Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

DISCOVER AUSTRIA

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.

Published: 17 June 2022 16:32 CEST
Updated: 25 June 2022 08:50 CEST
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 news@thelocal.at.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

DISCOVER AUSTRIA

Wolves to bears: Where in Austria could you come across predators?

Mountains, forests, and lakes—Austria is known for its beautiful nature, but be aware, it is a space also shared with a rich variety of wildlife.

Published: 4 September 2024 16:09 CEST
Wolves to bears: Where in Austria could you come across predators?

Austria has amazing nature ready for you to discover. But while doing so, even though it is very unlikely, you might come across some unexpected company.

In the Alpine region, this company could be lynxes, wolves, or golden eagles. In the country’s forests and lowlands, it could instead be the red fox. In forested and rural areas, you might find the badger, and in the mountains, especially close to Slovenia, you might even encounter bears—all playing crucial roles in maintaining ecological balance.

Here is what you need to know about some of Austria’s wildlife predators.

Wolves

Since the early 1990s, wolves have returned to Austria after being driven to near extinction by intensive hunting and systematic extermination.

Wolves in Austria are European grey wolves, easily recognised by their medium to large size, lean build, and thick, dense coat in shades of grey, brown, and beige, which helps them blend in with their surroundings.

Wolves are not so picky when it comes to their choice of habitat, as long as certain basic criteria are met. They prefer regions that offer them a lot of food, shelter and space for territorial formation. 

In Austria, these conditions are mainly found in large, continuous forest areas and natural habitats. Therefore, wolves are mainly found in Lower Austria, Burgenland, and Styria.

If you are hiking in these regions, you usually do not need to fear.  The Kora Foundation suggests that wolves are shy creatures who generally try to avoid human contact. In fact, the last fatality caused by a wolf anywhere in Europe occurred in Spain over fifty years ago. 

Wolf walking around in a forest. Photo by Szabolcs Toth on Unsplash

Lynxes

It is not very likely that you will encounter a Lynx while exploring Austria’s nature, but it is also not impossible.

Once, lynxes were commonly seen in Austria, but by the end of the 19th century, they were hunted to extinction, with the last one killed in Bregenzerwald in 1918.

Now, over 100 years later, lynxes are slowly returning to Austria.

The country is now home to two transboundary lynx populations: one in the Western Alps, with some lynxes migrating from Switzerland, and another in the Bohemian Forest, shared with Bavaria and the Czech Republic, where about 23 lynxes can be found.

In addition, a small and isolated population of lynxes is reported to live in the National Park Kalkalpen.

The lynx is easily recognised by its tufted ears, short tail, and spotted coat. It is usually the size of a larger dog, with a broad face and large, padded paws.

Although Lynx usually stay away from humans, they might attack if they feel threatened by your presence.

European Lynx is slowly coming back to Austrian territory. Photo by kenny goossen on Unsplash

READ ALSO: Why Vienna is a haven for wild animals – and where you can find them

Golden Eagles

In the Austrian Alps, there are around 260-360 golden eagles. These birds like open to semi-open landscapes where they can hunt prey such as marmots or alpine hares.

The golden eagle is a large bird of prey with dark brown feathers and a distinctive golden-brown colour on the back of its neck and head. It is a symbol of strength and power in Austrian culture and is found on the country’s coat of arms.

Typical places in Austria where you can spot the bird are in mountainous areas and national parks such as Hohe Tauern, Gesäuse National Park, and the Alps.

If you encounter an eagle, you normally have nothing to be afraid of. They tend to avoid human contact but could possibly become defensive if, for example, you approach their nests or disturb them in some way.

It is not uncommon to see golden eagles in the Austrian Alps. Photo by Jevgeni Fil on Unsplash

Red foxes

Red foxes are quite common in Austria and can be found in all provinces.

Austria’s red foxes have a reddish-orange coat with a white belly and a bushy tail tipped with white. They are slenderly built, have pointed faces, and large, upright, black-tipped ears.

They live in the lowlands and the Alps up to 2,500 meters above sea level. They are known for being incredibly adaptable and can live in most sorts of environments, including urban areas.

In Austria, they are often found in different towns and villages, where they go to search for food.

Since they often live so close to us, it is a good thing that they are not dangerous. Red foxes tend to be shy and avoid people, but it is still a good idea to avoid feeding or petting them, just to be sure.

Red foxes also like visiting Austria’s more urban areas. Photo by Scott Walsh on Unsplash

READ ALSO: Four Austrian national parks worth paying a visit

Badgers

Like the red foxes, badgers can be found in all of Austria’s provinces, from the lowlands to the Alps.

The badger has a stocky body with short legs, a broad head, and distinctive black-and-white stripes running from its nose to the back of its head.

It prefers living in forests and river valleys but can also do well in areas where forests meet grasslands or farmland. It is also not afraid of urban areas and often enjoys parks and gardens in city suburbs, where it easily finds food.

Badger products were widely used in the past. Badger meat, including ham, was considered a delicacy. The fat from badgers was applied in creams to help with rheumatism, and badger hair was used in different kinds of brushes.

Badgers are generally not dangerous, but they can become aggressive if threatened or cornered, so keeping a distance might be a good idea.

Badgers can be seen in all Austria’s provinces. Photo by Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash

Bears

Following the tragic death of a jogger caused by a female bear in early April 2023 in Trentino, Italy, concerns about bear attacks have risen also in Austria.

However, there is an extremely small chance of encountering a bear on your next Austrian hike. 

Bears in Austria are extremely uncommon sights, the bear population in Austria primarily consists of brown bears migrating from Slovenia and also, occasionally, from Trentino in Italy.
 
Austria is estimated to be the temporary home to between five and eight male brown bears, and those expected to be found in the southern regions, specifically the Karawanken, Carnic Alps, and Gailtal Alps, in Carinthia and East Tyrol.
 
Even if bears can be dangerous, they are generally not aggressive unless provoked or if they feel their cubs or food sources are in danger.
 

A brown bear relaxing in the grass. Photo by Elizabeth Meyers on Unsplash
 
SHOW COMMENTS