Alpbachtal: a summer escape from city life

Take your family to this adventure playground in the Austrian Tirol, where hiking trails and bike tours let you enjoy mountain views and crystal-clear lakes

(Alpbachtal Seenland Tourismus/Berger Bernhard)

Alpbachtal is a family adventure playground waiting to be explored. And while it may be only 50km from Innsbruck, it’s a world away from city life.

Set in the Austrian Tirol’s Inn Valley, between the lush Kitzbühel Alps and the rugged peaks of the Rofan Mountains, the exquisite village of Alpbach makes an appealing base for a fun-filled family holiday.

Mountain highs

All summer long, the cable cars speed up and down the mountains, transporting hikers to 900km of marked walking trails. Take the family on the cable car to the Reither Kogel peak, where the Juppi Zauberwald circular path covers 2.5km and features plenty of play areas as well as a viewing platform.

The Lauserland is a must-see stop on the family trail. Ride the gondola from Alpbach to the foot of the Wiedersbergerhorn and let the kids loose in the water wheel, rope course and 40 other play areas in this enthralling mountain playground. Older children can tackle the hike up to the top of Wiedersbergerhorn and bask in glorious mountain views.

Kaiserklamm in Brandenberg

If you’ve got small children in tow, take the easy and scenic path through Kundl Gorge and marvel at the wondrous rock formations. For something more challenging, hike through the Tiefenbach Gorge past rushing streams and intrepid canoeists down below.

Dive right in

Swap the seaside for swims in crystal-clear alpine lakes. Head to Lake Plateau in Kramsach, where you’ve got four lakes to choose from. As motorised boats are banned, it’s a wonderfully peaceful spot for lazy swims and gentle rowing in water that’s a pleasant 25°C. For high-octane thrills, hurtle down the Brandenburg River in a rubber tube.

Get active

Discover the splendours of Alpbachtal from behind the wheel of a bicycle. Mountain bike tours cater for all ages and levels – you can make use of accessible waterside paths or pit yourself against some challenging terrain.

Make the most of your time in Alpbachtal with an Alpbachtal Seenland Card. You’ll get all transport on cable cars and local buses for free.

My Alpbachtal

Christine Margreiter, guesthouse owner, Alpbach

“When the European Forum Alpbach takes place, our village is suddenly full of famous faces from the world of politics, science, and the arts. You might leave the house and bump into Ban Ki-moon or one of our Austrian politicians. There aren’t hordes of security men everywhere: instead, everyone just sits down, relaxes and chats in the inns and guesthouses. You can see them everywhere.”

With daily scheduled flights to Innsbruck from London Heathrow and London Gatwick, as well as services from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool, it’s easy to discover the Austrian Tirol. See alpbachtal.at, visittirol.co.uk and love.tirol #loveTirol, @visitTirol