A trip to the Alpine heartland
Vibrant East Tyrol
Authentic and vibrant—that’s Osttirol. We embark on a journey to the easternmost region of Tyrol, which embraces Austria’s alpine essence like no other. Imagine paddling on the last glacial river in the Alps, walking among majestic peaks in the Hohe Tauern National Park, and savoring the rich flavors of traditional schnapps. These are just a few of the unique experiences that await you in Osttirol. Are you ready to join us on this trip?
“Welcome to the sunniest town in Austria,” our local guide, Evelin Gander, tells us, welcoming us with a smile in the pouring rain. Although the grey skies over Lienz today don’t seem to agree with her, the city boasts two thousand hours of sunshine a year. But we didn’t come here to get a tan; we came to explore a region that retains the alpine essence of the Tyrol.
THE PEARL OF THE DOLOMITES
“This is a region that doesn’t have too many tourists; it’s quieter than other parts of the Tyrol,” says Evelin as we stroll through the picturesque town of Lienz, capital of the region and known as the “Pearl of the Dolomites.” “The orography has historically isolated us from other major towns in the Tyrol,” she explains. “That has sometimes made us feel closer to Italy than to Innsbruck.
Interestingly, Lienz’s pretty town centre is reminiscent of the Tyrolean capital, but life here is more relaxed. It’s market day, and families buy produce from local farms: fruit, meats, cheeses, sausages, wines and spirits. The market’s slogan, “The best of the region,” is a promise delivered with diligence and attention to detail. A lovely lady dressed in traditional costume offers us a “Hugo Anders”, a cocktail made with local red fruits. We savour it while sunbathing on some benches next to a beautiful fountain. “This is life,” I say to our guide. “Yes, we are proud of our Mediterranean touch”.
THE LAST FREE RIVER
The Isel River flows mighty, challenging us to raft down it. “Yesterday, we had a storm, but we were lucky. The current is strong but manageable, with class II+ or III- rapids,” our guide Stefan Baumgartner tells us. Born and raised in the valley, Stefan emphasizes the uniqueness of the Isel: “It is the last free-flowing river of glacial origin in the Alps.” Between the rapids, Stefan takes the opportunity to share with us his love for the river and rafting: “I have descended the river thousands of times in my 17 years as a guide. It’s a living river that changes from season to season,” he comments, noting how trees, rocks and currents modify the optimal lines. The landscape, with snow-capped green mountains and clouds caressing the peaks, creates a bucolic springtime scene. “I do not doubt that the Isel is one of the three best rivers for rafting and kayaking in the Alps,” says Stefan.
“I do not doubt that the Isel is one of the three best rivers for rafting and kayaking in the Alps”
SIPS OF TRADITION
“I sold my first bottle of schnapps when I was five years old,” Florian Kuenz of the Kuenz Naturbrennerei distillery, a four-hundred-year-old family business, tells us. “We are not organic, but natural,” Florian explains. “We don’t add any additives to our products.” The distillery, a living testimony to artisanal techniques handed down from generation to generation, produces schnapps, whisky and gin, some of which have won awards at international trade fairs.
It is time for the tasting. Florian serves us his most traditional schnapps, Pregler, which is made with five types of apples and four types of pears without herbs, sugars, or additives. “Delicious,” I claim. Every sip tastes loaded with history and tradition. “Do you have someone to carry on your legacy?” I ask. “My 8-year-old son is already educated in smell, which is 70% of a tasting,” Florian answers proudly.
FAMILY THRILLS
The sun caresses the snow-capped peaks of the Lienz Dolomites. At their feet, hidden in the shadow of vertiginous walls, we reach the Galitzenklamm gorge, where a ferrata adventure park promises thrills.
“Like all the Dolomites, the mountains in the area are full of ferratas,” our guide tells us. We equip ourselves with harnesses and helmets before heading into the Galitzenbach Canyon. “Are we going up that way?” I ask, uneasy. “No, that’s the adrenaline via ferrata, the more difficult one,” our guide says, smiling. “We’ll do the familiar one.”
“And is this the family via Ferrata?” I ask before crossing a vertiginous pass. A local family overtakes us. “My son has been doing Ferratas since he was ten,” says the mother. Once at the top, breathe and enjoy the spectacular views. “If I brought my wife here”, I think, “no doubt she’d ask for a divorce.”
The Iseltrail is a 73-kilometer hiking trail with a total elevation gain of 2,120 meters that starts in Lienz
AMONG WATERFALLS AND GIANTS
Do you like hiking? The Iseltrail is a 73-kilometer hiking trail with a total elevation gain of 2,120 meters that starts in Lienz and climbs up to the glacier gate of the Hohe Tauern National Park. In its penultimate stage, the “Umbalfälle” Circuit takes 45 minutes of hiking pleasure between green meadows and spectacular waterfalls. We look out over the viewpoints to enjoy the power of the water as it descends young and vigorous from the glacier.
After the hike, we rest at the trailhead in Ströden, where Slgi Hatzer welcomes us with food and souvenirs while traditional Tyrolean music plays from a small transistor. “He’s a local hero,” his compadre tells us. “He’s climbed to the top more than a thousand times. Slgi, his face weather-beaten by sun and wind, confirms this with a gesture. “The panoramic view from the top is incredible. There are seven countries you can see from up there,” he says. In addition to being a mountain guide, Slgi also distils his liqueurs. “Would you like to have one with me?” he asks, using the hospitality typical of Osttirol mountaineers.
Of course, we embrace it. Every moment in Osttirol celebrates life and nature – here’s to the alpine essence of Tyrol… Prost!
Holiday region Osttirol
Both hikers, cyclists, kayakers and mountaineers. Both groups of tireless friends and families looking for more affordable thrills. Whether you are looking for accommodation in mountain huts or boutique hotels in the valley. On Osttirol.com it is possible to choose from a variety of travel packages or, if you prefer, to set up an à la carte vacation.