The small town of St. Wolfgang is located on the shores of Lake Wolfgangsee, which is a sight in itself . Its population is about three thousand people, and the area is so small by Ukrainian standards that it does not even deserve attention.

What draws tourists here, who in the season come three times more than residents of the city?

First of all, this is the mentioned lake Wolfgangsee, which lies in the frame of the mountains. The opportunity to fish, take a ride on a paddle steamer and simply admire the cleanest water.

Secondly, these are the mountains, among which St. Wolfgang was built. They have completely bizarre outlines, resembling a mammoth, then a shark’s tooth, or some completely unseen beast.

Thirdly, the spirit of unity of the great European family of peoples reigns here in equal measure (you can make sure of this if you get to one of the folklore festivals) and the aristocratic atmosphere. The fact is that representatives of the largest ruling dynasties of the old world lived here for several centuries.

Until 1918, it was the domain of the Habsburgs, who ruled Austria for almost six and a half centuries. Let the dynasties be gone, but the Austrians, who remember and respect their history, are still proud of such a “neighborhood”.

In St. Wolfgangyou will be able to find both opportunities for active recreation and enjoy the oldest architectural monuments. Not only that the facades of almost all the buildings in the city are so elegant that the town was called a “gingerbread city”, but besides everything else, the most famous Gothic church of St. Wolfgang is located here – one of the few in the world that has two altars. In one of its annexes there are completely believable images of rice, which, according to legend, helped the saint build the church. Children (and adults too) will be interested in the Museum of Dolls, which has about 300 exhibits. Since a railway has been laid through the surrounding mountains, it is used with all its might for tourist purposes. The steam locomotive takes you to a height of 1,783 meters to the top of the Schafberg mountain, where you can enjoy a stunning view of 14 lakes. Visit the chic Hotel Im Weissen Rossl, to which the operetta was dedicated, written, by the way, also in these places. And also bars, restaurants, nightclubs – for those who are used to relaxing in a modern way.

The ski area is located in Postalme – it’s about 35 minutes by bus. In this part of the Eastern Alps, there are opportunities for both flat skiing and alpine skiing – 18 local tracks located at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,452 meters await both beginners and those who feel confident. For the last routes, twice as much. There is only one black track for professionals. There are 9 blue and 8 red. There is a ski school and equipment rental, there is also a night lighted track for those who do not need sleep.

Nine ski lifts take skiers and snowboarders to the mountains. In order to use them, you will need a skipass. Its cost for one day is 24 euros for adults and 11 euros for children. For 6 days – 116 and 63 euros, respectively.

St. Wolfgang 2019: how to get there, where to stay, what to see

How to get to St. Wolfgang

St. Wolfgang is considered the “gateway” to the Postalm region, where skiers who come to this part of Austria spend most of their time. The Postalm ski area is a 35-minute bus ride from St. Wolfgang. In the summer, the resort is also not idle, as it is located on the shore of a picturesque lake and attracts a large number of tourists for sightseeing purposes.

St. Wolfgang is located 50 km south of Salzburg, while it is not considered such a “hyped” resort as those located north of Salzburg, for example, Kitzbühl , Sölden , Mayrhofen . Nevertheless, experienced skiers come to St. Wolfgang to ski in the Postalm Valley in order to master the difficult slopes that are not so common in popular resorts. Skiing in the Postalm Valley is designed for experienced skiers, while in the more famous resorts, the tracks are designed for beginners and intermediate levels of difficulty.

It is most convenient to get to St. Wolfgang from Salzburg, as it is located only 50 km away. Salzburg has its own international airport of arrival, where, by the way, there are direct flights from Lviv. It is also possible to get to Salzburg by plane with any European company with a short transfer. You can get to St. Wolfgang from Salzburg by public transport, taxi, transfer or rental car. The longest way (roundabout) is to take the train from Salzburg to Bad Ischl and then a bus directly to St. Wolfgang. The total travel time is about 3 hours, trains depart from the Salzburg railway station every hour.

A faster way is to use taxi or transfer services. You can find a taxi right at the exit of the airport, and if you order a transfer in advance, it will arrive before the arrival time of the flight. The total travel time to the resort will be only 1 hour.

Another option to get to St. Wolfgang for independent travelers is to rent a car at Salzburg Airport. Offices of 9 suppliers are open here, including such well-known ones as Avis, Buchbinder, Budget, Europcar, Flizzr, Hertz, Sixt and others. Renting a car in Salzburg is quite simple, you need to have your passport, international driver’s license and bank card with you to pay for services. The cities are connected by highway No. B158, the travel time will be about 50 minutes.

On the shore of the lake in St. Wolfgang

Where to stay in St. Wolfgang

St. Wolfgang is a small settlement, but the hotel infrastructure here is considered developed. Yes, tourists can stay in hotels of any star rating, apartments, guest houses, vacation homes, bed and breakfast hotels, chalets and other types of accommodation. In addition to St. Wolfgang, you can also stay at nearby resorts, such as Bad Ischl (13.5 km), Montju (15 km), Strobl (4 km), St. Hilgen (7 km), etc. It is worth noting that in the “high” season (from December to March), the hotels of St. Wolfgang are overcrowded, so it is recommended to book accommodation in advance.

Hotels in St. Wolfgang represent a great variety, while the price policy of local hotels is slightly lower than in other famous Austrian resorts. This is explained by the fact that the ski area for skiing is not located in St. Wolfgang itself, but a 30-minute drive from it. Most hotels in St. Wolfgang offer breakfast included in the price of accommodation, you can find hotels that offer half board.

If you are traveling by car, hotels offer private on-site parking for such vacationers (some hotels offer paid parking spaces, some are free, please specify when booking). Hotels with a higher level of comfort (4 and 5 stars) have their own restaurants and even private beach areas (if you are vacationing in the summer).

Popular hotels in St. Wolfgang include:

• Hotel Zimmerbrau 4* — the hotel has a convenient location and family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price of accommodation. There is private parking on site. Wi-Fi works throughout the hotel free of charge;
• Hotel Seehang Garni 3* – the hotel is located in the vicinity of St. Wolfgang, on the shore of the lake. You can stay in rooms of different capacities, meals include breakfast. There is free public parking nearby;
• Landhotel Berau 3* is a hotel located on the shore of the lake. Guests are offered a restaurant, a bar, family rooms with a view of the lake. Food – breakfast. Free private parking is available on site.

Apartments are another popular option for staying at the resort, and every year it is gaining more and more popularity. In St. Wolfgang and neighboring towns, you can find apartments of different levels, but their main essence will be one thing – the cost of apartments is actually equal to the cost of a hotel room, while apartments are always much more than hotel rooms.

True, there is a relative disadvantage in this type of accommodation – it is the fact that you will have to prepare food yourself or eat in restaurants, since renting apartments does not include ready-made breakfasts or half-boards, as in hotels. However, this is only a relative disadvantage, as the apartment is usually equipped with its own kitchen with all the necessary appliances and accessories. You can find all accommodation options in St. Wolfgang and neighboring towns on special sites Booking , Hotelloo k and others, which compare all existing offers for specific dates.

St. Wolfgang in summer

What to see in St. Wolfgang

If you plan to visit St. Wolfgang in winter, the main entertainment here is winter sports, namely mountain skiing. At the same time, it is necessary to remember that the ski slopes are not located in St. Wolfgang itself, but in a 30-minute drive from it, in the Postalm valley. The total length of the tracks here is about 18 km, there are 10 lifts (bottlenecks and chairlifts). In addition, in the Postalm valley, you can test yourself in cross-country skiing, for which a 35 km long route has been organized, and in sledding, for which there is an illuminated sled track. There is also a ski school, sports equipment rental, and the cost of ski passes starts at 190 euros per week.

In addition to skiing in St. Wolfgang, you can also visit the spa and wellness center “The Wellness-Alm”. The center offers such retreat programs as pools of different temperatures, waterfalls, baths, fountains, infrared and herbal saunas, tropical showers, aromatherapy, relaxation rooms, ice cabins, flower baths and, of course, various massage treatments. By the way, there is a separate area for children, which includes children’s pools, children’s saunas, and children’s gyms.

Outdoors in the complex you can find an outdoor pool, sections for relaxation and fitness, tropical showers, saunas with a view of alpine meadows. There is a restaurant on the territory of the complex. Entrance fee: a ticket for 4 hours for adults, which includes the pool and sauna area, costs 21 euros, for a child – 16 euros; a day ticket for an adult costs 26 euros, for a child – 22 euros. Massage and spa services are paid separately.

Ski tracks

In the summer, St. Wolfgang, as a resort, is also not idle, as it is located on the shore of the lake of the same name. In the summer, you can swim here, go boating, and explore local attractions. Among the historical monuments, for example, in St. Wolfgang, you can find a cathedral, an ancient church, as well as many typical half-timbered buildings. Various water activities are possible on the lake: diving, water skiing, windsurfing, swimming and fishing.

In general, recreation in St. Wolfgang is quite versatile, although this resort is less well-known than others. The great advantage of St. Wolfgang is its natural data. Being right on the shore of the lake, the resort offers typical summer activities in the summer, and typical winter activities in the winter, because within a 30-minute drive there are beautiful mountains, ski slopes in the Postalm Valley.

The infrastructure of the city is considered highly developed, here you can find accommodation options for every taste and budget, in addition, you can always diversify your leisure time by visiting the local spa center or restaurants, bars and cafes of local cuisine. If you travel by car, you will also enjoy visiting nearby towns, such as St. Gilgen with its baroque architecture, or Bad Ischl, a large thermal resort.

St. Wolfgang