of the Museum of Tyrolean Farmhouses. Here you will have a large selection of specialty Austrian food as well as Austrian beers and wines that you can have inside or outside on the terrace or in the beer garden.

10.1 What we ate

We couldn’t decide what to have from the menu individually, so the waiter brought us out a huge pan of various Austrian dishes to try. The food was hearty, tasty, and fresh, so much so that I could not stop eating. It was one of my favourite meal of the whole trip and definitely worth a visit.

⇒ Look at what other people have to say on TripAdvisor about Wirtshaus Rohrerhof

11. Live music during summer in Alpbach

One of the top things to do in summer in Alpbach on a Friday night is listening to live music in the village. The concert is held by the local brass orchestra band Bundesmusikkapelle Alpbach. The band plays every Friday evening during the summer season in the church square, opposite where I stayed at the Hotel Böglerhof.

You can enjoy both traditional and modern music while snipping on local schnapps being sold by local ladies in traditional costumes. At the same time mingling with the other holidaymakers and locals in the Alpbach village. The best bit is that it is FREE

⇒ Looking for other things to do in the Tyrol region, while staying in Alpbach Austria? How about some of these suggestions and tours?

12. Summer Hotels in Alpbach

There is a variety of accommodation and hotels offered during the summer in Alpbach. Due to the size of the village, most places are within walking distance or a short bus ride. You can browse the current availability of hotels in Alpbach instantly without any fees.

12.1 Alpbachtal Seenland Guest Card

Guests can benefit from the free Alpbachtal Seenland Guest Card during the summer in Alpbach. Which permits free use of the mountain lifts, free entry into local bathing lakes and swimming pools, and free entry into attractions such as the Museum of Tyrolean Farmhouses.

12.3 Tip

All accommodation and places in Alpbach use European adaptors

13 Hotel Böglerhof

During my time in Alpbach Austria, I stayed at the charming family-run Hotel Böglerhof, one of Inghams chosen hotels. Some of the other hotels offered by the tour operated are Alpbacherhof, Hotel Post, Hotel Alphof, and Haus Eidelweiss.

13.1 About Hotel Böglerhof

This gorgeous hotel is a mix of old and modern architecture and interior design with traditional wooden furnishing. It is located in the centre of Alpbach and in walking distance of most tourist attractions, pubs, and restaurants.

Hotel Böglerhof had everything that I needed and more, with a heated indoor and outdoor swimming pool, adjoined sauna, gym, games rooms, and tennis courts. As well as a restaurant, bar area and a terrace with stunning panoramic views of Alpbach mountains and the Ziller Valley.

Their service was really great too and I loved coming back in the afternoon and having a relaxing drink at the outdoor bar after hiking.

13.2 Rooms at The Hotel Böglerhof

I had a very spacious room on the top floor that was decorated in typical alpine chalet style with double glass doors that opened onto a lovely balcony that took advantage of the views across the village and slopes. My dreamy four-poster bed was super comfy and I loved waking up in the morning and having the mountains as my backdrop outside the door.

I had strong FREE WiFi and a desk with power points, something I always look for in a hotel. However, it was the personal touches in the room like fresh apples, a bag to use for the spa, and little notes that made this hotel even more enjoyable.

13.3 Tip

If you are driving there is free parking
Why don’t you take advantage of the bike rental that the hotel offers?

14. Things to know before visiting during summer in Alpbach

The tourism office has free Wifi, as well as wifi hotspots in alpbachtal
Buses are free with the Alpbachtal Seenland Card.
Take a trip to Lake Reither for a swim
You can obtain an Alpbachtal Seenland Card directly from your accommodation if you are staying longer than one night.
Visit the impressive Congress centre of Alpbach, where the “European Forum Alpbach” is held annually.
Take a 1 Litre bladder bag (Also known as Hydration bladder) or a water bottle sports water bottle with you on your hiking trails to keep you hydrated.

Thank you for reading this article, I hope it helped you decide on what summer activities you can do in Alpbach.

15. Other Summer Resorts in Europe

Interest in visiting other resorts in Europe during the Summer, how about the below articles?

Remember that you need to get some good Hiking Boots before your next adventure.

Booking links and information for Alpbach

Most of the accommodation is within the village, you can check prices and availability here for Alpbach.
Here is a selection of summer activities you can book for the Tirol region.
You can check prices and car rentals from Innsbruck Aiport to Alpbach in the summer

If you want to take a break from your Adventures or are staying in Innsbruck for the day before or after your trip. Then there is plenty to do.

⇒ For more information on the resort and what’s available to see and do, visit: Alpbachtal Site or Visit Tirol website.

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Disclaimer: Even though I was invited by the Inghams and Tirol Tourism All views are my own and based on my own experience.

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