As in the past summers when we went summer hiking in the Slovenian Alps and in the Dolomites instead of sea dipping (and we loved it!), this summer we decided to visit the neighboring mountains in Austrian Tyrol (Tirol in German). What we initially planned to be an extended weekend trip became a full week adventure.
What to expect: hiking trails thread high to peaks and mountain huts, turquoise lakes, hanging bridges, picturesque villages and a summer version of après-ski.
How to travel around: Best way to discover Tyrol is by car. If you have a chance to do it as a road trip, do so, as you will be more flexible and able to reach not only the hot spots. We noticed there are buses driving to most spots quite frequently too, but we haven’t seen any taxis.
Where to stay: On the map the Tyrol area looks pretty small, but with all the mountains it takes longer than it seems. If your trip takes up to 3 days, I suggest you stay in one place and drive around. In that case my suggestion is Hotel Bergfried. It’s new, it’s got an amazing spa, multiple swimming pools, a whirlpool, sauna and everything else you need after the hiking day. It’s also positioned perfectly so you can cover a lot of the spots with just a short drive. If you are visiting all (or more) places to see in Tyrol that I am listing, book another hotel west of Innsbruck.
8 places to see in Tyrol:
1. Hike to Olpererhütte
Probably the reason why we decided to visit Tyrol and probably its most famous hike. It’s not a walk in the park, going from about 1700, to 2400 metres above sea level, with almost 700m ascend. The whole way up you can admire the beautiful lake, surrounding mountains and lots of wild flowers. The path is not technically demanding and not dangerous. We needed approximately 1.5 hours with all the stops, but the view is well worth it. When you reach the hut, continue walking up and then take a right to get to the famous hanging bridge.
2. Spend a day or two at Plansee lake
The Plansee in the district of Reutte is the second-largest natural lake in Tirol after the Achensee. Like a fjord, it lies between the forest-covered ridges of the Zwiesel and Spießberg mountains. You can walk or bike around the lake in search for the most beautiful beach (God, these are so pretty!). With the summer temperature around 20 is perfect to cool down after hikes or can rent a kayak in the camp, go diving or just enjoy the views it offers.
3. Hike to the Plansee viewpoint
It’s actually an unofficial, unmarked hike but completely safe and not technically difficult. It’s only difficult to find the right path. When you park at the Plansee Camping Seespitze, cross the bridge over lake and walk approximately 10 minutes or set your GPS coordinates to 47°28’01.7″N 10°47’33.7″E where you turn right up to the hill to the small foresty path. The hike takes 50 minutes but it’s climb all the way up. After first few minutes of the hike you will already be awarded with the lake of the view. However continue all the way up as the view from the top is truly astonishing and worth the sweat.
4. Walk the Highline 179
Nearly 10 minutes drive from Plansee lake we saw this suspension bridge as we drove below it and knew we would walk over it. It turned out to be the longest suspension footbridge in the world and loved the experience. Walking on bridge where you can see road below between your feed. Awesome views of the nearby castles and hills. Fairytale like. But. Definitely only for those not afraid of heights.
5. Make a stop in Hall in Tirol
This small town has such an unique heritage, history and style and is a fantastic place to visit in its own right. With its close proximity to Innsbruck, the many historical buildings in the town centre, and the surrounding natural attractions, Hall of Tyrol proves to be a first rate tourist destination. Stop for a quick stroll and a coffee.
6. Visit Swarovski Kristalwelten
Swarovski world is a dream for the lovers of all shiny blinky stuff. Swarovski crystals sparkle in all their glory at the fantasy fairy-tale world. A giant’s head spewing water into a pond greets you in the park, where you will also find the attention-grabbing Crystal Cloud, embellished with 800,000 crystals and drifting above a mirror-like pool and a crystalline-theme everything in surroundings. Don’t stop there and enter the Kristalwelten.
7. Be awed by Innsbruck
Tyrol’s capital is a sight of a perfectly painted houses on the river banks, surrounded by mountains and definitely one of the places to see in Tyrol. Within minutes it’s possible to travel from the city’s heart to more than 2000m above sea level and alpine pastures. However, stay here for a while as it’s a real cultural treat of an Austrian soul offering wonderful city experience. Take a lot of walks in the city center, go see a grand Habsburg palace and baroque cathedral, while keeping in sight its Olympic ski jump with big mountain views that makes a spectacular leap between the urban and the outdoors.
8. Stay at alpine villages
It should come as no surprise that there are a multitude of gorgeous villages in a country like Austria, which is almost completely covered by dramatic mountain scenery. After or while doing all the mountain hikes, kayaking the lakes, cities hopping, stay at a small village overlooking the mountains, enjoy the sounds of cows mooing while relaxing in a hotel’s rooftop jacuzzi. We basically did that for several days straight at Hotel Bergfried in Tux and can’t imagine anything better to finish the day. And a nice dinner as well. 🙂
