Discover Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer

Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer combines the landscape of a spacious valley basin with culture, sport and special excursion destinations. The town is located in the Austrian state of Salzburg at an elevation of 744 m, at the foot of the Steinernes Meer mountains. This offers a wide range of options when planning your trip: you can combine nature experiences at Ritzensee, historical insights, physical activity and cultural events.

Ritzensee and trails for different day plans

The approximately 6-hectare Ritzensee reflects the mountain range of the Steinernes Meer. If you would like to include a manageable route in your plans, the S1 Ritzensee Circuit is a 1.4 km easy to moderate training loop around the lake. The circuit is lit every day until 9 p.m. This means it can also be considered when planning a later day, without inferring a specific walking time from the lighting.

The center of the Nordic Park in Saalfelden is also located at Ritzensee. The Fun & Snow Park is part of it and introduces children and young people to cross-country skiing in a playful way. During the summer months, the Ritzensee natural bathing area, including a nudist section, invites visitors to swim and relax. This means that the same excursion destination offers different forms of leisure activity, from a peaceful stay by the water to a sporting activity.

Hermitage, views and a more challenging trail

The hermitage is one of the last inhabited hermitages in Europe and offers a fantastic view of the Saalfelden basin. Today, you can reach it from the Bachwinkl district, where the trail to the Peter Wiechenthaler Hut also begins. From Bürgerau, another district of Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer, the Fuchssteig trail also leads to the hermitage. Surefootedness is required on this route. The two access routes mentioned should therefore be considered separately when selecting your excursions according to trail characteristics and personal experience.

For active days, the Felsenfest climbing hall in Saalfelden offers 1,700 m² of climbing space. At Biberg, a 1.6 km summer toboggan run winds its way downhill with bends and jumps. These activities offer a different focus from the circuit at Ritzensee or a visit to the hermitage, allowing you to make your stay varied.

Historical and cultural discoveries

Schloss Ritzen Museum houses one of Austria’s largest and most significant collections of nativity scenes in terms of folk art. The history of the place can also be experienced here: the earliest mention of Grub near Saalfelden, today’s Schloss Ritzen, dates back to 1339. Anyone interested in regional history and religious folk art can make this visit a cultural highlight of their trip.

NEXUS Art House offers cinema, theater, concerts, exhibitions, literature, lectures and cabaret. In the art gallery, opening hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; individual opening times are possible on request, and admission is free. This makes it possible to plan a cultural activity even in changeable weather.

The right accommodation for your travel style

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer, it is worth first deciding on your preferred focus. If you are planning short nature experiences, swimming or a visit to the Nordic Park, Ritzensee will become the focus of your day planning. For travelers interested in culture, Schloss Ritzen Museum and NEXUS Art House take center stage. Anyone looking for trails with varying levels of difficulty can compare the easy to moderate Ritzensee Circuit with the route over the Fuchssteig, which requires surefootedness. This allows you to choose your accommodation based on the experiences you want to define your holiday, without committing to a single itinerary.

As an additional destination, you can also include Dorfheim in your further selection. For comparing other destinations, Vorderglemm, Lofer, Neukirchen am Großvenediger, Zell am See, Mittersill, Unken and Berg are also available.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Zell am See.