SalzburgerLand: Austria's year-round adventure playground
It's no surprise that Salzburg is one of Europe's top destinations. For a rather small, easily walkable city, the fourth largest in Austria*, it offers so much.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site sliced through the middle by the Salzach River, it punches above its weight in terms of museums, galleries, concert halls, cafés and bars, plus being the birthplace and home for some years to Mozart.
The Sound of Music was filmed here, which is no surprise with Salzburg* being ridiculously pretty, with a regal baroque centre and medieval fortress all framed by picture-perfect Alpine landscapes.
Yet venture outside the city, within just a 15-minute drive, and you're in wonderful Alpine countryside ideal for hiking and biking in the spring, summer and autumn, with excellent skiing in winter.
As well as the mountains, the beautiful topography comprises nearly 500 lakes, extensive forests, national parks and countless attractions ranging from salt mines to castles.
Getting there: find the latest offers on escapes to Salzburg with Jet2CityBreaks*, from where you can plan your adventure into the countryside of SalzburgerLand.
Superlative skiing during winter
For the skier, SalzburgerLand is pretty unbeatable for quality, quantity and variety. It boasts nearly 70 resorts across 22 distinct ski areas and more than 2,000 km of groomed pistes. There are also more than 100 ski schools, along with a state-of-the-art infrastructure, providing quick and safe access to well-connected slopes.
Snowboarding, winter hiking, ski touring, sleigh rides, ice rinks, ice-climbing, snow-kiting and numerous other exhilarating outdoor sports and experiences are on offer during this time of year too.
Bikers' paradise
During the spring, summer and autumn, SalzburgerLand comes into its own with its extensive cycling routes, and mountain biking in particular.
It offers something for everyone, whether you want to tackle a tough mountain bike trail that would challenge an Olympian, or something suitable for the whole family. In addition to thousands of kilometres of cycling routes and mountain bike tracks, there are numerous e-bike charging stations and hotels specifically designed for cyclists.
The biking trails all invariably pass through stunning scenery. The Tauern Cycle Trail, for example, features the spellbinding Krimml waterfalls and the world's largest ice caves.
The ultimate Christmas
The mountainous snow-covered scenery of this region lends itself to effortlessly creating a Christmassy winter wonderland feel, the fairytale architecture of Salzburg*, with its beautiful palaces, churches, squares and parks, the icing on the cake.
From late November to early January is a great time to visit to enjoy Salzburg's Christmas attractions, which include numerous renditions of Silent Night (which was written and first performed nearby at Oberndorf bei Salzburg, 17 km north of the city), free daily 5 pm concerts in front of the cathedral, and various Christmas markets.
These include the historic Christkindlmarktrong>, the market in the arcades at St Peter Stiftskulinarium, the market on Mirabell Square, Advent Magic at Hellbrunn Palace, Stern Advent in front of the Sternbräu, and the market in the courtyard of Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Adventure holidays
All year round, there are plenty of things to do, so if you're a non-skiier but visit during the ski season, you won't be neglected, and if you visit during warmer months, you'll have a host of options.
For those adventurous in spirit and in need of that adrenaline fix, there are zip-wires, climbing walls, rock climbing, horse riding and toboggan runs, including, at 14 km, the longest floodlit toboggan run in the world, a fabulous 30-to-50-minute ride from the Wildkogel Arena to the valley far below.
In warmer months, SalzburgerLand's many natural lakes, swimming lakes and outdoor pools are ideal for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, kiteboarding, canoeing and kayaking.
The region's principal rivers, the Saalach, Lammer and Salzach, offer even more thrills, with rafting, canyoning and hydrospeeding on offer.
Heaven for hikers
SalzburgerLand is an ideal hiking destination during spring, summer and autumn. There's an impressive 7,200 km of marked hiking trails in the region, including the Salzburger Almenweg (the Salzburg Alpine Pastures Trail), a 350 km route with 31 stages having varying levels of difficulty.
It offers spellbinding views of the Hochkönig, Bischofsmütze and Dachstein Mountains. The Grossarl Valley alone has around 400 km of trails.
Spas & wellness
It is well known that nature is good for the soul and that fresh Alpine mountain air has a positive effect on health. It is scientifically proven that respiratory ailments are alleviated and fitness is optimised in such environments.
This area is home to numerous wellness hotels, and many offer a wide range of experiences promoting good health, such as yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, mud treatments, acupuncture, aroma baths and Ayurveda oil massages.
They typically have saunas at varying temperatures, impressive pools, gyms, steam rooms and Whirlpool baths, and spas offering extensive treatments. These often incorporate local natural products such as fresh spring water, herbs, honey and pine. It's an ideal end to an exhilarating day hiking, skiing or biking.
There are also six natural thermal spas in Salzburgerland, which typically have saltwater and lap pools, water slides, saunas and beauty treatments.
A sustainable destination
An added plus is that SalzburgerLand is a leader in Europe in green technology and sustainability, incorporating new initiatives at every opportunity.
For example, during the ski season, its resorts use a host of energy-efficient snowmaking and slope-management initiatives, and capabilities for capturing and repurposing the heat generated from engines driving the cable cars.
Cuisine
From rustic mountain huts to gourmet restaurants, there's a delicious, distinct cuisine to discover, from both SalzburgerLand specialities to those of the wider Austria. With this region boasting the highest concentration of organic producers in Europe, you can be sure ingredients are top quality.
Do try braised beef roulades stuffed with onions, carrots and gherkins, served with Spätzle egg noodles and cranberry red cabbage. Berglamm, or mountain lamb, is popular due to its tender and aromatic flavour.
Other food options include the sweet dumplings known as Salzburger nockerl, palatschinken, the Austrian version of French crêpes, or the lightly sweetened kaiserschmarrn pancake, named after Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, who was a fan of the dessert.
Climate in SalzburgerLand
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum daytime temperature °C |  -2 |
 -0 |
3 |
 7 |
 11 |
 15 |
17 |
17 |
 14 |
10 |
3 |
-1 |
| Hours of sunshine (daily) | ||||||||||||
| Days with some rainfall |  15 |
14 |
 16 |
17 |
18 |
 19 |
18 |
18 |
14 |
 12 |
14 |
15 |
The above guide shows the climate in Zell am See, which is more representative of the whole region than just the climate in Salzburg.
Ready to discover rural Salzburg? Browse the current online offers on getaways with Jet2CityBreaks so book your trip for less.
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