Lake hopping in the Salzkammergut

All roads in the Salkammergut lead to Salzburg… and vice versa!

Travelers exploring Austria usually stop in Salzburg. The city of Mozart attracts visitors who often stop in the city and then leave. And yet the Salzburg region is full of striking natural sites. The green but sharp-ridged Salzburg Alps form the backdrop to more bucolic countryside landscapes. The string of lakes of the Salzkammergut constitute a unique region in Alpine Europe. During a stay in the Salkammergut, you go from one lake to another by train, on foot, by bike or over the mountains. A sumptuous adventure playground with breathtaking landscapes.

Salzburg, gateway to the Salzkammergut

No doubt Salzburg must one day appear in your notebook of alpine discoveries especially if you like the atmosphere of the old and noble Austrian cities. This city at the crossroads between the Salzburg Alps, the Bavaria and the Austrian imperial plains have retained all their former charm.

Salzburg, a charming setting in the heart of Austria, is a city where echoes of the past mingle with the timeless beauty of its architecture and landscapes. Birthplace of Mozart, this musical city still vibrates with the melodies of the famous composer, his spirit floating in the narrow streets and elegant courtyards of the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between the baroque facades, the glittering domes and the majestic fortresses, Salzburg invites you on a journey through time, where each stone and each note tells a story of creativity and splendor. The Mirabell Gardens, with their flowerbeds and elegant statues, offer an oasis of peace, while the Hohensalzburg Fortress, dominating the city, offers breathtaking panoramas of the ancient roofs and the surrounding Alpine mountains. Salzburg, with its old-world charm and romantic ambience, is a destination where history, culture and natural beauty meet, promising an enriching and memorable tourist experience.

The Salkammergut, between lakes and mountains

But Salzburg is also the gateway to the Salzkammergut, a sumptuous region of turquoise lakes that deserve a stay under the sign of walking, hiking, and water activities. Ideally, you will visit this region in the summer, even if in winter, the magical landscapes of the lakes surrounded by snow-covered forests become very romantic and photogenic. As always, in the Alps, you choose your travel season, according to your tastes.

No fewer than seventy-six lakes, sometimes small, sometimes large, make up this region formerly covered by the Dachstein glacier, whose summit today reaches almost 3000m in altitude. You will have to make choices!

Bad Ischl, the imperial

So it all begins in a very central city that is not on the edge of a lake! It is Bad Ischl, in the heart of the Salzkammergut. It is in this pretty little town crossed by two rivers that the European aristocracy came to meet around the Emperor of Austria. Moreover, it is also here that the engagement of the Empress Sissi was celebrated. There remains the Kaiservilla, the imperial villa, as a testimony to these prosperous times.

The advantage of staying in Bad Ischl is that the entire region is within easy reach of a short walk. Lake Hallstatt, whose waters are turquoise blue, is nestled at the foot of Dachstein, the region's emblematic mountain. Ski lifts help you to travel the first slopes, enough in any case to enjoy the view of the lake. The Hallstatt civilization is one of the first known settlements in the Iron Age. One of the first Celtic cities. You should also not miss in Hallstatt the visit of the salt mines which gave its name to this region, and which made it rich for centuries.

Further on, Bad Aussee and its two lakes nestled in the chain which bears the evocative name of Totes Gebirge (dead mountains) transport you into a more fantastical universe in which you let your imagination run wild.

The lakes of Saint Wolfgang, whose village is full of flowers, the Mondsee and the Attersee are magnificent when viewed from the Schafberg, a mountain that overlooks all three! A beautiful hike in perspective. It is on the banks of the Mondsee that you will rent your equipment to enjoy water activities.

Finally, Gmunden has the appearance of a big city with its beautiful white and bright facades which dominate the quays on the edge of Lake Traunsee.

By train to visit the Salzkammergut

The Salkammergut region is best explored by train. Embarking on a train journey through the Salzkammergut is like taking a trip into the beating heart of Austria, where each stop, from St. Gilgen to Hallstatt, reveals a different chapter in an enchanting story. Imagine leaving Salzburg, where the notes of Mozart still resonate, to glide towards St. Gilgen, a village nestled on the banks of the Wolfgangsee, where the beauty of the lake meets the Alpine peaks, providing a first living tableau of the region. The train then winds through forests and green meadows before reaching Bad Ischl, famous for its imperial heritage and relaxing spas, a stop that invites you to relax and discover local history.

The railway winds through the mountains and along the sparkling shores, leading travellers to Lake Hallstatt, the jewel of the Salzkammergut. This village, perched on the edge of its lake and backed by imposing cliffs, offers panoramas that seem straight out of a dream, a living postcard where architecture and nature blend in perfect harmony. The railway line then continues to Bad Aussee. Each stop on this Salzkammergut train journey is an opportunity to admire breathtaking landscapes, explore picturesque villages and let yourself be lulled by the peaceful rhythm of the railway, an experience that combines the pleasure of discovery with the sweetness of contemplation.

It is a real feeling of change of scenery that you feel when discovering this region. It is due both to the refinement of Salzburg, marked by the imperial architecture in the towns and the beauty of the lakes in their green settings.

Activities not to be missed in Salzkammergut

The old town at imperial charm from Bad Ischl
Hallstatt on the edge of its lake
On salt mine in Hallstatt
A hike or skiing on the Dachstein
The lake of Lake Wolfgang
The landscape from the Schaftberg
There’s nothing quite like a bathing in the Mondsee
A cultural break at Salzburg

Discovering Salzkammergut on video

The best webcams in Salzkammergut

(click on the name of the village)

Bad Ischl : discover Bad Ischl and its very mountainous region
Schafberg: planted in the middle of the lakes, the summit of this mountain dominates this magnificent region.
Lake Wolfgang: romantic, relaxing, this landscape invites discovery.
gosau: at the foot of the Dachstein
Bad Goisern: the landscape around Lake Hallstatt
Traunsee: the view of the lake
Loser Alm: above Bad Aussee, the kingdom of hiking!
Tauplitz: dream landscape
Salzburg: the city center, the castle