Camping in the Salzkammergut

The Salzkammergut in Upper Austria lies on the northern edge of the Alps. With its high plateaus, alpine pastures and valleys, it attracts numerous hikers and walkers. The large Austrian lakes such as Lake Attersee, Lake Mondsee and Lake Hallstatt are perfect for a swimming holiday. The Salzkammergut borders both Salzburg and Lake Wolfgangsee. It is a paradise for camping with children or camping with dogs.

Special features of camping in the Salzkammergut

The numerous bodies of water in the Salzkammergut make camping in this region particularly attractive for families with children on summer holidays. The combination of hiking and swimming holidays is particularly popular in this Austrian region.

There are well-kept campsites on lush green meadows by the large lakes. Poplars and deciduous trees provide shade and privacy. While the campsites on the lakeshore usually have a small section of beach or bathing jetties, the campsites on the slopes or mountain pastures offer the most beautiful views.

Campers in the Salzkammergut are spoilt for choice not only in terms of location, but also in terms of the facilities on the pitches. From comfort campsites to facilities with wellness offers to simple nature camping, there are plenty of options for a holiday in the open air.

With Austriacamp Mondsee, Camping Schatzlmühle, Komfortcamping Berau, Seeterrassencamping Ried and Seecamping Appesbach, several campsites are vying for visitors' favour. Holiday fun can also be enjoyed at other campsites in the Salzkammergut.

Campsites in the Salzkammergut

Campers have the opportunity to choose between various campsites in the Salzkammergut.

Comfort camping Berau

With its pitches, Komfortcamping Berau offers a wonderful view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The wide range of leisure activities on offer, including pony rides, boat hire, riding courses and lots of bathing fun, means there are virtually no limits to your holiday enjoyment. Modern sanitary blocks, entertainment for children, camping with dogs, WLAN and a grocery shop are all part of the comprehensive service at Komfortcamping Berau.

Seeterrassencamping Ried

The Seeterrassencamping Ried is rather tranquil, but the pitches for motorhomes and tents on the camping meadow are highly sought-after. The public beach with its own section for dogs is just a few minutes' walk away. The natural diversity of the region is particularly noticeable at Seeterrassencamping Ried with its view of the water. Other recommended campsites in the province are Austriacamp Mondsee, Camping Schatzlmühle (Almcamp) and Seecamping Appesbach.

How to get there

It's just a stone's throw from southern Germany to the Salzkammergut. Just 240 kilometres separate Munich from the Austrian hiking region. Motorhome drivers can reach the Salzkammergut in around three hours via the A8 motorway. This short journey makes holidays with small children or with a dog on one of the campsites particularly attractive.

In the low season, campers can simply drive off into the blue and stop at the most beautiful places. Salzburg is a good stopover on the journey. There are some excellent campsites on the outskirts of Salzburg, which are part of the Salzkammergut region and offer great panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.

The journey from Berlin takes eight to nine hours. There are two interesting connections. One is via the A9 motorway and takes you past interesting cities such as Leipzig, Regensburg and Passau. A little further east, the route passes through the Czech Republic.

The A13 motorway takes you past Dresden and then through Saxon Switzerland. In the Czech Republic, Prague is a cultural highlight. There are beautiful campsites in the vicinity of Prague where you can spend the night.

Destinations in the Salzkammergut

In terms of landscape, the Salzkammergut is divided into three different zones: It offers a flat Alpine foothills, a low mountain range and Alpine regions. In between are famous towns and lakes such as Bad Ischgl and Lake Wolfgangsee or Lake Attersee.

The spa town of Bad Ischgl

Bad Ischgl is a glamorous and historic spa resort to the east of Salzburg. The legendary Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I once spent his summer holidays here. Today, his Biedermeier-style villa can be visited. In winter, Bad Ischgl becomes a glamorous winter sports resort that also attracts a number of celebrities.

The natural paradise of Lake Wolfgangsee

Only the eastern part of Lake Wolfgang borders on the Salzkammergut, yet the holiday region claims the waters between Salzburg and Upper Austria as its own. The Schafberg, the Zwölferhorn and the Postalm are the most popular excursion destinations on the lake. The best-known towns are Sankt Gilgen, Strobl and Sankt Wolfgang. They all enchant with old farmhouses, cosy restaurants and local museums.

Water sports paradise Attersee

Lake Attersee is also framed by a mountain backdrop. It is the largest lake in Austria and, at 46 km², is more than three times the size of Lake Wolfgangsee. With a depth of up to 170 metres, Lake Attersee is a paradise for divers. The lake is also a popular sailing and surfing area. Kayaks and canoes can be hired on the shore or even at the campsites around Lake Attersee.

Activities and excursions

Whether in the mountains or on the water - the Salzkammergut is ideal for active holidaymakers. Those interested in culture are drawn to the historical places and those seeking relaxation benefit from the wellness and spa offers.

Active in the mountains

Hiking, climbing, mountain biking - there are no limits to sporting activities in the mountainous Salzkammergut region. More than 38 via ferrata routes and around 648 hiking trails with a total length of around 4,000 km are recommended in the Salzkammergut. Brave souls can experience heavenly flights of fancy while paragliding alone or with an instructor. The accompanied jump into the air is offered by 14 flying schools. Challenges await even in the mountains: Cave trekking in the Dachstein gives hobby explorers an adrenalin kick.

Active on the water

The lakes in the Salzkammergut make it possible: from fishing trips and boat tours to paddling and diving yourself, everything is possible on the waters. River rafting and canyoning inspire water sports enthusiasts just as much as surfing and sailing courses.

Cultural highlights

Whether it's the waitress in traditional costume, a local museum or the historic villages - holidaymakers encounter customs and culture everywhere in the Salzkammergut. Particular highlights are the cattle drive and the farmers' autumn. In the towns of Fuschl am See, Hof bei Salzburg, Faistenau and Thalgau, traditional harvest festivals are celebrated every year, where farms along the hiking trails offer their culinary specialities.

Gastronomy

Austrian cuisine is considered traditional and down-to-earth, and the Salzkammergut is no exception. However, there are some differences between the individual regions. Thanks to the numerous bodies of water in the Salzkammergut, there is plenty of fresh fish on the table, such as local char and whitefish.

Hearty bread meals are ideal for the camping kitchen and for picnics on hikes. Both the cheese and the sausage specialities are produced by local mountain farms. Crunchy, flavoursome wood-fired bread serves as the basis.

In the restaurants and pubs, the famous Wienerschnitzel is served alongside the classic semolina dumpling soup and boiled beef. Children especially love the sweet pastries such as yeast and apricot dumplings.

Weather

The climate in the Salzkammergut is considered temperate and warm. However, there is always rainfall throughout the year, which benefits nature. The alpine meadows are particularly lush and green. In addition to fir trees, there are many deciduous trees and of course small streams, ponds and lakes.

The warmest month is July with an average temperature of 17.5 degrees Celsius. The bathing temperature in Lake Attersee is between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius in July. When hiking in the mountains, campers should be aware that the weather can change quickly. While it often gets scorching hot on the high plateaus, hikers can often expect very fresh air when descending through the cloud cover. It is advisable to always have a weatherproof jacket in your rucksack.