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Heatwave: Nine of the coolest places in Austria

As summer temperatures reach Austria, bringing temperatures well above the 30C, there are a few places you can go to help you cool down.

Heatwave: Nine of the coolest places in Austria
A woman enjoys basking in the sun on the swimming pier in the Buchau, in Achensee, Tyrol (© Achensee Tourismus)

Europe’s heatwaves are no laughing matter, and temperatures even in alpine Austria can get close to 40C on many occasions during the summer. If you want to find places to cool down and avoid the heat, there are many beautiful locations to visit all over Austria.

From aquariums to caves and stunning lakes, here are some of the spots that will not be too sweltering even in the hot summer months.

Vienna aquarium haus des meeres

Vienna’s aquarium, the Haus des Meeres, is a great place to visit. (Photo: Daniel Zupanc/Presse)

In Vienna, visit the Haus des Meeres

Vienna has many places you can visit literally to cool off, as the city has a comprehensive plan to face heat waves. There are fog showers around the city, which spray a fine mist into the air to cool down passers-by; water features in its parks and drinking water fountains all over the city.

However, if you want more of an attraction for your summer months, a good call would be the Viennese aquarium, also known as Haus des Meeres.

READ ALSO: Five of the best things to do in Vienna this summer

Unless you spend some time in the “tropical” section, most of the building is climatized, and you get to see cool animals and beautiful aquariums. The Haus also has a rooftop bar with lovely views of Vienna.

Vienna woods

The beautiful Vienna Woods. ((c) Niederösterreich Werbung/Andreas Hofer)

In Lower Austria, venture into the Wienerwald

The Vienna Woods, which encompass the west and southwest of the city’s capital, are the forest where many great minds used to go for walks to get inspired – Mozart, Beethoven and Kafka are all closely linked to the Wienerwald.

READ ALSO: ‘Waldeinsamkeit’ in Austria: Five peaceful forest walks near Vienna

The region is beautiful throughout the year, and the greenery helps the area stay cooler than the cities over summer.

It’s a perfect setting for walks, picnics, and mountain biking, and several summer events take place over the hot months.

In Upper Austria, go to the Nationalpark Kalkalpen

Austria’s second-largest national park is within the Northern Limestone Alps mountain range, and it’s most famous for having the largest forested area in Central Europe. You can escape the summer heat under the cover of the trees, reach high panorama-view towers, climb peaks and enjoy horseback riding trails.

READ ALSO: Six German expressions to entice your Wanderlust

The forest is a truly special thing. It’s the first World Natural Heritage forest in Austria and is home to some of the oldest trees in Europe.

The Kalkalpen is also where several rare animals can be found in Austria, including bears, the lynx and the golden eagle.

Styria has beautiful bike tours with fantastic views (© Steiermark Tourismus | Tom Lamm)

In Styria, visit the wine roads south of the state

Styria is home to what is known as Austria’s Tuscany region. The Weinstrassen are a beautiful and idyllic setting of roads full of twists and turns around vineyards.

Though the best time of the year to visit is arguably around September, to enjoy the fruits of the grape harvest, it is also a lovely (and a few degrees cooler than in city centres!) place to visit over the summer months.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about cycling in Austria

The wine roads are also a great region to cycle through, with lovely towns perfect for overnight stays, such as Ehrenhausen or Berghausen.

A woman enjoys basking in the sun on the swimming pier in the Buchau, in Achensee, Tyrol (© Achensee Tourismus)

In Tyrol, go swimming at the Achensee

Achensee is the largest lake in the Western state of Tyrol – also known as the “Tyrolean Sea” or even “Fjord of the Alps”.

READ ALSO: How to explore the Austrian mountains in the summer like a local

The lake has crystal clear waters – and the quality is near drinking water, with sight up to ten meters below the surface. It’s a perfect place to cool off, especially since, being an alpine lake, water temperatures tend to be refreshing and rarely over 20C.

Achensee’s shores have sandy beaches, and visitors enjoy plenty of summer activities, including windsurfing and sailing. It is said that even Austria’s emperors liked to go there to escape the city’s heat and cool off during the hottest months.

In Salzburg, explore the Dachstein Caves

There is no more effective way to cool off than literally entering an ice cave.

Salzkammergut, the lake region in Salzburg, has many beautiful places to visit over summer and lovely swimming spots to enjoy (Attersee is a must if you are in the area).

READ ALSO: Salt of the Alps: ancient Austrian mine holds Bronze Age secrets

However, those looking to really escape blistering temperatures and the blazing sun will be entirely at home at the Dachstein Caves, a world of ice and underground halls.

There are two main caves: Dachstein Eishöhle, the icy and illuminated one, and Mammuthölle, one of the deepest and longest caves in the world.

Bregenz austria lake constance

The beautiful Lake Constance in Austria ((c) Christiane Setz)

In Vorarlberg, go skinny dipping at Bodensee

If the heat is just too much, it might be time to strip down to your birthday suit and go for a swim in the lake.

Austria is very nonchalant about nudity, but be sure to keep your bathing suit on unless you are in the designated FKK (Freikörperkultur) areas. Nudity sections or not, the vast Bodensee lake (also known as Lake Constance) has beautiful shores with turquoise waters for you to cool off and enjoy the view.

READ ALSO: The 10 biggest culture shocks experienced by foreigners in Austria

What view, you may ask? The lake borders Germany and Switzerland, the Rhine river flows to it, and Alpine mountains surround it. Heat or no heat, it’s a fantastic place to be.

The Neusiedler See (Neusiedler Lake) in Burgenland. Von Flame99, CC BY-SA 3.0, Creative Commons, Wikicommons

In Burgenland, go for a swim at Austria’s ocean, the Neusiedler See

We know we risk being repetitive, but Austria is not known for its mountains and lakes for nothing, and Neusiedler See is undoubtedly one of the most famous ones.

The lake is one of the largest in Europe, and it straddles the Austrian-Hungarian border, covering 315 square kilometres.

READ ALSO: Discover Austria: Five beautiful hikes and destinations south of Vienna

It is not even two meters deep at maximum depth, so it does warm up considerably during summer. The constant and strong winds help cool off, though, and the region is well known for its water sports and surfing possibilities.

There are lovely little towns surrounding the lake, and a visit to Rust, where you can see many stork nests on top of the houses, is a must.

In Carinthia, enjoy a resort vibe in Faaker See and Ossiacher See

If all that is missing for you is to feel like you are in a beach resort, then Carinthia has the perfect solution.

Two lakes, Faaker See and Ossiacher See, offer beautiful views, nice swimming spots, and plenty of activities close to Villach, one of the state’s largest cities. 

Do you know any great spots to cool off during Austrian heat? Let us know in the comment section below or send us an email at [email protected].

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IN PICTURES: Austria’s five most impressive waterfalls

Austria's many dramatic waterfalls offer a perfect escape during the warm summer days.

IN PICTURES: Austria's five most impressive waterfalls

Austria not only offers mountains and crystal-clear lakes but also many dramatic and tall waterfalls worth exploring.

On a hot summer day, visiting a waterfall to enjoy cooler temperatures and natural beauty can be a great idea.

Krimml Waterfalls

These are Austria’s largest and most famous waterfalls. When combined, they have a total height of about 380 meters.

You find the falls in High Tauern National Park, where you can reach them via a well-maintained hiking trail.

The hiking trail leads you through a beautiful alpine landscape with dense forests and rugged cliffs. Along the way, you will find many viewpoints where you can rest on benches and enjoy stunning views of the region.

The best time to visit the waterfalls is during the summer months when the water volume peaks due to snowmelt from the surrounding mountains. It is also an ideal time to visit if you want to escape hot temperatures elsewhere.

Many people also spend time by the waterfalls due its believed health benefits. The high volume of water and cascading nature of the falls produce fine aerosols known to have a positive effect on respiratory health.

You can read more about the falls here.

Krimml waterfalls are a great place to visit if you want to cool down during the warmer months. Photo by Abdulrhman Alkhnaifer on Unsplash

Stuibenfall

Stuibenfall is Tyrol’s largest waterfall and is located in the Ötztal Valley. It drops over several levels, with a total height of about 159 meters.

The waterfall drops from a steep cliff and creates a cascade of water that can be heard and felt from long distances. During peak flow periods, such as in spring or after heavy rainfall, the waterfall is known to show its full force.

Ölztal Valley is famous for its beauty, high mountains, deep valleys, and alpine meadows. The valley offers many different hiking trails and great viewpoints.

You can start your hike up to the waterfall from the cute nearby village Umhausen.

Stuibenfall is Tyrol’s largest waterfal and a popular place to enjoy the nature. Photo by Jaakko Kemppainen on Unsplash
 

Golling Waterfall

This famous waterfall is located in the region of Salzburg. It is about 75 meters tall and cascades down in two main drops from a rocky cliff.

You can get to the waterfalls by a hike starting in the small town of Golling an der Salzach. From there you can explore a well-marked trail through a beautiful alpine landscapes with views of the Salzach Valley.

The waterfall is a popular spot, especially during summer, where you can enjoy the refreshing temperature and calmness of the nature around. 

The town of Golling also offers a lot to experience. Here you can visit the historic Golling Castle (Schloss Golling) and enjoy a walk or a picknick in Bluntautal Valley (Bluntautal).

While visiting Golling waterfall you can also enjoy the many hiking trails in Salzach Valley. Photo by Diane Theresa Hendrick on Unsplash

Liechtensteinklamm Waterfall

You find this beautiful waterfall near the small town St. Johann im Pongau in the region of Salzburg.

There is an official path to the waterfall which leads you through the narrow Liechtenstein gorge. Along the way, you will pass several other smaller waterfalls until you reach Liechtensteinklamm Waterfall, the largest one.

The gorge is one of the longest and deepest in the Alps, with ravines that are around 300 meters deep.

The hiking path to the waterfall will take you through many smaller waterfalls, impressive mountain peaks, steep cliffs, and of course, a lot of thundering water.

From the entrance of the gorge, the hike will take you about one and a half hour (roundtrip). The great thing is that the return path is not the same as the one to get there.

 
 
 
 
 
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Kesselfall 

Kesselfall is a series of waterfalls located in a beautiful gorge near the town of Kaprun in the region of Salzburg.

The falls are part of a popular hiking route, Kesselfall Almweg, which goes alongside the rushing waters of the waterfall. The path offers beautiful views with water flowing through a landscape of rocks and forests.

Apart from the hiking path to the waterfall, you can explore a wide range of other well-marked trails in the area. You can find trails of all levels for both hiking and biking  The region is known for its beauty, high mountains, meadows, and forests.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Adéla Korejsová Bechyňská (@adelakorejsovabechynska)

READ MORE: Four Austrian national parks worth paying a visit

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