Austria's Zillertal, Tirol: A Fairytale Escape More Affordable Than Switzerland!
Imagine a place as breathtaking as Switzerland, but without the crowds and with a much friendlier price tag. That's exactly what Austria's Zillertal region in Tirol offers – a truly magical, fairytale landscape that will steal your heart.
On our recent 7-day road trip from Germany through Austria, we discovered two absolutely stunning locations: Olpererhütte and Lünersee. The natural scenery was simply heavenly, the driving routes felt like scenes straight out of a movie, and the charming chalets and hotels looked like they belonged in a painting. And the food? Absolutely delicious! You absolutely must try the Kaiserschmarrn – a fluffy shredded pancake that's a local specialty. The best part is, the prices are incredibly reasonable, making this a dream destination for any traveller.
We highly recommend experiencing this region via a road trip. It allows you to soak in the beautiful scenery as you drive and spontaneously stop at picturesque spots along the way. However, if public transport is more your style, you can easily reach us from Munich or Innsbruck. For Olpererhütte, there are even buses that go right up to the starting point of the hike.
Olpererhütte: A Hike to a Legendary Suspension Bridge
We stayed at a charming hotel in Schwendau, which was about a 45-minute scenic drive to Schlegeis. From there, it's a 2-hour hike up to Olpererhütte and its iconic suspension bridge. The views are incredible, perfect for those Instagram-worthy shots! We enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the lodge, perched at an altitude of 2389 meters, before an approximately 1-hour gentle descent back down. This hike is generally considered easy, suitable even for beginners. Just remember to wear appropriate hiking shoes for safety. Pro tip: pack a nice dress in your backpack to change into for those stunning bridge photos!
Lünersee: Emerald Waters and Mountain Panoramas
Our accommodation for Lünersee was a wonderfully quaint chalet in Büserberg, a short 30-minute drive from the lake's parking area. In the afternoon, you can take a cable car up to the lake. From there, a scenic 5km loop around the lake takes about 2 hours, including plenty of time for photos. If you're feeling energetic, you can hike back down in about an hour, or simply take the cable car back down.
We've included detailed information about the hiking routes and parking locations for both Olpererhütte and Lünersee in the comments below. As always, please post your questions in the comments so we can answer them for everyone. We'd prefer not to receive direct messages for general inquiries. Thank you!
Credit: Nguyen Huyen
