Austria summer walking

[southchinasea]

We - 2 adults - have enjoyed a couple of walking holidays in and around Seefeld in Austria. We would like to go back to Austria and are looking for suggestions for other areas to base ourselves. Somewhere with good public transport, access to varied walking and a half board hotel with nice food a pool. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm wondering about Zell am see?

Zell am see is wonderful in the summer. I can't recommend a specific hotel because we stay with family in their chalet just outside the town but it's idyllic and a great resort for summer alpine activities

We went to zell in summer and agree it's fabulous. We stayed in an apartment on the outskirts opposite the lake, no pool as we used the lake most days.

We’ve stayed in St Johann im Pongau at the Alpenland Sport Hotel. There’s a reliable train from Salzburg, a good bus service for €1 (possibly €2 by now) per journey into the neighbouring small towns/ski lifts if you get a resort card, and you can buy a summer lift pass for the Snow Space area.

The hotel itself is quite comfortable - great breakfast buffet, decent dinner option in the main restaurant or pizzeria and a barbecue some nights.

I much preferred it to Zell, to be honest.

If you want somewhere a bit different, have a look at Admont, or nearby area. It's in the Ennstal Alps, which is an area of national beauty. I used to stay in Sankt (St) Gallen at Gasthof Hensele when I went, but not sure of the public transport options to the village because I always rented a car at the airport

I'd also recommend a visit to Admont Abbey there, whose library was the inspiration for the one in beauty and the beast (and absolutely stunning)

What about somewhere different than the usual?
Carinthia, klagenfurt has the lovely Wörthersee, warmer, different local cuisine and Slovenia close.

achensee. a lake in the mountains near innsbruck. there are three villages round the lake.

Another vote for Zell am Zee.

Stubai Valley near Innsbruck. Small train part way along the valley bus also buses and transport free with summer card.

Zillertal valley has a train along part of the valley as well.

Zell am See is stunning but is in danger of becoming a victim of its own success and in July and August can get very busy.

Nearby Saalbach-Hinterglemm has all of the walking that you could ever want as well as having loads of other activities. The free Joker Card gives free access to the cable cars, the outdoor pool and free use of the local buses - including the bus to Zell am See, which is 25 minutes away by bus. Hotels we've used include the ValSaa Alpinresort in Saalbach and the Adler Resort in Hinterglemm - both of which have pools and spa areas.

If I understand correctly, from this coming May all public transport (buses and trains) in Salzburgerland will be free of charge this summer for tourists who have the local discount Cards such as the Joker Card (Zell am See has a similar Summercard, as do many other resorts) - something to keep in mind wherever in Salzburgerland you might choose. Presumably this would also include public transport from Salzburg Airport to the various resorts.

I love the alps in summer. I can recommends Garmisch - Partenkirchen in Germany. So much to see and do and close to Austria. We flew into Munich and had a couple of days there too.

Thank you so much everyone, this is so helpful and is going to keep us busy researching all your wonderful suggestions.

We have stayed in Zell a few times, we have been to other places in Austria but always come back to Zell
Hotel wise can recommend hotel stadn wein. Amazing food lovely pool and spa area and great staff.
Summer card gives feee access to lifts and boat rides on lake and access lidos etc plus loads of other stuff as well, so you don’t have to spend loads when away.
Lovely lovely place.

Love love Austria!

Thank you @Havanananana , I think we've decided on Saalbaach-Hinterglemm in June. The walking looks amazing. We like the look of the two hotels you recommended - do you have any other suggestions for comparison? We wondered about the wellness hotel Alpin Juwel? It looks as though the lifts are due to open from the 6th June, do you know if they usually all open then or might we be better waiting till mid-later June to visit?

@southchinasea I've stayed in the Adler in the summer and it was lovely! They have bikes you can hire (Inc e-bikes) and are v near a gondola. Pool is nice but a bit in the shade.
I know the other hotel you mentioned and to be honest they are all lovely there. Just check the joker card is inclined

@bestbefore Thank you - definitely tempted by the Adler, it looks lovely. We'll definitely check about the joker card being included in hotel deals too.

The Adler has great breakfasts which mean you don't need lunch and is very close to one of the cable cars so you can be up the mountain very quickly. Also lovely views from the rooms at the front of the hotel.

The Joker card was included so free access to the cable cars and some other options.

@southchinasea The 3 lifts in Hinterglemm and 3 in Saalbach that open in the summer are all open from 6th June onwards.

Another vote for Zell am see

We had a fabulous fortnight split between Ellmau in the WilderKaiser, and Zell am Ziller. Both places were brilliant for cable cars, walking, adventure playgrounds with water play etc up the mountains and amazing outdoor public pools with slides. No need for a car at all - everything reachable by cable car, bus or train. Can recommend a great apartment in each place.

Thank you so much everyone. We have booked hotel Alpin Juwel, Hinterglemm in June and are really looking forward to our trip. We will definitely visit Zell am see too as it's so close. Thank you for all the other suggestions too which will I'm sure be useful for future trips to Austria.

Good to hear you have booked, another year, whilst not Austria, Selva in Italy is a great walking base with a very good lift system and buses.

If the mountain tops are free of snow by the time you get there make sure to do the Pinzgauerspaziergang
https://www.saalbach.com/de/sommer/wandern-outdoor/pinzgauer-spaziergang
This goes from the top of one of the lifts in Saalbach along the tops of the mountains ending up at the top of the gondola in Zell am See and you can take the lift down and get the bus back to Saalbach. It is a long way though and you should take the early gondola which leaves at 7.30 to make sure you have time to get to the lift at Zell am See before it closes.

@southchinasea , we did a June walking holiday near Seefeld last year and absolutely loved it. We are going to Lake Achensee this summer.

Hope you have a lovely time - do feedback!