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

What attracts tourists here, who come here three times more than the city’s residents in the season?

First, it is the aforementioned Lake Wolfgangsee, which lies framed by mountains. The opportunity to fish, ride a paddle steamer and simply admire the purest water.

Secondly, these are the mountains, among which St. Wolfgang is built. They have completely bizarre outlines, resembling either a mammoth, 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 see this if you get to one of the folklore festivals) and an aristocratic atmosphere. The fact is that representatives of the greatest ruling dynasties of the Old World lived here for several centuries.

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

In St. Wolfgang you can find both opportunities for active recreation and enjoy the most ancient architectural monuments. Not only are the facades of almost all the houses in the city so elegant that the town was called a “gingerbread town”, but in addition to everything else, the most famous Gothic church of St. Wolfgang is located here – one of the few in the world with two altars. In one of its annexes there are quite believable images of a rice cake, which, according to legend, helped the saint build the church. For children (and adults too), the Doll Museum will be interesting, which contains about 300 exhibits. Since a railway has been laid through the surrounding mountains, it is used for tourist purposes. The steam locomotive will take you to a height of 1783 meters to the top of Mount Schafberg, from where a stunning view of 14 lakes opens. Visit the chic hotel Im Weissen Rossl, to which an operetta was dedicated, written, by the way, also in these places. And there are also bars, restaurants, and nightclubs – for those who are used to relaxing in a modern manner.

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

Nine tow lifts lift 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 valley, where downhill 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. The resort is also busy in the summer, as it is located on the shores of a picturesque lake and attracts a large number of tourists with sightseeing purposes.

St. Wolfgang is located 50 km south of Salzburg, but is not considered such a “promoted” resort as those located north of Salzburg, for example, Kitzbühl, Sölden, Mayrhofen. However, experienced skiers come to St. Wolfgang to ski in the Postalm Valley in order to master the difficult slopes, which are not so many in popular resorts. Skiing in the Postalm Valley is designed for experienced skiers, while in more famous resorts the slopes are designed for beginners and for an average level of difficulty.

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

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

Another option for independent travelers to get to St. Wolfgang is to rent a car at Salzburg airport. There are offices of 9 suppliers 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 a passport, an international driving license and a bank card to pay for services. The cities are connected by highway No. B158, the travel time will be about 50 minutes.

On the shores of the lake in St. Wolfgang

Where to stay in St. Wolfgang

St. Wolfgang is a small town, but the hotel infrastructure here is considered developed. So, tourists can stay in hotels of any star category, apartments, guest houses, holiday homes, bed and breakfast hotels, chalets and other types of accommodation. In addition to St. Wolfgang, you can also stay in neighboring resorts, for example, in Bad Ischl (13.5 km), Mondzhu (15 km), Strobl (4 km), St. Gilgen (7 km), etc. It is worth noting that in the “high” season (from December to March) hotels in St. Wolfgang are full, so it is recommended to book accommodation in advance.

Hotels in St. Wolfgang are very diverse, while the pricing 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 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, then for such vacationers, hotels offer private parking on site (some hotels offer paid parking spaces, some are free, check 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, in particular, are:

  • 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 is free throughout the hotel;
  • 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 various sizes, meals — breakfast. There is free public parking nearby;
  • Landhotel Berau 3* — the hotel is located on the shore of the lake. Guests are offered a restaurant, a bar, family rooms, from the windows of which overlook the lake. Meals — breakfast. Free private parking is available on site.

Apartments are another popular accommodation option at the resort, and they are becoming more and more popular every year. In St. Wolfgang and neighboring towns, you can find apartments of various levels, but their main essence will be the same – the cost of apartments is actually equal to the cost of a hotel room, while apartments are always much larger than hotel rooms.

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

St. Wolfgang in Summer

What to See in St. Wolfgang

If you are planning to visit St. Wolfgang in winter, the main entertainment here is winter sports, namely downhill skiing. It is important to remember that the ski slopes are not located in St. Wolfgang itself, but a 30-minute drive from it, in the Postalm Valley. The total length of the slopes here is about 18 km, there are 10 lifts (towbars and chairlifts). In addition, in the Postalm Valley you can try your hand at cross-country skiing, for this purpose a route 35 km long has been organized, and in sledding, for this purpose a lighted sled run operates here. There is also a ski school, sports equipment rental, and the cost of ski passes starts from 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, a separate area has been organized for children, which includes children’s pools, children’s saunas, children’s gyms.

Outdoors in the complex you can find an outdoor pool, relaxation and fitness sections, tropical showers, saunas with a view of the Alpine meadows. There is a restaurant on the territory of the complex. Entrance fee: a 4-hour ticket 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 slopes

In summer, St. Wolfgang, as a resort, also does not stand still, as it is located on the shores of the lake of the same name. In the summer, you can swim, go boating, and explore local attractions. Among the historical monuments, for example, in St. Wolfgang you can find a cathedral, an old 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, vacation in St. Wolfgang is quite versatile, although this resort is less well-known than others. The big advantage of St. Wolfgang is its natural resources. Being right on the lake, the resort offers typical summer activities in the summer, and typical winter activities in the winter, as the magnificent mountains and ski slopes in the Postalm Valley are just a 30-minute drive away.

The city’s infrastructure 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 serving local cuisine. If you are traveling by car, you will also enjoy visiting neighboring towns, for example, St. Gilgen with its baroque architecture, or Bad Ischl, a large thermal resort.

St. Wolfgang

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