Salzkammergut is a region in the Austrian Alps defined by alpine lakes, rolling hills, and limestone mountains. This holiday area, which is often called Austria’s Lake District, extends across the Austrian States of Salzburg, Upper Austria, and Styria.
Many venture to Salzkammergut to see Hallstatt village, poised on the edge of Hallstätter See. However, there is much more to experience here, beyond this pretty, albeit overrun village.
The most popular time of year to visit Salzkammergut is summer, when visitors can swim in the many lakes that decorate the region. However, the advent season attracts Christmas-market enthusiasts. Kati and I have visited Salzkammergut in winter for a thermal spa getaway in Bad Ischl and in autumn for a fall foliage hiking trip.
When researching the Salzkammergut region, you’ll soon realize that the area is quite vast and made-up of multiple sub-regions like Ausseerland – Salzkammergut in Styria and Dachstein Salzkammergut in Upper Austria.
Kati and I gravitate to the south and east of Salzkammergut, because we love the Dachstein and Totes Gebirge mountain ranges.
- Top Attractions: Schafbergbahn, Hallstatt, Gosau Lakes
- Festivals: Narzissenfest (Daffodil Festival) in Ausseerland in spring
- Christmas Markets: Gmunden, Mondsee, St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang, and Strobl
- Krampus Runs: Salzkammergut Krampuslauf in Bad Goisern. Learn more: Krampus Run Explained
- Recommended Itinerary: Salzkammergut Road Trip
- Car Rental: Use the intuitive Discovercars.com car rental reservation platform to book car rentals in Austria.
- Lakefront Hotels: Seehotel Grundlsee at Grundlsee, Das Traunsee – Das Hotel zum See at Traunsee, Landhaus zu Appesbach at Wolfgangsee, apollo ACHTQUARTIER at Mondsee
- Adults-Only Hotels: Die Wasnerin in Bad Aussee and Cortisen am See in St. Wolfgang
- B&Bs: B&B Das Franzl near Wolfgangsee and Polreich in Hallstatt
- Hotels with AC: apollo ACHTQUARTIER at Mondsee and 5-star Rosewood Schloss Fuschl at Lake Fuschlsee
Salzkammergut Austria Map
Destinations
Tauplitzalm
Grundlsee
Altausseer See
Hallstatt
Bad Ischl
Gosau Lakes
Traunsee
Attersee
Wolfgangsee
Mondsee
Fuschlsee
Tauplitzalm
Tauplitzalm is a high lake plateau (1600-2000 meters) in the Totes Gebirge mountain range in Styrian Salzkammergut.
In winter, it’s a small ski area with 43 km of ski runs and 16 lifts. Winter guests either stay in ski-in ski-out accommodation on the plateau, or in Tauplitz.
In summer and autumn, Tauplitzalm attracts hikers. With its six lakes and larch forest, the plateau is especially picturesque in October.
When we visited in autumn, we drove up the 10-km-long Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße, a toll road linking Bad Mitterndorf with the high plateau. From the Tauplitzalm car park (Google Maps), we walked to Lake Steirersee, Lake Schwarzensee, and onwards to Leistalm. Here’s the Tauplitzalm trail guide.
The plateau is studded with huts that serve food and refreshments. Those overlooking the western-end of Steiersee are especially enticing.
If the huts are closed, gourmet Steirerhütte (Google Maps), just outside Bad Mittendorf, is a small restaurant that specializes in burgers. Their house wine is incredible!
Where to Stay on Tauplitzalm | Schermer Hütte (chalets), or Hotel Alpenrose (3-star hotel)
Where to Stay in nearby Pürgg | Krenn (boutique hotel)
Lake Grundlsee
Lake Grundlsee, the largest lake in Styria, is located at the foot of the Totes Gebirge mountain range in Ausseerland – Salzkammergut.
Nicknamed the Styrian Sea, this beautiful lake is a popular swimming destination due to its excellent water quality and many free swimming spots.
After hiking from the Schachen paid car park (Google Maps) to Vorderer Lahngangsee, we watched the sunset at Gasthaus Rostiger Anker (Google Maps) and then ate dinner at the exceptionally hospitable Dorfwirtshaus Stöckl (Google Maps).
Where to Stay around Lake Grundlsee | Seehotel Grundlsee (4-star lakefront hotel), MONDI Chalets am Grundlsee (chalets with 1-2 bedrooms), Narzissendorf Zloam (chalets with 2-3 bedrooms), Waldruhe Pension (guesthouse), or Ecologie Grundlsee (apartments)
Where to Stay in Bad Aussee | Podenhaus (charming guesthouse), Spa Hotel Erzherzog Johann (town center hotel), or Die Wasnerin (adults-only half board hotel – best hotel in the area).
Lake Altaussee
Lake Altaussee is an exceedingly picturesque lake in Styrian Ausseerland – Salzkammergut, which lies below Loser (1838 m) and Trisselwand (1755 m).
The main thing to do here is walk around the lake, following the Rundwanderweg Altausseer See. At the half-way point, take a break at the lakeside Seewiese Altaussee restaurant for lunch, or coffee and cake. The restaurant is open seasonally from mid-April until the end of October.
It’s worth noting that the most popular sunrise photography location in the area is located near the top of the Loser Panoramastraße toll road. This panoramic road leads all the way up the mountain to a large car park next to Loseralm.
About 900 meters below the large car park, there is a tiny parking area near Loserhütte. From the car park, there are sweeping, picture-perfect views of Ausseerland. The nearby paragliding platform, which has served as a popular photo motif for many years, is now off limits for safety reasons.
The Loser Panoramastraße toll road is only open when the Loser Panoramabahn gondola is not operating.
Insider Tip | Family-friendly Blaa-Alm (Google Maps) is a great place to eat Styrian specialities.
Where to Stay at Altausseer See | Hotel Seevilla Altaussee (4-star lakefront hotel), or Hotel Am See – Seeresidenz (4-star lakefront hotel)
Where to Stay in Bad Aussee | Podenhaus (charming guesthouse), Spa Hotel Erzherzog Johann (town center hotel), or Die Wasnerin (adults-only half board hotel – best hotel in the area).
Hallstatt and Hallstätter See
Hallstatt is a lakeside village on the western shore of Hallstätter See in the Dachstein Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria.
This undeniably pretty village is made-up of a tiered cluster of houses, squares, and churches, connected by narrow and steep alleyways.
Beyond its scenic allure, Hallstatt is a historically important destination. It boasts 7000 years of history and the oldest salt mine in the world. You can learn about Hallstatt’s history in the World Heritage Museum aka Museum Hallstatt.
Hallstatt’s most morbid attraction is the Charnel House (Google Maps), housed in St. Michael’s Chapel, next to Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt. Inside the chapel lies hundreds of skulls, stacked and decorated with the names of the deceased, dates, and floral designs. When the Hallstatt cemetery ran out of space in the 18th century, the local authorities re-opened older graves, removed the remains, and cleaned and decorated the skulls, before placing them in the bone house. Visitors pay a small entrance fee to enter.
For a bird’s eye view of Hallstätter See, you can walk to the 5 Fingers platform viewpoint, easily accessible from the Dachstein Krippenstein cableways. We visited in winter with snow shoes, but would love to return to explore more of the area on foot.
Where to Stay in Hallstatt | Pension Cafe zum Mühlbach (midrange), lakeside Polreich (B&B), Fenix Hall Hallstatt (midrange), and Boutiquehotel Strand Hallstatt – Adults only (lakeside boutique hotel).
Gosau Lakes
The Gosau Lakes are three glacier lakes in the Dachstein mountains. The dazzling Gosaukamm sub-group towers above Vorderer Gosausee’s southern and western shores. From the northern shore of Vorderer Gosausee, views extend to Hoher Dachstein (2995 m), the highest peak in the range.
I’d argue that Vorderer Gosau is the most beautiful lake in Salzkammergut.
During our trip to Gosauseen, we stayed at Gasthof Gosausee, the only accommodation around the lake, walked to Hinterer Gosausee and hiked the Gosaukamm Circuit Trail.
Via ferrata climbers journey to the Gosau Lakees to climb the Laserer Alpin Klettersteig (Via Ferrata Grade C) and Intersport Klettersteig Donnerkogel (Via Ferrata Grade C/D).
Where to Stay in Gosau | Frühstückspension Pachler (B&B), Haus Friedrich (guesthouse), Hotel Sommerhof (4-star hotel)
Learn More: Gosau Lakes Travel Guide
Bad Ischl
The spa town of Bad Ischl lies at the confluence of the Traun and Ischler Ache rivers, 50 km east of Salzburg City, in the heart of the Salzkammergut.
During the 19th century, Bad Ischl flourished as a prestigious health retreat, drawing Austrian nobility and celebrated composers who sought the therapeutic benefits of its saline, iodine, and sulfur springs.
The town reached the height of its prominence between 1849 and 1914, serving as the imperial summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth, the royal icon portrayed in Netflix’s Empress series. Those eager to immerse themselves in Bad Ischl’s imperial heritage can visit the Kaiservilla, a museum open to the public seasonally.
Those seeking an Austrian thermal spa experience can visit EurothermenResort Bad Ischl for a few hours, a full day, or an extended visit. We stayed in the adjoining Hotel Royal, which we wrote about in our EurothermenResort – Hotel Royal review.
Where to Stay in Bad Ischl | Restaurant Goldener Ochs (historic riverside hotel), or Villa Seilern Vital Resort (spa hotel)
More Austria Travel Guides
Places to Visit around Salzkammergut
- Filzmoos in Salzburg
- Schladming in Styria
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road
Day Hikes:
- Best Day Hikes in Austria
- Best Hikes in Salzburg
- Best Treks in Austria
- Austrian Alps Hiking Destinations
Seasonal Guides:
Travel Itineraries:
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