Zillertal

At its beginning, the Zillertal presents itself with a broad, sun-drenched valley floor. It branches off from the Inntal valley to the south at Jenbach, 40 kilometres east of Innsbruck, and is flanked by the Kitzbühel Alps to the east and the Tux Alps to the west. At the beginning, grain fields and lush meadows characterise the holiday region, surrounded by mostly gently rising mountain slopes. In the Zillertal, which is considered the birthplace of alpine mountaineering, the farmers have maintained a close-to-nature approach to cattle and field cultivation to this day - mainly because of the typical, flavourful hay milk cheese. Towards the south, the 40 kilometre long valley, which together with its side valleys is home to 25 communities, rises only slightly at first. Only from Mayrhofen, where the Zillertal splits into the narrow Zemmtal valley with the mountaineering village of Ginzling and the Tuxertal valley, does it begin to rise sharply. The Hintertux Glacier forms the crowning glory at the end of the valley. Its ski area is open all year round - the only one in Austria.

Excursions on the steam train and hiking in the nature park

The Zillertal is one of the most tradition-conscious and active regions in Tyrol, offering a wide range of sports from mountain biking to rafting. Old traditional costume and folk festivals, such as the annual Gauderfest in Zell am Ziller, show that customs are maintained here despite the modern tourist infrastructure. The Zillertal Railway, a modern means of transport that is still partly operated by nostalgic steam locomotives, fits in with this in a way. The greatest scenic sensation is the Zillertal Alps High Mountain Nature Park, its 80 glaciers and the numerous three-thousand metre peaks with the Hochfeiler (3,509 metres) as the highest elevation. The area is not only largely unspoilt, but is also particularly suitable for hiking and climbing. In the cold season, holidaymakers can choose between four varied ski areas with several hundred kilometres of pistes in addition to cross-country skiing and winter hiking opportunities.