Austria - easy hiker

Is Innsbruck Missing Out?

During our recent trip to the Travel Bloggers Unite conference, we also had the opportunity of spending a few days in the city of Innsbruck.

Our impression: the Tyrolean capital looks perfectly set as a hub for hiking excursions in the area, but – for some reason – appears determined to miss this opportunity.

Tourist towns all over the Alps have the same dilemma: they have built up huge capacities for what is, in effect, a fairly short skiing season.

A season that, if the climate trends of the last decade continue, may even become shorter in the foreseeable future.

By and large, these tourist towns have also come up with the same solution: by promoting hiking as an alternative outdoor activity, they have found the perfect complement for their winter season.

It is almost . . . → More Easy Hiking: Is Innsbruck Missing Out?

The Oasis That Is Aqua Dome

"The Aqua Dome in Laengenfeld in Austria"

by Frau Easy Hiker “That’s where you will be billeted.” the shuttle bus driver bringing us to Oetztal proudly informed us, pointing to a spanking new complex right in the middle of a valley.

Cue Easy Hiker and I exchanging perplexed glances, silently saying “But that’s so detached from the village.”

Well, as a matter of fact it is.

Aqua Dome is an oasis.

Almost organically integrated in the valley of Oetz, encircled by 5 mountains, this premium spa center in Längenfeld near Soelden is a 4-star wellness resort where you can literally float away from the daily grind.

Leave downtown behind and soak away your stress.

Aqua Dome has a number of outdoor and indoor pools for a dip during the day or even by moonlight.

Even in the deepest and coldest of Alpine winters

. . . → More Easy Hiking: The Oasis That Is Aqua Dome

The Story Of Tyrol And Its Schwabenkinder

Before the western Austrian region of Tyrol became what it is today – essentially an alpine fairy tale world of skiing resorts, happy cows and prosperous farmers – it was the poorest area in Europe.

So poor, in fact, that the desperate locals could not even feed their own kids and had to “sell” them for the summer as harvest helpers in the richer flat lands of southern Germany.

Literally thousands of Swabian children set out every spring on a dangerous journey across the Alps during which up to a third of them perished.

Only the luckiest ones received a decent treatment from their hosts, returning home perhaps with some sort of payment in the form of a new dress or a second pair of shoes.

The story of Tyrol and its Schwabenkinder (Swabian children) is not . . . → More Easy Hiking: The Story Of Tyrol And Its Schwabenkinder

Ramp Up The Adrenaline In Area 47

"Hanging out way up there in Area 47 Soelden Austria"

When we were in Aqua Dome during our recent blog trip, we were truly sorry that we forgot to bring any swimwear.

In Area 47, this became a handy excuse so as not to have to try out some tricks to land on the pool from a sliding platform at least 10 meters long.

This video was produced by Easy Hiker Jr. from clips we took on our visit there.

As part of our blog trip sponsored by the Austrian Tourism Board, we were brought to visit Soelden’s noteworthy places and Area 47 is one of them.

Area 47 is where you go for that adrenaline . . . → More Easy Hiking: Ramp Up The Adrenaline In Area 47

Trout Fishing And Hiking Along Lake Piburg In Oetz

As part of our TBUIBK sponsored trip into the Tyrolean Oetztal, we were also taken to Lake Piburg near the town of Oetz.

Lake Piburg is one of the main tourist attractions of the region, and you can spend a lovely afternoon here.

The walk around the lake is short and should take you no longer than 30 minutes to complete.

There are, however, other short trails around the area including a particularly pretty one called the Rudolf Schock Weg, named after the popular German operetta tenor of the 1970s who apparently loved to spend his holidays in the area.

This 1 km long trail begins near the lakeside restaurant and takes you to the area around the Seejöchl mountain.

It is fairly steep in . . . → More Easy Hiking: Trout Fishing And Hiking Along Lake Piburg In Oetz

easy hiker

Is Innsbruck Missing Out?

The Oasis That Is Aqua Dome

The Story Of Tyrol And Its Schwabenkinder

Ramp Up The Adrenaline In Area 47

Trout Fishing And Hiking Along Lake Piburg In Oetz

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