Discover Austria’s Stunning Salzkammergut Region

At the Hermann & Friends culinary event on the shores of Wolfgangsee in the Salzkammergut region of Austria, a variety of chefs, including Chef Hermann Poll of the host hotel Im Weissen Rossl, prepare regional dishes at live cooking stations as the sun sets over the lake.

Anyone who’s anyone in the small, lakeside town seems to be here. There’s Michaela Hodlmoser, the owner of Trachten Hodlmoser, a traditional clothing store; Marie Gandl, owner of Gandl Bakery, known for its gingerbread; Leona Berner, the U21 European champion for slalom water skiing (who now attends Rollins College in Orlando); Michelin Star Chef Sebastian Leutgeb of Gourmetrestaurant Paula; and Matthias Grick, Events Manager for the destination of St. Wolfgang, who seems to be the glue connecting everyone in attendance.

Having them all here in the center of town starts to shed some light on why St. Wolfgang and its lake—Wolfgangsee—has long been a favorite getaway for city residents in nearby Salzburg. In less than an hour, city streets and constant anonymity are traded for bright-blue alpine lakes, ancient villages, and small-town familiarity.

The drive itself serves as an introduction to the Salzkammergut region. Winding beside several mountain-ringed lakes, it passes by the village of Fuschl am See—home to Red Bull’s global headquarters, founded there in 1984—before arriving at Wolfgangsee, just one stop within a much larger region that’s home to 27 alpine lakes, former imperial spa towns, and some of Europe’s oldest salt mines.

Welcome To St. Wolfgang

St. Wolfgang sits along the northeastern shore of Lake Wolfgang (Wolfgangsee) and is loomed over by Mt. Schafberg, a 5,840-foot limestone peak that has drawn visitors since the late nineteenth century.

Most ride the historic Schafberg Railway—Austria’s steepest steam-powered cog railway—to the summit, where panoramic views encompass five lakes. The more adventurous hike the mountain instead, following trails that wind through forests and past cattle herds in alpine meadows before emerging above tree line.

Lakeside, Wolfgangsee is a prime destination for water sports. Sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, and water skiing are woven into everyday life during the summer months (to live like a local, take a lesson in the latter). Guests stay at lakeside cottages or hotels like Seevilla, Im Weissen Rossl, and Hotel Margaretha, where one can swim from private docks and lounge by the water after a day of exploration.

At first, I was simply impressed by the beauty, adventure, and balance that St. Wolfgang offered a visitor: a day on the mountain trails, an afternoon riding bikes, a Radler and a couple hours relaxing by the lake, an after-dinner walk along the lakeside promenades—what’s not to like?

But the longer I hung around, the more I came to experience Wolfgang as a thriving local community, a small population of local residents who not only run businesses but actively participate in local leisure, be it a culinary event, morning ride/hike, or afternoon swim.

Spend a few days walking through the historic village, meeting the local people, exploring the lakeside promenades and swimming areas, and you’ll begin to recognize faces at the grocery store—it’s a place people grow up and decide to stay because of the beauty, the charm, the people, and all that the greater region has to offer.

Salzkammergut: A Royal Region

While many Americans may not be familiar with St. Wolfgang or Austria’s Salzkammergut region in general, parts of it are truly famous in other tourism circles.

One of Austria’s best-known destinations among Asian travelers is Hallstatt, a photogenic village that sits on the edge of Hallstättersee, backed by towering mountains and shaped by more than 7,000 years of salt mining history. Indeed, Hallstatt has become so famous in China that the country built a full-scale replica of the town on its own soil (seriously).

But Hallstatt is only one tiny piece of a much larger, regional story.

Salzkammergut is a vast lake district stretching across Upper Austria, Salzburg, and Styria, where dozens of villages sit between alpine peaks and 27 crystal-clear lakes. For centuries, the region served as a summer retreat for Austrian royalty and aristocracy, who escaped Vienna’s summer heat for the cooler mountain air. Its wealth was built on salt, once considered “white gold,” with extensive salt mines giving the region both its name and its prosperity. The name Salzkammergut literally translates to “Salt Chamber Estate.”

Many towns throughout the region begin with the word Bad, such as Bad Ischl, Bad Goisern, and Bad Mitterndorf. Rather than indicating something negative, “Bad” simply signifies that the town is recognized as a spa destination, thanks to its mineral springs and long tradition of wellness tourism dating back to imperial times.

What To Do In Salzkammergut

Today, the Salzkammergut region is all about the outdoors. Scenic cycling routes connect lakeside communities, ferries cross many of the lakes, and an extensive network of hiking trails climbs into the surrounding mountains, offering everything from leisurely waterfront walks to challenging alpine ascents.

Looming over much of the region is the Dachstein massif, whose summit, at 9,827 feet (2,995 meters), is the highest mountain in Upper Austria and Styria and one of Austria’s most iconic alpine landscapes, featuring views of Hallstätter Glacier and a panorama of dozens of peaks within the Austrian Alps. Visitors can explore its summit, hiking trails, vast ice caves, and the famous Five Fingers viewing platform suspended above the valley, with views looking down on Hallstatt.

One of the region’s greatest pleasures—and one of the most popular local pastimes—is simply traveling from village to village by bicycle. A network of paved cycling paths links communities around the lakes, while additional mountain biking trails climb into the surrounding hills and forests. It’s common to see locals using the routes for everything from commuting and grocery runs to leisurely weekend rides. Here, cycling isn’t just a tourist activity; it’s part of everyday life.

The lakes themselves serve as another transportation network. Passenger ferries crisscross Wolfgangsee throughout the day, allowing visitors to hop between villages while enjoying the area’s scenery from the water.

For hikers, hundreds of miles of trails range from easy shoreline walks to strenuous alpine climbs, including routes up Schafberg, Dachstein, and throughout the surrounding mountains. Most reward the effort with views of emerald lakes and limestone peaks.

Eating And Drinking In Salzkammergut

Despite being hundreds of miles from the ocean, fish has long been central to the Salzkammergut’s cuisine. Its alpine lakes produce Arctic char, trout, perch, and whitefish, all of which appear regularly on local menus. While many restaurants prepare them simply, others have become more inventive. SeeSushi, for example, serves lake fish in the style of Japanese sushi.

For a traditional experience, few places feel as timeless as Steegwirt, a historic inn operating for centuries along the shores of Hallstättersee. On the other side of Hallstattersee is Uferwirt Seeraunzn, a great place to find yourself during the evening sunset hours for views across the lake of Hallstatt.

How To Reach Salzkammergut

Find your way to Salzburg via plane or train, then rent a car or take a bus to Wolfgangsee. I recommend the former, so you can properly explore the region’s vast lakes, trailheads, and remote mountain villages. But, if you arrived via public transportation and stayed in St. Wolfgang the entire time, no one would really blame you.