Zell am See

The Alps’ largest protected wilderness, Hohe Tauern sprawls across 1,856 square kilometres of glacial valleys, sheer limestone walls, and 342 summits above 3,000 metres. The Grossglockner — Austria’s highest peak — presides over the Pasterze Glacier, a frozen river retreating in slow motion. Golden eagles ride thermals above alpine meadows where edelweiss and gentian bloom; marmots whistle from boulder fields. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road stitches the park together, a 48‑kilometre engineering marvel that climbs to 2,504 metres at the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe visitor centre. Whether you hike the multi‑day Alpine Crossing, cycle the valley floors, or simply stand at the glacier’s edge listening to ice crack, the park delivers a primal encounter with the roof of Austria.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Hochalpenstraße) is not merely a route from point A to B; it is an engineering masterpiece and a legendary drive through the roof of the Alps. This serpentine toll road, spanning approximately 48 kilometers through the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park, ascends to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe pass at 2,369 meters, offering jaw-dropping access to the Pasterze Glacier—the longest in the Eastern Alps—and the awe-inspiring, jagged peak of the Grossglockner itself, Austria’s highest mountain at 3,798 meters. Originally conceived during the economic despair of the 1930s as a massive infrastructure project, it remains one of the most scenic and iconic driving roads in the world, winding through lush alpine meadows, past thundering waterfalls, and into a world of ice and snow. Whether you arrive in a vintage car, a modern convertible, or even a tour bus, the sensation of conquering the High Alps delivers a raw, cinematic experience of nature’s formidable beauty.

Perched on a sheer crag above the Salzach Valley, Hohenwerfen Castle has guarded the Alpine passage for over 900 years. Its mighty walls, towers, and battlements—expanded by archbishops and tested by sieges—now host one of Europe’s most dramatic falconry centers. Eagles, vultures, and falcons wheel against a backdrop of jagged peaks during daily flight demonstrations, a spectacle that fuses medieval pageantry with raw nature. Inside, the castle’s armory, torture chamber, and staterooms narrate a turbulent history, while the panoramic terrace serves one of Austria’s most breathtaking mountain vistas.

Synonymous with glamour and sporting pedigree, Kitzbühel marries medieval Tyrolean charm with world-class alpine terrain. The legendary Streif downhill course—site of the Hahnenkamm races—looms over a town where 14th‑century frescoed houses line cobbled lanes, luxury boutiques share space with traditional bakeries, and the Schwarzsee lake mirrors the Wilder Kaiser peaks. In summer, the golf capital of the Alps unfurls manicured fairways against a backdrop of jagged limestone, while hikers and e‑bikers explore the Kitzbüheler Horn’s floral meadows.

Fringed by the glassy waters of Lake Zell and crowned by the glaciated Kitzsteinhorn, Zell am See is a year-round alpine playground where the lake’s promenade, the medieval Schloss Rosenberg, and the vaporetto-style lake boats create a postcard-perfect setting. Summer invites swimming, sailing, and lakeside cycling, while winter transforms the region into the “Europa Sportregion” with seamless ski access to the Schmittenhöhe and Kitzsteinhorn glaciers. The town’s compact center, with its pastel façades and lakeside cafés, distills Austrian Gemütlichkeit into every cobblestone.