I went to Austria in autumn and found paradise without the crowds

No, being a non-skier doesn't count you out of enjoying the best of Austria. Here's how to make the most of a visit to Austria during the shoulder season. 

Austria has long been a bucket-list destination for ski bunnies. Christmas holidays skidding around the slopes of St Anton, one of Austria’s most famous ski resorts, is the stuff (powder) dreams are made of.

But I recently bucked the trend, in part because I can’t ski, and visited Austria during a sunny week in autumn to experience lebensgefühl – “the laid-back Austrian lifestyle that travellers want to take home with them”.

Initially, lebensgefühl seemed like a slick tourism marketing term, but after a week taking in the clean air and frolicking in the mountains, I can attest that Austria in the warmer months has a special something.

Outdoor adventure

Austria is paradise for nature lovers. The landscape is as pristine as it was when Julie Andrews spun around the fields in 1964 while making The Sound of Music.

From mountain yoga festivals to hiking and lobbing yourself into crystal-clear lakes, the country’s natural beauty and stunning vistas shine when the sun comes out. The one thing missing at this time of year? Hordes of tourists.

We began our trip in St Anton am Alberg where a highlight was riding e-bikes through the Verwall Valley – known for its emerald-green lakes, dramatic gorges, and charming alpine huts serving Austrian specialties (including beer mixed with Coke, a concoction gleefully forced on me by the locals).

Riding e-bikes through the Verwall Valley. Picture: Simone Mitchell

We cycled over babbling brooks and were stared at by cows – all while being assisted by a powerful motor that made me feel like a contender for the Tour de France. Our ride ended at the picture-perfect Konstanzer Hütte, where we rested on a sunny terrace and supped on kasnocken (cheese dumplings) and crisp glasses of local grüner veltliner wine.

Back in St Anton we rested our heads at Hotel Post – ski accommodation that’s blissfully quiet in the off-season. Style-wise, the hotel has changed little since it opened in 1896. Old-school Euro accommodation like this, complete with a subterranean sauna complex, a band playing traditional music in the evenings and a charming “coffee and cake hour” in the lobby each afternoon, is a real delight.

Konstanzer Hütte,St Anton am Arlberg. Picture: Simone Mitchell

Spa life

Spa culture is a beloved part of Austrian life. After a day skiing, cycling or hiking, a soak in a thermal spa with mountain views is a glorious way to unwind. Tauern Spa in Kaprun is the perfect place to experience this. The stylish hotel is attached to a labyrinth of spas and saunas where you can even attend a demonstration from a professional “sauna master”, who is skilled at swooshing steam around with a towel. Word of warning, though – Austrians hit the saunas naked, and you can’t wear bathers in, even if you’re feeling shy.

Tauern Spa in Kaprun.

Food, glorious food

When I envisaged Austrian cuisine, I conjured images of sausages and dumplings. And yes, I ate my fill and ended up rolling onto my flight back to Australia, happy and heavy.

But I was also delighted by the new wave of alpine cuisine. The best meal of the trip was in the family-run Flo’s Restaurant in the boutique Hotel Martha in Zell am See. It was a delicious, refined celebration of local produce.

And then there are the cakes. From the stunning cherry strudels devoured by the lake at the Grand Hotel Zell am See to the famous torte at Hotel Sacher, this country is a standout for sweet treats.

Hotel Sacher in Salzburg.

City culture

Our journey ended in Salzburg. In the warmer months, the city comes to life with people picnicking by the Mirabell Gardens, attending al fresco festivals, and sipping, strolling and shopping their way along cobblestoned streets.

A glee-filled highlight is a Sound of Music tour, which takes in the movie’s stunning filming locations (a highlight of which is the lakeside Schloss Leopoldskron, the house where the Von Trapp family lived in the film). The tours are run by indefatigable cinephiles, who will lead a robust singalong on the bus. It’s a great way to ensure you have “I have confidence” firmly lodged in your brain for the remainder of your trip.

On our final night we dined at St Peter Stiftskulinarium, the oldest restaurant in Europe. Set in St Peter’s Abbey, the inn has been serving meals for a stunning 1200 years. They also run weekly Mozart concerts (the restaurant is a stone’s throw from where the maestro grew up).

Dining on perfectly fluffy Salzburger nockerl, aka soufflé, while enjoying the ethereal strains of Requiem in such a historic room actually brought a tear to my eye.

It was a moment of that famous lebensgefühl that I did indeed happily take home with me.

The Salzburg city skyline.

The writer travelled as a guest of Austria Tourism. 

How to get to Austria from Australia

Emirates flies from Australia to Vienna via Dubai. You can also opt to fly in and out of Zürich or Munich, depending on which part of Austria you’re keen to visit. 

Where to stay in Salzburg, Austria

In Salzburg, base yourself at the Sheraton Grand, which is central and has a delightful piano bar for end-of-day drinks. 

How to get around Austria

On our trip we traversed Austria on the ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways), and each trip was quick, punctual, comfortable, and strewn with epic vistas. There is also the brand-new Nightjet sleeper train, which connects a network of European cities with Austria in stylish comfort. 

Originally published as I went to Austria in autumn and found paradise without the crowds