the trail of the Blue Gentian, which is a remarkable 350km
otherwise known as Zorbing.
in length, passing 120 Alpine huts and divided into 31
If the mountains themselves aren’t high enough you can
stages, many of which are family- and dog-friendly.
leave the ground in a plane or balloon for a sightseeing
You can choose to do as much or as little of the route as
flight or try paragliding, skydiving, tandem jumping,
you’d like (perhaps just one section or for just a couple
gliding or hang gliding at one of the schools in the region.
of days), deciding each afternoon whether to head down for the night and visit one of the dozens of towns and villages below or to stay up in a mountain hut and
THE C I T Y OF SALZBURG
continue next day from there. There’s a website dedicated to the route at
It’s difficult not to spend time in SalzburgerLand without
www.salzburger-almenweg.at, and here there are hints
a visit to the beautiful city of Salzburg itself, a UNESCO
and tips for foodies or those seeking out the most
World Heritage site. Perhaps visit at the start or end of
spectacular vistas, among other niche interests.
your trip, if you fly in and out of the region’s small, friendly
There are plenty of shorter hikes too. “4 Mountains – 3
airport, to which there are direct flights from London.
Lakes” has four stages taking you through some of the
Year after year, guests from all over the world are
loveliest scenery in the picturesque Salzburg Salzkammergut
attracted to the city most famous for Mozart and The
Lake District. Each stage takes approximately four to five
Sound of Music. The hours will fly by as you wander
hours, and you even have the luxury of being able to walk
past enticing boutiques and cafes in the largely
without luggage, as that can be taken on to your next
pedestrianised Old Town.
overnight stop for you while you’re walking.
M T B & RO A D CY C LIN G
SA L Z BU RG E R L A N D C A R D The SalzburgerLand Card is a brilliant pass to get all-
With 7,000km of well-signposted cycling and mountain
inclusive access to around 190 attractions, excursion
biking trails and four bike parks, SalzburgerLand is one
destinations, natural spectacles, castles, show mines,
of the world’s best destinations for bikers – whether
museums, outdoor pools, cable cars and public transport
A L Z B U R G E R L A N D Austria’s SalzburgerLand is a true paradise for every hiker, cyclist, mountain biker and really anyone who loves to be outdoors, right in the heart of some of Europe’s most beautiful and spectacular scenery.
you want to bring your own bike with you or hire a road,
services which can all be visited free of charge by Card
mountain or electric bike from one of the hundreds of
holders. The “all-inclusive” card costs €76 (around £65)
bike shops in the region.
for an adult or €38 (around £33) for children aged four
The choice is almost endless, from challenging road
to fifteen for six days with the third and subsequent child
bike sections and scenic multi-day bike tours to the
free when families buy them together.
chance to take part in events like the Amadé cycling marathon, the Glocknerkönig or the Eddy Merckx
It’s a land of famous attractions and amazing scenery
Classic Cycling Marathon.
A DV E NT U R E E V E N T S SU M M ER 2 0 1 9
OT HER O U T D O O R AC T IV I T IE S
7–9 JUNE: Out of Bounds Festival in Leogang is a
including vibrant forests, high-altitude pastures, crystalclear lakes, wonderful waterfalls and of course the magnificent mountains. Add in the fabulous food, friendly locals and very fresh air,
world-class bike weekend that unites the UCI Mountain
all just a very short hop from the UK with no long transfers
Hiking and biking are just the top of a long list of
Bike World Cup in downhill with an awesome supporting
at the other end, and you have a winning combination.
activities available in SalzburgerLand.
programme.
Whether you want a relaxing break just soaking it all in
On the water, for example, the currently popular activity
27–30 JUNE: The “Adidas Infinite Trails
or to run, hike, climb, pedal, fly, swim, float or even Zorb
of stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is big on the lakes
World Championships” trail running event sees
it all at full speed is up to you.
of SalzburgerLand (it’s particularly popular on Lake Zell
three Gastein mountain peaks become world
am See), as are the longer-established options of sailing
championship venues.
and windsurfing as well as the chance to try water
1 SEPTEMBER: Ironman 70.03 in Zell am See-Kaprun
skiing. You can of course fish in the lakes too.
sounds tough, and it is, but it is also an event for the
If you like your water white then rafting, kayaking or
whole family. Along with the main event, there are Iron
There are few experiences more wonderful than walking
hydrospeed are all available to you.
Girl Run and Ironkids competitions so everyone can
in the mountains, and in SalzburgerLand you can
If you’d like to try something other than hiking or biking
have fun.
choose between pretty much every type and duration of
the peaks, you can, of course, trail run or climb up, or
8 SEPTEMBER: The Eddy Merckx Classic Cycling
hiking route imaginable.
abseil down, perhaps trying a little canyoning on the
Marathon celebrates the most successful cyclist of all
The jewel in the region’s crown is the incredible Salzburger
way. One novel option is the chance to roll down the
time. More than 1,500 participants from all over Europe
Almenweg (Salzburger Alpine Trail), known colloquially as
side of a mountain at 30kph in a huge soft air-filled ball,
take part in this popular season-end event.
H IK IN G
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