Summer vacation on the Hochkönig - On the peak of emotions at Austria's most beautiful spot
Climate change has made the heat in lower-lying areas or even by the sea almost unbearable. However, in the Hochkönig region around Maria Alm, at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level and higher, a climate with pleasant temperatures and low humidity prevails, ensuring a cool head. This makes hiking enjoyable!
A refreshing plunge into the cool waters of the Maria Alm Adventure Pool "Sommerstein" or the rush of wind during a bike tour or summer tobogganing helps forget the heat. Additionally, the night brings pleasant cooling, ensuring restful, deep sleep. It's also pleasant that due to the high altitude, there are hardly any mosquitoes or ticks.
With the HochkönigCard, you can experience the perfect summer vacation in the mountains, including all the highlights and attractions of the region. Furthermore, HochkönigCard holders enjoy attractive price advantages on selected experiences in the area.
The capital of the Salzburg region looks back on a glorious past. Salzburg is particularly known for its famous son: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was born here in 1756.
The annual Salzburg Festival, held every summer, keeps the city's cultural heritage alive. The city is truly worth a visit. It's small and charming; everything is easily accessible on foot.
45 km away, Austria's highest waterfalls have been declared a World Heritage Site, with water cascading 380 meters over 3 stages. The sight of Europe's highest waterfalls – incidentally, Krimml Falls are the fifth highest in the world – is a spectacular one. A highlight is the WaterWonderWorld, where both adults and children can learn all about the topic of water.
The annual Salzburg Festival, held every summer, keeps the city's cultural heritage alive. The city is truly worth a visit. It's small and charming; everything is easily accessible on foot.
34 km away, a day trip to a monumental structure from the 1940s is also among the highlights in the Salzburg region.
The Kaprun High Mountain Reservoirs with their two storage lakes, Wasserfall and Mooserboden, located at around 2,040 meters above sea level. You can ride the buses and the inclined elevator all the way to the top.
Crossing the Alps via the Glockner Pass will surely be an unforgettable experience for everyone.
While there, don't miss visiting the multi-media museum at 2,600 meters and the Franz-Josefs-Höhe with views of the Pasterze (Austria's largest glacier) and Großglockner.
A cave system in the Salzburg limestone mountains featuring bizarre and impressive ice formations. In freezing temperatures, you can admire mighty ice sculptures, created not by an artist but by nature itself.
The cave was only discovered at the beginning of the last century.
High above the Salzach Valley, between the Tennen and Hagen Mountains, stands the 900-year-old fortress of Hohenwerfen, once a formidable stronghold. Visitors can expect a variety of entertainment and offerings.
From castle tours including a weapons exhibition, a knight's shop, to the historic State Falconry Center with daily flight demonstrations, and even the first Austrian Falconry Museum with a raptor educational trail.
A postcard-perfect landscape awaits you with a boat trip to St. Bartholomä.
At the Salzburg Open-Air Museum in Großgmain, you will find 100 reconstructed original buildings from agriculture, craftsmanship, rural commerce, and industry.
Within a few kilometers of Weißbach bei Lofer, you'll find three natural attractions. In 1831, woodcutters constructed a logging path through the 600-meter-long Seisenberg Gorge to transport timber.
The Vorderkaser Gorge was first made accessible to visitors in 1882 and stretches 400 meters long, with the narrowest points being only 80 cm wide.
The Lamprechtshöhle, with a total length of around 51 kilometers, is one of the largest cave systems in Europe. Currently, Lamprechtshöhle is considered the largest through cave in the world.
At the Mining Museum, the former administrative house in Hütten, visitors can expect numerous stories and history at every turn from the region's historic mining industry.
If the weather doesn't cooperate during your summer vacation, consider a trip to the following thermal and adventure baths. All are within a 45-minute drive from Maria Alm.
- Tauern Spa World in Kaprun
- Alpentherme Gastein
- Rupertus Therme in Bad Reichenhall
The perfect all-weather program for your summer vacation in Hochkönig for the whole family! The National Park Worlds in Mittersill showcase the unique alpine experience surrounding Austria's highest peak, the Großglockner at 3,798 meters, along with numerous other three-thousanders, glaciers, and one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world.
Eight experience stations guide visitors through the national park, akin to a hike. Guests of our accommodation enjoy free entry with the Hochkönig Card.
The Museum Schloss Ritzen in Saalfelden is one of the four remaining castles in Saalfelden. Saalfelden is surrounded by several old manors, namely the castles of Lichtenberg, Dorfheim, Farmach, and Ritzen.
Since 1968, the main building has housed the Saalfelden Local Museum with one of Austria's largest and culturally significant collections of nativity scenes.