Visit Alpbach, Austria’s most beautiful and Europe’s prettiest flower village!
Further below you will discover 29 things to do in Alpbach, Tyrol.
Table of Contents
🗺 Where is Alpbach?
Alpbach is a village in the Alpbachtal valley located in the western alps in Tyrol in Austria. The Wildschönau and the Zillertal valley are neighboring valleys.
Tal means valley in German, although locals call the village in the Austrian German dialect Oipbachtoi.
The valley is called after the river Alpbach, which flows through the valley from the mountain peaks to the much lower major Inn Valley in Tyrol.
It’s the main village in the valley, which also includes Reith im Alpbachtal and a couple smaller villages and hamlets. The villages are located at an elevation of about 3200 feet or 1000 meters.
🌼 What is it known for?
Alpbach hosts the annual European Forum Alpbach. The forum brings together European leaders and academics. The dialogues have been held there since 1949.
The village is also unique because the village authorities established a rule that all buildings have to be of wood to a certain degree.
Most villages in the Tyrolean valleys have long-lost their traditional wooden farm houses, but the last ones can be seen in the Alpbach valley.
So, you will find residencies in a Tyrolean 50s look. The balconies are also richly decorated with red geranium flowers and sometimes also with colorful petunias.
Therefore, Austria pronounced Alpbach as the most beautiful village in Austria. This title has only been awarded to the fairy town of Hallstatt.
The humble village in the Tyrolean mountains also snatched the title of most beautiful flower village in Europe.
☀️ Things to do in the Alpbach Valley Summer + Spring
The valley has a lot to offer in summer and spring!
Alpbach walks
Themed walks are a great way to discover the surrounding. Alpbach has two, which are a must if you are planing to explore the surrounding.
The Mühlbachweg is located at the bottom of the village a mere 100 meters away. It leads through the forest with thought-provoking stations and breathtaking art installations. We filmed the Mühlbachweg in part one and part two.
The peace path starts near the congress center and leads you upwards to some pretty nice views of Alpbach. The stations shall bring you inner peace and may help you in your inner self reflections.
Hiking
Alpbach is the best place to go hiking.
You can opt for a day tour or multi day trekking journeys across the Tyrolean alps.
The most beautiful peaks with mountain views are the:
- Gratlspitze
- Schatzberg
- Schafsiedel
- Königsleitenspitze
- Wiedersbergerhorn
The easiest way to enjoy a lovely day hike is to take either the Wiedersbergerhornbahn or the Reitherkogelbahn gondola up to the mountains. From there you can explore the surrounding with a beautiful view of the Tyrolean alps.
Coaster
The coast is called Lauser Sauser and the entry point is located the at the mountain top. You get there with the Wiedersbergerhornbahn cable railway.
The coaster is about 4500 feet or 1400 meters long and the high speed is about 25 miles or 40 milometers per hour. That means the ride is about 7-8 minutes long, which is plenty of time to enjoy the view and exhilarating ride!
It’s good fun for kids and adults alike, and you get it as a combo ticket with the cable car for €22 per adult.
Family Land and Juppi Zauberwald
The family land is great fun for kids. It’s located right next to the Coaster entry point.
Kids get to explore 40 stations, which include a rope course, climbing nets, course and much more.
In the meanwhile, parents can relax and enjoy the view in a hammock. It’s a win-win.
The Juppi Zauberwald is another fun playground made for children, and it’s located at the Reitherkogelbahn station.
Mountain Farm Museum
The mountain farm museum is called Bergbauernmuseum in German. It’s located in Inneralpbach.
This building was constructed about 400 years ago and was last inhabited in the 50s.
As a visitor, you get to see how people lived in the past, as well as hundreds of objects that farmers used daily.
The entry is a reasonable €3 per adult and therefore well worth the visit, especially if you want to get to know the local culture better.
Reither Lake
This small lake is the best place to hang out if you are looking to cool off in the hot scorching summer heat.
You can swim there for free if you have the Alpbachtal seenland card (you get that from your hotel or tourism department).
Dogs are not allowed at the lake!
Hildegard von Bingen Herb Garden
Hildegard von Bingen was a medieval nun who was known for her vast knowledge about herbs. The garden is dedicated to her.
The relaxing garden contains flowers and herbs, and you can visit it for free. It’s just a walk from the village Reith bei Alpbach.
Castle Matzen and Gardens
The castle Matzen and its wonderful gardens are located right at the entry of the Alpbach valley.
The castle is a boutique hotel and restaurant, so if you are into European fairy tale castles, then perhaps you should visit this little hidden gem.
The gardens are simply called “Matzen Park” and can be accessed freely. Ducks, statues and beautiful foliage await you in fall.
❄️ Winter Activities in Alpbach
Here are some of the best winter activities that you can do in the Alpbachtal:
- Skiing and Snowboarding – The Alpbach Skijuwel has some of the best skiing slopes in the ski area. The pistes are well maintained and there is something for all levels of skiers. Beginners can learn to ski at the local ski school.
- Snowshoe walking
- Country Cross Skiing and Skating – 70 km long trails await you!
- Sledge ride – The Faulbaumgartenalm and Panorama Toboggan Run are recommended.
- Ski Touring – The tourism department has prepared various rounds. Visit the tourism office in Alpbach for details.
- Ice Skating – There is a rink right in Alpbach. The Reintaler lake nearby offers a more natural experience.
- Horse-drawn sleigh – Imagine a comfortable warm sleigh, a beautiful white landscape, and it’s snowing.
🏞 Day Trips
Here is a list of the best places and attractions to visit when in Alpbach and they are all an hour away at most. For more ideas check out my Tyrol bucket list.
Rattenberg
Rattenberg is Austria’s smallest city. It’s a walled medieval city with fort ruins looking over the pastel colored town.
The city is also known to be an important glass hub. You can visit the Kisslinger glass workshop to watch them blow beautiful glass objects.
If you get a chance to visit in December, then try to experience the advent Christmas market in Rattenberg. It’s one of a kind!
Museum of Tyrolean Farms
This open air museum consists of a vast area and over 30 old farmhouses. The buildings are all originals, which were dismantled and rebuild in the museum area.
Get to know how people lived in the older days and some of their cultural importance.
The museum is also great for families, with special interactive stations to immerse our little ones.
Gorge Walks
Gorges, or Klamms as they are known as in German, are abundant in this area.
The gorges are children save and a fantastic way to spend a few hours in the cool shade of rocks and splashing mountain streams.
Here are a few of the closest gorges to Alpbach that you can visit. Each is a bit different, and we visited and filmed most of them. You can view each by clicking on the title.
- Kundler Gorge
- Kaiser Gorge
- Tiefenbach Gorge
- Wolfsklamm
Humurous Graveless Cemetery
No dead are buried in this bizarre cemetery. Instead, the place is decorated with humorous cemetery crosses.
It was common place to explain funnily the passing of a person. Locals would indeed leave those words on the graves of their loved ones.
Unfortunately, the little museum is all in German, but nonetheless, you might be able to still have a good laugh about death with Google translator.
Wildschönau
The Wildschönau is a neighboring valley worth visiting.
The village Niederau and Oberau are located right at the entry and invite you to hike the beautiful mountains. There is an alpine coaster in Oberau too and the village is rather cute too.
The village Auffach has a themed wood walk and a wood museum that you can visit.
Zillertal
The Zillertal is the valley on the other side of Alpbach. The capital Mayrhofen is the last front before the entry of the glaciers and high alpine areas.
The Schlegeis alpine road is a toll road taking you to the Schlegeisspeicher dam. From there you can hike up to the Olpererhut where you can make that famous picture with the hanging bridge.
The Hintertuxer glacier has a special attraction at the top, a nature ice palace!
Achensee Lake
The Achensee lake is a large elongated lake in the Tyrolean alps.
You can take a boat ride on the lake or walk around the lake or swim in the lake. Or enjoy a local meal in Pertisau by the lake!
Thermal Spas and Saunas
There are two thermal bath options with sauna villages near Alpbach. One is the Atoll at the Achensee lake and the second is the Erlebnistherme in Zillertal.
The Atoll in Achensee is situated right next to the lake. The baths are great for kids, and they have a lake area too. The sauna is situated with an infinity pool at the top, and the view is just priceless.
The Erlebnistherme is the better choice if you come with kids, they have slides and everything a child heart can wish for.
Tratzberg Castle
Tratzberg castle is one of the fairy tale castles in Austria. It’s beautiful outer architecture and the well maintained inner chambers are absolutely worth a visit.
The tour for children is especially recommended if you intend to come with your kids.
Silver Mines
The silver mines in Schwaz are some of the most impressive in the region. Silver from this mountain made the Holy Roman Empire wealthy
Getting into the mine is not just a walk but a train ride, which adds to the whole experience too.
Swarovski World
The Swarovski world in Wattens near Innsbruck is the visitor center and museum of the famous Chrystal company.
It’s an experience in itself worth visiting if you are in the area.
Innsbruck
Innsbruck in Tyrol has an old charming and authentic inner city. The golden roof is the highlight of the city!
The city is also known for having hosted the Winter Olympics two times in the past and for the Bergisel ski jumping ramp.
Kufstein City and Fort
Kufstein is a city near the German border in Tyrol. The fort is towering above the city, which was built around it.
Located next to the river Inn, the city of Kufstein makes for a lovely day out.
Kitzbühel
The city of Kitzbühel is a bit further away, but you might want to plan a day out to this famous jet-setter place in the alps. It is known for colorful buildings and expensive upper-class boutiques.
On the way to Kitzbühel, you may want to visit Going am Wilden Kaiser, a charming small village popularized by a German serial called Bergdoktor and St.Johann in Tirol with its relaxing inner town.
💭 FAQs
How to get to Alpbach?
The nearest airports are Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Munich in Germany. From the Inntal Tyrol highway, get out at Kramsach and drive direction Alpbach. It’s a mountain road, so if you are traveling in winter, use winter tires or chains.
Are there hotels and rooms in Alpbach?
Yes, plenty! Here are the top 10 hotels in Alpbach.
What’s the best season to visit?
All seasons are great. I, personally, prefer spring and fall because it’s less busy and not too hot nor too cold. The landscapes are lit in those seasons!
Where to park your car as a visitor?
The best place to park is in the Congress Center in Alpbach because it’s easily accessible and well situated.
What are some local food specialties?
Tiroler Speckknödel dumplings with Sauerkraut and Sausage and Kaspressknödel (pressed cheese dumplings) are local delicacies. The cheese in the Alpbach valley is especially suited for all cheesy meals, including Cheese Spätzle. The Alpbacher cheese also comes in chili and wild garlic flavors. Local cured sausages and bacon are also a must-try, such as the Speck, Kaminwurzen, Landjäger to just name a few. During festival seasons, local women make fried savory doughnut like “pastries”, which are filled with Lingonberry Jam or Sauerkraut. Those are either known as Germkirche or Schmalznudeln.
