Alpbach is a small village in a Tyrolean valley that stops everyone in their tracks on first sight: wooden houses with white-framed windows and balconies spilling over with orange-red flowers, ringed by green meadows and towering grey rock peaks. There are no malls or busy nightlife here, just quiet, the smiles of the locals, and hiking trails that take you into the real Austrian Alps.
#1 Alpbach Village Centre
The village voted the most beautiful in Austria several times over. Every traditional wooden house is decorated with fresh flowers all summer long, and the white-and-yellow village church stands out on the rise in the centre. The architecture is so well preserved that modern buildings barely intrude. You can walk the whole place in half a day, but the calm makes you want to stay much longer. Every corner is worth photographing, especially when the flowers are in full bloom in July.
- Walk around the village early, before 8am, for golden light and cool air with few other visitors, when the photos are at their best.
- Pfarrkirche Alpbach (1620) is free to enter, with beautiful Baroque frescoes inside.
- Alpbach is a pedestrian village. Private cars can only park at the edge of the village, then it's about a 10-15 minute walk in.
#2 Alpbachtal Valley
An Alpine valley that has held on to its calm and freshness to a remarkable degree. Green meadows alternate with pine forest that has never been over-developed, and the Alpbach stream runs cold and clear the length of the valley. Cycling and hiking trails thread through several small villages. In autumn the meadows turn copper-brown; in winter the valley is quiet and lovely for a stroll. You don't even need to head up the mountains to feel content.
- Rent a bike in the village and ride down the valley to Reith im Alpbachtal, about 10km, all downhill one way, so it's easy going.
- Stop at the dairy farm shops along the road that open in summer. Fresh Tyrolean cheese straight from the farm is cheaper and tastier than in town.
- The Alpbach stream is very cold in summer, perfect for dipping your feet on a break, and kids love it.
#3 Wiedersberger Horn
The signature peak of Alpbach, where hikers from beginners to pros come to summit. The cable car takes you up to a mid-station, from where it's another 2-3 hours on foot to the top, with a 360-degree panorama of the Kitzbüheler Alpen range. In summer the alpine meadows fill with wildflowers; in winter it becomes an intermediate ski slope that suits families. You can ride the cable car both up and down if you'd rather not walk.
- The Wiedersberger Horn Bahn cable car opens in summer from 8:30am, with a round-trip ticket of about 25-30 euros.
- There's an alm hut at the top open in summer, with simple food like Tiroler Gröstl and bottled beer from a farm down in the valley.
- If you walk down yourself, take the Panoramaweg trail that loops back to the village through the alpine meadows, taking 2-3 hours.
#4 Alpbach Panoramaweg
An easy-to-moderate hiking trail that loops around the village across a wide hillside plateau, taking 2-4 hours depending on the route you choose. The whole way you can see Alpbach village below and the peaks ringing it, passing alm farms with cattle whose bells ring out, fresh pine forest and little streams. The signposting is clear at every junction. It suits families with small children, or older walkers who want to experience the alpine landscape.
- Free hiking maps are available at the Tourist Office in the village, or download the Alpbachtal Seenland app before you come.
- Always pack a rain jacket. Mountain weather changes fast, and even a clear morning can turn to afternoon rain.
- Stop at an alm hut along the way and order Buttermilch (buttermilk) or Käse (cheese) fresh from the farm.
#5 Tyrolean Alpine Pastures (Alm)
A mountain herding culture that is still genuinely alive in the Alpbachtal. Every summer the farmers drive their cattle up to graze on the high slopes known as the Alm, making fresh cheese and butter to sell to visitors. The ring of cattle bells is a natural sound that's a hallmark of the Alps. Several hiking trails pass alm huts that open as restaurants selling fresh farm products. It's the kind of experience you can't find anywhere else.
- Alm huts only open in summer (June-September), so check that they're open on the day you go.
- Order Almkäse (alm cheese) made from that day's fresh milk, with Tyrolean dark bread, for the best-value lunch around.
- During Almabtrieb (driving the cattle down the mountain) in September, the cattle are decorated with flowers and bells, a festival that locals and visitors look forward to every year.
#6 Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschoenau
A solid Tyrolean ski resort that expanded its area together with Wildschönau, for more than 109km of slopes across easy, intermediate and advanced levels. It suits families with skiers of every ability. The cable cars and slopes all connect, so you never have to switch resorts. The ski school has English-speaking instructors, so even complete beginners can start learning here at a reasonable price. Christmas through New Year is very busy, so book ahead.
- A day ski pass costs about 50-60 euros and includes every cable car. Check the 3-5 day packages for better value.
- The Alpbach ski school runs children's classes from age 3, ideal for a child's first time learning.
- Outside ski season some cable cars still open in summer for hikers, so check the opening and closing schedule every time before you go.
Where to stay in Alpbach for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Alpbach — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Aparthaus Sonnenhof
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Alpbacherhof Mountain & Spa Resort
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Hotel Zur Post
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Gasthaus Jakober
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Tours, tickets & activities in Alpbach
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Alpbach — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Before You Pack
Alpbach is beautiful in every season. In summer (June-September) the flowers bloom and hiking and cable cars are easiest; in winter (December-March) white snow blankets the village like a Christmas card and the ski resort is in full swing. Plan at least 2-3 nights so you can wander the village slowly and take at least one trail up a peak.