Exploring Idyllic Alpbachtal in Austria: What to know before you go

If the Austrian Tirol is Austria as you dreamt it, the Alpbachtal region is this idyllic Austria writ large. Here the lush Alpine meadows sweep beneath craggy peaks still topped with a sprinkling of snow. If you have always been charmed by those chocolate box farmhouses, this is the place for you as the area is blessed with over 450 of them.

From cosy farmhouses...

Summer is a time in the Alpbachtal to get seriously active, whether you’re escaping to the Austrian Tirol with your family, as a couple or on your own. Those farmhouses make for a great base for heading out enjoying the sweep of trails that snake off through the valley floors and up the hillsides.

…to the great outdoors

The area is the perfect venue for hiking, with over 900km of well-marked trails and over 30 huts on hand for après walk cosiness. It’s a mountain biking haven too, with over 250km of marked routes.

For when you’re feeling active…

In recent years e-bikes have been on the rise, a handy invention as the extra power really helps you tackle the tougher gradients. Families are in their element here as they enjoy the natural playground of the Alps, with its clean lakes to bathe in and lung cleansing air. Summer-only gorge walks also tempt in a corner of Europe where kids are always welcome.

...to when you’re feeling less active

One new attraction is the Lauser Sauser modern Alpine coaster. It zooms from an altitude of 1,845m down 134m at speeds of up to 40km/ph. Handily for tired legs, it returns its two passengers to near the Wiedersbergerhorn gondola top station. Whatever you do in this slice of the Tirol, make sure to grab an Alpbachtal Seenland summer pass, which offers discounts and access to the quartet of summer lifts.

From pretty villages…

The glorious scenery is also dotted with pretty villages and towns sprinkled with welcoming cafés and hearty restaurants. Alpbach is often feted as Austria’s most beautiful village, with its neat wooden houses tucked prettily below sweeping forest and soaring mountain.

…to historical towns

Then there is Rattenberg – Austria´s smallest historical town with only 400 inhabitants. It is home to Kisslinger, where you can witness glass blowers in action before securing a unique glass art souvenir from an unforgettable corner of the Austrian Tirol.

Like what you see? 

Find out more about Alpbachtal here

AND watch Alpbachtal's video for a snapshot of the region's prettiest landscapes...

Photo Credits (From top to bottom) 

Header, 1 to 4:  (Alpbachtal Seenland Tourismus)

5: (Shutterstock)