Ausseerland Salzkammergut: A Region Living in Step With Nature

Ausseerland lies in the Styrian part of the Salzkammergut and takes in towns such as Bad Aussee, Altaussee, Grundlsee and Bad Mitterndorf. The region is marked by an unusual density of landscape: striking mountain ranges, clear lakes, wide alpine pastures and a townscape still strongly shaped by tradition and craft. Here, tourism is not a departure from everyday life but part of it, an attitude that continues to define the region's atmosphere.

A Cultural Landscape With Identity

Ausseerland is considered the cultural heart of the Styrian Salzkammergut. Traditional dress, craft, music and local festivals are not staged for effect here but expressions of a living identity, most visible in Bad Aussee, often described as the region's cultural centre. This rootedness lends the region a particular authenticity, allowing visitors to experience a place that has no need to reinvent itself, but instead lives from its own history.

Summer Between Activity and Stillness

In the warmer months, Ausseerland reveals its open, expansive side. Hiking trails wind through alpine landscapes, along lakes and across mountain pastures, with Grundlsee and Lake Altaussee shaping the region's summer mood. Cycling, hiking, swimming or simply lingering take precedence, an offering geared less toward speed than toward mindful movement and time spent in nature.

Winter, Clear and Focused

In winter, the character of the landscape shifts, though its underlying attitude does not. Ausseerland stands for an unhurried style of winter tourism, shaped by cross-country skiing, winter walking, ski touring and smaller ski areas. Bad Mitterndorf and the Tauplitzalm offer alpine breadth, while other parts of the region deliberately favour gentler winter experiences.

Down-to-Earth Cuisine

The cooking in Ausseerland is regionally rooted and restrained in style: fish from the lakes, alpine produce, traditional recipes and modern adaptations sit comfortably side by side. Inns, alpine huts and smaller businesses focus on reliability, provenance and flavour, in keeping with the region's overall philosophy. Ausseerland is not a place built on spectacular superlatives, its strength lies in balance, between activity and stillness, tradition and openness, summer and winter.