Nauders holidays

If you’re after the essentials, the Mpreis and Spar supermarkets have you covered. Or to browse stalls selling local produce, grab your tote and take a 50-minute bus trip to Landeck, where there’s a weekly farmer's market.

Sport Penz is one of the biggest sports shops in the village and stocks all the latest brands – perfect if you need some new outdoor gear while you’re here. Or if you’re after a keepsake instead, check out the S’Ladele farm shop. As well as edible treats, they also sell local crafts, like candles and feltwork – it’s self-service, so you can swing by whenever you fancy.

Soak up the balmy summer air with a wander around town. The local orchestra puts on weekly performances, so time it right and you could add some al fresco music to your evening as well. Later, swing by Macho’s for a tipple or two in stylish surroundings. Gin is the house speciality and there’s a menu of nibbles, too.

Nauders is a popular ski spot in the winter and lots of the après-ski bars keep the drinks flowing throughout the summer too. Things tend to be more laid-back though – think foot tapping live music and chilled out DJ sets. Yeti Bar is one of the liveliest spots to unwind in the evening. Open ‘til late, it’s one for the night owls.

Traditional Tyrolean fare is the order of the day in Nauders. We’re talking Austrian classics like schnitzel and strudel, as well as mountain faves like käse spätzle – a bowlful of cheesy pasta topped with crispy onions, it really hits the spot after a hike. And speaking of walks, lots of the routes have mountain huts along the way. These rustic wood and stone restaurants are packed with charm and have some wow-worthy backdrops to boot.

Stieralm gives classic Tyrolean dishes a modern twist. And if you just want a big, satisfying plate of schnitzel and chips, you can get that too. Whatever you order, you’ll be tucking in with a cracking view overlooking Nauders nestled in the valley below.

Picture the classic mountain cabin and you’ve pretty much got the Piengalm. A 45-minute walk from the top of the Bergkastelbahn lift, this rustic refuge is perfectly placed for a mid-hike pick-me-up.

Give your tastebuds the VIP treatment at Kammerli – Gourmetrestaurant. Expect palate-pleasing dishes which are just as good to look at as eat. Playful platefuls like the playground-themed starter keep things deliciously light-hearted. And freshly pressed juice pairings for each course put a fresh spin on the classic wine list. Stuffy haute cuisine this is not.

Local buses run regularly and lots of them are free with your summer card. Line number 210 will get you to Landeck in around 50 minutes. Or heading in the other direction, line number 273 goes to the village of Malles Venosta across the border in Italy. Hop aboard at Nauders Unterdorf, Nauders Dorf or Nauders Mühle.

The Bergkastel cable car, Schöneben gondola and Mutzkopf chairlift are just some of the lifts you can use to get to the summits without breaking a sweat. It’s also possible to take bikes on most of the lifts in the area. Plus, lots of them are included to use if you buy a 3-Countries card locally.

There’s no train station in Nauders itself, but you can take an 50-minute bus to Landeck-Zams station. From here you can reach Innsbruck by train in 45 minutes.

Nauders is a small place. From shops to bars and restaurants, most places are just a short walk away. The village centre is a mix of quiet streets, little alleys and cobbled squares – with Naudersberg Castle watching over it all from a rocky outcrop nearby. And while the place isn’t totally car free, there’s very little traffic to spoil the laid-back alpine vibe.

Nauders brings its A game for walkers. In fact, there are over 300km of marked paths criss-crossing the wooded valleys and mountain-tops here. There’s plenty of variety on the cards too. Themed trails for families, short strolls and all-day adventures for experienced hikers – just take your pick. And this is Austria, so there’s usually a mountain hut enroute for a strudel stop or scenic lunch. Find a trail to tick your box by using the interactive map on the tourist board website.

Strolling through meadows speckled with snow-white edelweiss flowers – it doesn’t get more alpine than that. And that’s what this 10km loop serves up in spades. Buy a ticket for the hiking taxi from the tourist office in Nauders to reach the start at Labaunalm. From there, you’ll follow rocky paths along grassy slopes dotted with the famous star-shaped petals. And blooms aren’t the only thing you’ll spot either – with some luck you’ll see chamois and golden eagles too. The whole circuit normally takes around five hours, including some selfie time on top of the Fluchtwand summit midway around.

On this circuit, you’ll stroll through spruce forests, meadows and past clear alpine lakes. Plus, a ride on the Mutzkopf chairlift takes care of most of the climbing, so you won’t be straining the leg muscles too much either. At the top of the lift, follow gravel paths to lake Schwarzer See, where you can see pearly white waterlilies bobbing in the shallows. From here there are a couple of trails you can take, but they both meet up at the nearby lake Grüner See, before heading back down to Nauders. Peckish? Pop into Gasthaus Riatschhof on your way to the village for a post-walk slice of strudel.