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- Großglockner & Pasterze Glacier (Hohe Tauern National Park)
Austria’s highest peak and its largest glacier—seen from the Großglockner High Alpine Road—gives you raw, rugged alpine scenery you won’t get in the foothills: jagged ridges, glacial moraines and the feel of real high mountains. Drive a section of the toll road for staggeringly close views, hike short glacier-access trails, or base yourself in Heiligenblut for authentic mountain-village life beneath the peak. - Krimml Waterfalls
Europe-scale volume and thunder: Krimml is Austria’s tallest cascade and a sensory experience—spray, smell, misty paths and chest-deep views into a gorge. It’s a great half-day outing with well-kept trails that climb through different microclimates, and locals still treat it as a pilgrimage to the mountains
- Großglockner & Pasterze Glacier (Hohe Tauern National Park)
Austria’s highest peak and its largest glacier—seen from the Großglockner High Alpine Road—gives you raw, rugged alpine scenery you won’t get in the foothills: jagged ridges, glacial moraines and the feel of real high mountains. Drive a section of the toll road for staggeringly close views, hike short glacier-access trails, or base yourself in Heiligenblut for authentic mountain-village life beneath the peak. - Krimml Waterfalls
Europe-scale volume and thunder: Krimml is Austria’s tallest cascade and a sensory experience—spray, smell, misty paths and chest-deep views into a gorge. It’s a great half-day outing with well-kept trails that climb through different microclimates, and locals still treat it as a pilgrimage to the mountains rather than just a photo stop. - Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave (Werfen)
The world’s largest ice cave is a literal underground alpine spectacle—ridges, pillars and curtains of ice inside limestone caverns. It’s accessible on a guided walk (bring layers; it’s freezing), and pairing it with Hohenwerfen castle above makes for a day that mixes natural wonder with mountain history. - Dachstein Krippenstein & 5fingers Viewpoint
Dramatic cliffs, a glassy cantilever viewpoint that juts out over an abyss, and nearby ice caves make the Dachstein massif feel cinematic. Hike or take the cable car from Obertraun, and don’t skip the short walks around the plateau—this spot has alpine panoramas unique to the Northern Limestone Alps. - Admont Abbey Library
A baroque jewel tucked into the Ennstal valley: the largest monastic library in the world in terms of frescoed ceiling space and sheer wow factor. It’s a cultural stop that pairs perfectly with alpine hiking in the nearby Gesäuse or Dachstein ranges—history and mountains in one afternoon. - Bad Gastein (waterfalls and Felsentherme spa)(hidden gem)
A crumbling Belle Époque spa town with a waterfall slicing through the center and thermal baths carved into rock—Bad Gastein feels like a faded movie set that locals still love. Great for soaking sore legs after hikes, exploring eccentric architecture, and watching Austria’s spa culture play out in a very alpine setting. - Alpbach village & Alpbachtal(hidden gem)
Wooden chalets, meticulously kept flower boxes and a strong local identity—Alpbach is why Tyrol doesn’t all look the same. It’s small, photogenic and actually lived-in: walk local trails, pop into family-run guesthouses, and enjoy authentic Tyrolean food without the big-resort bustle. - Großes Walsertal Biosphere Reserve(hidden gem)
A UNESCO biosphere tucked into Vorarlberg where farmers, cheese-makers and hikers share a slow-pace mountain life—think pristine pastures, marked alpine trails and valley farms selling their own cheese. It’s an excellent spot to see traditional alpine agriculture still shaping the landscape. - Formarinsee & the Lech Source Area (Vorarlberg)
Turquoise lakes, wild Lech riverhead scenery and rugged peaks—Formarinsee and the surrounding trails feel remote but are perfectly doable as a day hike. The Lech’s source stretch is one of the best places to see how an Alpine river carves its way through limestone and gives the region its distinct light and color. - Nockberge Biosphere Park
Rounded “nock” mountains, pastoral high-alpine meadows and a different, gentler alpine vibe—this is where Carinthia’s mountains favor broad ridges over spikes. Hike between alpine huts, sample local dairy products, and enjoy quieter trails and vistas that feel distinctly Austrian but unlike the high Alps aesthetic.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.