Saalbach Holidays

Holidays to Saalbach are straight out of a picture book – with tasty delicacies and old-world distilleries, the traditional village feel is strong here.

Fairy tale frolics

Saalbach's as typically Austrian as they come. A cosy village sitting on the western side of the country and wrapped up in nature, it's pretty with a dash of culture to boot. Breathe in the air – it's better way up in the mountains – or sample strudel at a café before boogying to folk tunes at the pavilion.

Peep at the peaks

Kiss the skies on a rope-bridge treetop walk. The activity's set in natural woodlands with views over the village from between the leaves – so don't forget your camera. For a bird's-eye view, you can get up to the peaks without breaking a sweat by taking a cable car in the summer months.

Tasty tipples

If you're hankering after something stronger than coffee or hot chocolate, make your way to a local distillery. Afterwards, head over to the Homestead Museum to ooh and aah at Eric Ruprachter's wooden sculptures. Just don't try whittling your own masterpiece if you've made the most of tasters at the distillery.

Out and about

Here are some ideas of things to do when staying in Saalbach:

• Bike hire
• Guided mountain walks
• Cycle routes
• Torchlit walks
• Waterfalls
• Indoor pool
• Outdoor pool
• Tennis courts
• Minigolf
• Wildlife spotting

At a glance

Swing by the Schnapps Distillery for a warming tipple
Ride a cable car to mountainous heights
Get your fill of flaky, sweet strudel

Lake Ritzensee

Lake Ritzensee is a great bathing lake, in an beautiful setting in Saalfelden, about an hour's bus ride from the centre of town.
Small and sandy

Lake Ritzensee is a relatively small lake and is just 4m deep. The beaches are sandy and there's also a large sunbathing lawn, beautiful old trees for shade, a playground, a kid’s pool with slide and a nude bathing area.
Picturesque scenery

There are lots of easy walks around the lake, as well as mountain biking trails, and Lake Ritzensee is surrounded by sweeping mountain landscape. The pretty town is also just a stone’s throw from the water, so be sure to bring your camera.

Bargain Buys

Pop down the road to the neighbouring town of Hinterglemm to visit the weekly street market, which runs from 7pm. This market is also a festival so you can shop for bargains in a party atmosphere. Keep an eye on what’s happening each week, just in case times and days change.
Mid-Range Buys

Saalbach has a limited number of shops but, if you're looking for casual clothes or a new piece of activewear, there are a few sports shops to browse.

Laid-back evenings

Saalbach is a pedestrianised town, and going for an evening wander is a great way to soak up the feel of the valley. You might be lucky and stumble on traditional folklore events, concerts and weekly festivals that are held throughout the high summer season.
Lively evenings

Saalbach has a relaxed but fun evening atmosphere, perfect if you want a few drinks. However, not all bars are open during the summer months so it's worth checking before you go somewhere. Mango’s Cantina is open during the summer and serves a decent collection of cocktails.

Eating out

Saalbach, similar to other Austrian resorts, has a wealth of alms (or huts) on the mountains. During the summer, these offer a fantastic range of authentic Austrian dishes for you to feast on. If that doesn’t take your fancy, back down in resort you’ll also find lots of hotel and à la carte restaurants dotted around town, which serve up a variety of Austrian and international cuisines from Italian to American to Mexican.
Fresh bread at Sonnalm

A 30-minute walk from the Reiterkogel mid-station is Sonnalm, a mountain hut famous for their unique bread-baking process.
More than food at Panorama Alm

A gentle walk down from the Kohlmaisbahn top station is the Panorama Alm. It has a large sun terrace that looks over the whole valley, a bio-bathing pool and a children’s play area, on top of delicious Austrian dishes like spare ribs.
Generosity aplenty at Schattbergstube

On the Schulstrasse is the homely Schattbergstube, where you’re served generous portions of everything from steak and ribs to pizza on wooden boards. The beers and prices are good too.

On foot

Originally a small farming village, Saalbach has retained many of its traditional features and charm – and the best way to see this is on foot. Stroll around town, breathing in the fresh mountain air, before venturing out to explore the surrounding pastures and mountains.
Trains

There’s a tourist train, the Talschlusszug, which runs to Hinterglemm and is free with a Joker Card. The closest proper train station is in Zell am See (30 minutes by bus), from which you can catch a train to Salzburg (1 hour 30 minutes), Innsbruck (2 hours 15 minutes) and Krimml (1 hour 20 minutes).
Buses

Use of the local walkers’ buses is free with a Joker Card so you can easily get to Hinterglemm and Lengau. There’s also a normal bus to Zell am See.
Summer lifts

Unlimited use of the summer lifts in the area is free with a Joker Card. Saalbach has the Schattberg X-Press and Kohlmais cable cars, and Hinterglemm has the Reiterkogel and Zwolferkogel cable cars. The Reiterkogel is the only lift open from the end of May, with the second lift opening at the beginning of June, and the remaining two at the end of June, until the end of September or October.

Walking

The Glemm Valley is perfect for walkers, with over 400km of marked trails to suit every ability level. The Joker Card, free from many hotels, gives you unlimited access to the summer lifts and up to seven guided walks per week – perfect for making sure you get the most out of your stay. If you fancy striking out on your own, the tourist office can give you details of over 30 different routes. Either way, with over 40 mountain huts open, you’ll have plenty of places to grab a drink and a bite to eat while enjoying the stunning scenery.
Herbal & Alpine Flora Trail

Nature enthusiasts will love this gentle walk, which gives you the chance to learn more about the 200 different types of herb and Alpine flower in this stunning region. Hop on the Reiterkogel lift and take it up to the top station. Find walking path no. 5 and follow it for about 20 minutes. There are tours every Wednesday, with guides who will explain more about the medicinal and homeopathic uses of the various plants.
Schattberg Round

A longer walk for those with a bit more energy, this one takes around 4 and a half hours. Catch the Schattberg X-Press gondola to the top and the follow signposts to the Saalbachkogel. If you’re up for it, you can ascend to the peak to see stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Follow the same trail back to the lift and ride it down to the valley.