Austria’s largest national park
It lies where the provinces of Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia meet, in the Hohe Tauern range of the same name. Its variety makes it an ideal holiday for almost anyone.
Where else would you find so many natural treasures – Austria’s highest peak, the Grossglockner (3,798 m); Austria’s largest glacier, the Pasterze (2,400 ha); Austria’s highest waterfall, the Walcherfall (500 m); or Europe’s largest waterfalls, the Krimml Waterfalls. The fauna and flora are very varied here too – on a walk through the park you can see chamois, ibex, eagles and vultures.
Hohe Tauern in winter:
The ideal place to spend a winter holiday in the Hohe Tauern is the Raurisertal resort, a favourite with skiers, cross-country skiers, snowboarders and freeriders. Most of the pistes are easy to intermediate, which makes Raurisertal suitable for a family holiday as well. More adventurous types can try climbing an ice wall, and romantics a snowshoe walk through the snow-covered landscape. Children will enjoy tobogganing, and there is a floodlit toboggan run.
Hohe Tauern in summer:
If you like mountain biking or hiking, a visit to this national park is the right thing for you. Flowering meadows, rushing waterfalls, clear lakes and wide forests await you on a walk or a ride around the greatest treasures of the area. There are countless places to visit. If active sport is not your thing, we recommend at least driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, because the views from it are among the finest in all of Austria.
Accommodation in the area
If you stay at one of the partner properties, from May to October you receive the Nationalpark Sommercard. With it you can visit the 60 biggest attractions in the area at a reduced price, and the cable cars and local public transport are completely free. More adventurous types can use one of the seventeen different camping sites in the Hohe Tauern park.
Local food and drink
East Tyrol runs its own label, Regionsprodukt Nationalpark. A product earns it only if it was made in East Tyrol and at least 50% of the ingredients come from the national park region. Since 2019 more than 90 products from 19 producers have been certified – cheeses, yoghurts, butter, Graukäse, Speck, honey, eggs, grain, herbs, beer and whisky.
The Carinthian part of the region names as its specialities trout from its own farms, hand-made Kaspressknödel and Kärntner Nudeln, with freshly baked bread, Speck, cheese, beer and cider. Three municipalities – Obervellach, Berg im Drautal and Irschen – are Slow Food Villages.
On the Salzburg side, in the Pinzgau, the table holds Pinzgauer Rind, Pinzgauer Bierkäse and Kasnocken, with Bramberger Apfelsaft, game, fruit brandies, bread and herbs from the gardens.
Where it is: