Best of Upper Austria

Oberösterreich's Absolute Essentials

Oberösterreich’s landscape spans from the alpine peaks of the Dachstein massif to the lakes of the Salzkammergut. This region is home to the world’s oldest salt mines in Hallstatt and dramatic geological formations like the Dachstein Ice Cave. High-altitude viewing platforms, including the 5 Fingers and Skywalk Hallstatt, provide perspectives over UNESCO-listed vistas. The area also preserves unique natural sites such as the Kleines Löckermoos peat bog and architectural landmarks like the mosaic-adorned Glasscherbenvilla.

Oberösterreich's Absolute Essentials — Map

A

Skywalk Hallstatt

Hovering 350 meters above the town of Hallstatt, this triangular viewing platform provides a panoramic vista across the Hallstätter See and the Dachstein Salzkammergut mountain range. It is situated directly below the Rudolfsturm and is reachable via the salt mine funicular.

Tigerente / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Gosauseen

Gosauseen are three lakes in the south-western, Alpine part of Upper Austria.

Thomas Ledl / CC BY-SA 4.0

C

Broken Glass Villa

Also known as the Ostuzzi-Villa, this residential building is characterized by its exterior walls covered in intricate mosaics. The facade is decorated with thousands of colorful glass fragments and ceramic shards arranged in artistic patterns.

Andrew Bossi / CC-BY-SA-3.0

D

Salzwelten Hallstatt

The world's oldest salt mine offers guided tours through underground tunnels, featuring a 64-meter-long wooden slide used by miners and a subterranean salt lake. The site documents over 7,000 years of salt production in the region.

Lukáš Nevosád / CC-BY-SA

E

Stairway to Nothingness

The bridge features a construction which is also called "stairway to nothingness". Breathtaking views are guaranteed.

Lucie Krásová / CC-BY-SA

F

5 Fingers

5 Fingers is a free viewing platform in the Dachstein Mountains of Upper Austria, on Mount Krippenstein.

Lukáš Nevosád / CC-BY-SA

G

Dachstein Ice Cave

This ice cave is rebuilt every year and showcases nicely lit ice sculptures as well as thick layers of the glacier itself.

Andreas Wahra / Public domain

H

Rudolfsturm

A 13th-century defense tower built by Duke Rudolf I of Habsburg to protect the Hallstatt salt mines. For centuries, it served as the home for the mine's operations manager and now operates as a restaurant with a panoramic terrace.

Tigerente / CC BY-SA 3.0

I

Gosauseen

Gosauseen are three lakes in the south-western, Alpine part of Upper Austria.

J

Kleines Löckermoos

A protected high-altitude peat bog located in the Gosau valley. It features a small, dark moor lake and provides a habitat for rare alpine plants and mosses within a scenic mountain setting.

K

Quellflur zur Grueb

A small nature reserve designated for its protected spring fens and specialized wetland flora, contributing to the biodiversity of the Upper Austrian landscape.

Lucie Krásová / CC-BY-SA

L

Mondsee

Mondsee is a lake in the Upper Austrian part of the Salzkammergut and near the larger Attersee.

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