Press info archive - Vacations in Austria
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Summer in the Hills
In summer, when the heat becomes unbearable amid the concrete canyons of the city, there is nothing better than getting out of town and up into the alpine pastures. The air is gloriously clean and fresh. Vivid alpine flowers and mountain vistas take your breath away. And, naturally, countless alpine huts along the trail’s edge, invite you to enjoy a well-earned rest and refreshments. This is what summer in the Gastein Valley is all about!
Here at the foot of the Hohe Tauern National Park, Gastein’s mighty mountain world towers up into the skies. On the over 350 km of marked hiking paths – ranging from family-friendly to high-alpine – you will discover pristine landscapes, imposing glacial regions and old miners’ paths dating from the time when Gastein was still Europe’s center of gold- and silver-mining. Having achieved fame that extends far beyond the borders of Austria, Gastein is also known as “The Valley of Water”. You discover this precious element with every step you take: in the form of healing hot springs in the valley, deep-blue mountain tarns, and thunderous waterfalls. And who knows, as you rest atop a mountain summit, you might even catch sight of a bearded vulture, circling with majesty high above your head.
For hopeless romantics: A honeymoon at an alpine hut
As daytime in the hill country draws to a close, the sun gradually sinks behind the Gastein mountains and the last rays set the peaks aglow in a fiery red. This is when the hearts of all romantics begin to beat a little faster. Lovers or newly-weds wanting to spend the most romantic honeymoon imaginable have definitely found the ideal setting at the Präau Hochalm in Dorfgastein. The cozy Honeymoon Suite, freshly prepared dishes, and mouth-watering desserts, are guaranteed by your hostess, Monika Rieser, to sweeten every day of your getaway. And as a nightcap to accompany the setting sun: perhaps a sip of elderberry or blackberry liqueur. Now that is pure romance. (Information & Reservations: Rieser Family, phone +43(0)6433/200 59 or +43(0)699/11176366.
Up at the alpine hut… always a delicious experience
Let’s be honest: What would a hike in the high country be without a well-earned break to enjoy some hearty country fare? After all, nothing whets your appetite more than getting out and about in the fresh mountain air. Hikers in the Gastein Valley can select from among 40 huts ranging in elevation from 1200 to 1800 meters above sea level. It is often the farming families themselves who prepare and serve the tasty alpine delicacies they have made with their own hands: a traditional country platter with bacon, cheese and farmhouse bread, accompanied by buttermilk and capped off by home-distilled pine schnapps – all coming fresh to your table. With regional specialties including cheese dumplings, meat pasties and Schott soup, intrepid mountaineers and leisurely hikers are able to fortify themselves at the alpine huts of the Gastein Valley. A number of huts, such as the Haitzingalm above Bad Hofgastein, invite you to join them as they prepare these treats. You are welcome to peek over Traudi’s shoulder as she makes cheese or churns butter. And because you want to know how the final product actually tastes, of course, you will wind up your visit with a tasty snack featuring local cheeses. At the Amoseralm in Dorfgastein, the program includes bread-baking. Even such tasks as kneading the dough, shaping the loves and pushing them into the oven is harder work than you might first think. But that also makes the warm farmhouse bread taste better than ever.
It is no secret that getting “back to nature” and the sport of hiking itself are currently in the midst of an enormous boom. And here in the Gastein Valley, we have come up with something really special to make the prospect of hiking more mouth-watering than ever: Herb Hikes. Setting out once weekly from Dorfgastein, interested guests are led by Felix Salfitzky, hiking guide and owner of the Hotel Ősterreichischer Hof, up into the hill country in search of ingredients for a menu featuring local herbs. Countless herbs and flowers – many with names you have probably never heard before – grow on alpine meadows and even right on the trail’s edge: goutweed, wild thyme, ground ivy, chickweed, along with yarrow and dandelion are collected up and down the mountain under the guide’s watchful eye.
When enough herbs are in the bag, it is time to make your way up to the Kőgerlalm, where the group will transform these ingredients into delicious meals such as wild-herb soup, vegetables blended with herbs and, as a dessert, a sweet confection of petals and herbs. And to give the palate a unique treat: chocolate-dipped clover blossoms, ground-ivy leaves, and more. As a final crowning experience, your hostess will serve up the hut’s most popular specialty: herb pancakes with a sweet pesto sauce.
Magical Summer Nights in the Mountains
For people who live in and with the mountains, summer is a time that is both imposing and mystical. As old as the hill-farming tradition itself are the myths and legends woven around giants, spirits, and treasures hidden deep in caves. Visitors can learn more about these various legends during a mystical Sunset Hike. Accompanied by a storyteller, bagpipes and a harp, participants immerse themselves in the world of those mountain and forest spirits who get up to their mischief in the hills of Gastein. And who knows: maybe a captive giant is hidden inside one of those strangely shaped rocks you sit on while listening to the tales!
Package Tip:
Gastein Family Summer:
7 nights for 2 adults and 2 children up to age 15 staying in a Family Room, including choice of meal plans and 6-day SalzburgerLand Card1 for as little as € 729 per person.
Bookings & Information:
Gastein Tourism
Tel.+43/6432 -3393 – 0
E-mail: incoming@gastein.com
Web: www.gastein.com