St Wolfgang summer holidays

Holidays in St Wolfgang

At the shore of Lake Wolfgansee, St. Wolfgang is an attractive old town characterised by its colourful chalets and landmark gothic church. Pilgrims have been visiting here for a millennium, nowadays it’s best known as a mecca of outdoor pursuits – with water sports, lakeside cycle routes and hiking in the Alps just some of many possibilities.

Highlights: • Access to 345km of cycling on Salzkammergut trail • Loads of water sports • Schafbergbahn steam railway

St Wolfgang Walking

Head through woods and meadows with beautiful views of the Lake Wolfgangsee on a stroll to Strobl or St. Gilgen and then catch the ferry home to relive the experience from a different viewpoint. A popular walk with the locals is up to the Schwarzensee, a smaller lake above the Wolfgangsee. The ascent leads through alpine woodland before emerging at this hidden gem - take a picnic for a lakeside lunch and make the descent following the other path down.

Our favourite hike in the area climbs up the southern slopes of the Schafberg, where you can top the summit for panoramic views of the whole Salzkammergut. It’s also possible to ride the historic Schafberg Cog Railway up and down the Schafberg Mountain (1,783m), meaning those not up for the hike can still enjoy the walks at the top. For families, the route to the Village of Animals in Abersee makes for a great day out. You start off catching the ferry over the water and then continue along lakeside pastures, over the Zinkenbach footbridge and through the woods at Gschwand. At just 30 minutes’ walking time and with a zoo at the end, it’s a fabulous choice if you’ve got little ones in tow.

St Wolfgang Cycling

With its central location in the stunning Austrian Lake District, this is a cracking base for a pedal-powered summer holiday. Pack your swim gear for the famous Salzkammergut Bike Path, which takes you on a 345km loop past the Grundlesee, Traunsee, Attersee, Mondsee and Mattsee lakes as well as through Salzburg before you return back to St Wolfgang. Mountain bikers should ride to Lake Schwarzensee or up the Zwölferhorn from St Gilgen. The 5600m Fire Kogel over in Ebensee is one of the most demanding downhills in the country – a must try for any serious mountain biker in the area.

As well as city bikes and mountain hikes, you can also hire E-Bikes locally – these are battery powered to take the effort out of uphill climbs, making cycling accessible to more people. You’ll find charging stations at Almstadl and Pro Travel when you need to top up the juice.

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