Best Bird Watching Resorts in Austria

It’s easy to fall in love with Zell am See (there’s even a mountain called ‘Schmitten’...) and the surroundings will certainly take your breath away, but not just because they’re so beautiful – the area’s a super base for activities; climb, hike or bike the mountains, sail, paddle or swim the lake and do tonnes more in between.

Kaprun is classically Austrian with wooden chalets and an imposing castle and the surrounding pine forests and pastures are ideal for enjoying the open air. You’ll find a fantastic range of cycling routes from short, gentle jaunts to challenging mountain descents and hiking and walking trails will guide you past Salzberg’s iconic rugged mountains, reservoirs and the glittering Lake Zeller.

A sunny little village, Pertisau sits on the shores of the incredible Achensee – the largest and deepest lake in the Austrian Tyrol. Bordered by mountains as well, this is a top spot for an active summer holiday. The village itself is lovely, too, and usually hosts live music events in the summer.

The Tyrolean architecture, flower-covered meadows and glimmering Wildsee lake are enough to stop you in your tracks but Seefeld is more than a pretty face; Mother Nature has made a real adventure base here. With hundreds of kilometres to walk and cycle, 17 tennis courts, 2 golf courses and a paragliding academy, you’ll have to remember to hit pause and enjoy the sights.

Lofty mountains, floral pastures, pine forests and the impressive Grawa waterfall border the village of Neustift, in Tyrol’s Stubai Valley. A typically Austrian resort, you can make yourself at home among its traditional architecture, wander the monastery and head out for some of the country’s most breath-taking nature trails.

Mayrhofen is ‘traditional Austrian’ from head to toe and the town has a refreshing buzz to it all summer long. Cross alpine pastures, speed down the Penken and discover deep gorges and canyons before letting your hair down with a stein and some Austrian folk music – you’d struggle to find a ‘best for Alps activities’ list that this place doesn’t crop up on.

Often proclaimed Austria’s “most beautiful”, Alpach is a dreamy olde-worlde village with wood and stone architecture, bright flowers and a centre-point church steeple. It’s surrounded by lovely rolling meadows and with the Gratlspitz mountain to one side, there’s plenty of scope to enjoy the fresh air from gentle strolls to paragliding and rock climbing.

If you’ve a head for heights, Obergurgl’s the highest parish village in Austria which means awesome scenery (including twenty 3000m peaks) and tonnes of high altitude activity. Hike to Ramolhaus at 3006m, crank up the speed as you bike down the Wurmkogel or do things at a slower pace on a hack with a Haflinger. The village itself is small and quiet, just what you need to relax on those long summer evenings.

Westendorf’s a quiet little town with loads of character. Tucked away in the picturesque Tyrol, it’s all about slowing the pace and taking time to enjoy your surroundings. The area’s great for rambling and cycling, but, if that sounds a bit strenuous, you can always chill out in one of the many beer gardens and watch the world go by.

Surrounded by dreamy meadows and thick forests, this small mountain village is beautifully tranquil - one of the walking trails is even called the ‘Path of Contemplation’! The area’s perfect for a relaxed walking or cycling holiday, with stunning mountains dotted with ‘alms’ – alpine pastures where you’ll often find farmers grazing their cattle.