Ramsau holidays

Mayrhofen

Holidays to Ramsau serve up some of Austria’s best bits, from mountain views to local food.

An age-old alpine spot

Tucked between Mayrhofen and Zell am Ziller, Ramsau ticks the box if you’re after a laid-back base for exploring the Ziller valley. The village itself dates way back to the Middle Ages and it’s your classic alpine spot. We’re talking wood-framed buildings and wraparound views of meadows and mountains. While you're here, keep an eye out for the Zillertalbahn steam train that puffs through the place several times a day. It’s click-clacked between the towns and villages in the valley for over a hundred years. And a trip aboard one of its traditional wooden carriages is still one of the best ways to take in the views.

Activities for days

Ready to ramble? Follow the riverside trail to neighbouring Mayrhofen, or take a 15-minute bus trip to the gondolas there instead for all-you-can walk summit trails. To see a different side of the mountains, you could book a tour of the caves deep beneath the nearby Hintertux Glacier. Back down on the valley floor, you’ve got heaps of car-free cycle trails to explore, with e-bikes to hire if you need a little boost. And if you’re here with little ones, there are plenty of pools and adventure parks scattered throughout the valley too.

Local flavours

Dumplings, stews and flaky pastries – food in the Ziller valley is all about tasty, filling dishes that are bound to put a smile on your face. And with mountain huts dotted among the summits, the setting’s often extra special too. You can even get the lowdown on what goes into making some of the local specialties on a tour of the ErlebnisSennerei Zillertal dairy. Or if beer is more your thing, pop over to Zell am Ziller to visit the Zillertal-Bier brewery and learn about one of the country’s go-to tipples instead.

Out and about

  • Bike hire
  • Lakeside paths
  • Cycle paths
  • Nordic walking
  • Waterfalls
  • Open-air concerts
  • Paragliding
  • Steam railway
  • Museum

Popular hotels in Ramsau

Top things to see and do in Ramsau

Shopping

Bargain buys

Friday is market day in nearby Mayrhofen, so hop on the bus to browse stalls selling farm-fresh produce and local crafts. When it comes to holiday essentials like suncream or snacks, there are a couple of small supermarkets in the village centre.

Mid-range buys

There aren’t heaps of shops in Ramsau, so catching the bus to either Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller or Jenbach is your best if you’re looking to spend during your stay.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

Ramsau keeps things low-key during the summer months, so make the most of the peaceful evenings with a gentle amble up to the parish church to watch the sunset. Or if you’re in the mood for a nightcap before bed, try Des-Iss bar, where there’s often a live band providing the soundtrack.

Lively evenings

Tweets is a good bet on Fridays. The house DJ keeps the beats going until late and there’s a great cocktail menu to keep everyone in a party mood. If you’re looking for a late-night spot during the rest of the week, try one of the bars in nearby Mayrhofen.

Food & drink

Eating out

Whether you’re lunching in a mountain hut or sitting down to dinner at your hotel, you’ll find all Austria’s best-loved dishes on the menu in here – think plate-sized schnitzel and strudel smothered with vanilla sauce. And you can’t visit the valley without tasting Zillertaller krapfen, which are a kind of pan-fried fritter filled with tangy Tyrolean cheese.

Riverside dining at Restaurant Sonnengartl

This family-run pick serves up crowd-pleasing dishes like salad, grilled meat and plates of pizza and pasta. Inside, there’s a rustic look with lots of chunky wood panelling, but on a sunny summer’s day the best seats are out in the garden next to the river.

Bar food and fun at Des-Iss

If you’re after a place for food followed by some drinks, then try this bar-cum-restaurant. The burgers are a house speciality and there’s a great dessert menu if you’ve got a sweet tooth. And the bar out front often hosts live music too, so you’ll be all set for the evening.

Rooftop eats at Tweets

Tweets has a chic look and a menu to match. Take your pick from local and international dishes, from Thai-style noodles to crispy, cheese-filled dumplings. Big windows keep the mountain views front and centre, and the rooftop terrace is just the spot for post-meal tipple.

Getting about

Buses

The regular local buses will take you to all the main spots in the area. The 8330 heads down the valley to Jenbach, the 4094 goes to Gerlos, and both will get you to Mayrhofen.

Summer lifts

Around 15 minutes’ drive down the road in Mayrhofen, you’ve got the Penken and Ahorn gondolas that'll whisk you up to all the walking routes you could want. And a 20-minute bus trip in the other direction is the Gerlossteinbahn cable car and even more mountaintop trails.

Trains

The Zillertalbahn railway chugs up and down the valley several times a day. Hop aboard to visit nearby towns like Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller and Jenbach in under an hour. And don’t miss taking the trip on traditional steam train to add a vintage twist to the experience.

On foot

Ramsau’s a little place in the bottom of a wide valley, so exploring on foot is quick and easy. If you’re eager to stretch your legs, you can follow the riverside path through meadows to neighbouring Mayrhofen.

Walking

Walking

Over 200km worth of walking trails criss-cross the meadows and mountainsides around Ramsau. And with the peaks of the Zillertal Alps Nature Park all around, you know the views are going to be extra special too. Local buses and trains make it easy to reach different routes, and summer lifts mean you can get to those mountaintop photo opps without straining the legs.

Riverside walk to Mayrhofen

If you’re after an easy amble, try this route to the neighbouring town of Mayrhofen. The flat gravel path follows the twists and turns of the Ziller river as it flows through meadows in the valley bottom. End to end it takes around 90 minutes, and you could combine it with a visit to the ErlebnisSennerei Zillertal dairy, which you pass around halfway.

Zellberg Woodland Trail

Take a 12-minute train ride to nearby Zell am Ziller for this woodland wander that takes you on a circular loop above town. Starting next to the Zillerbrücker bridge, the 3km route climbs gently through the trees to the Schulhaus café, where you can stop for a drink and bite to eat before heading back down to town. The whole thing takes around 2 hours 30 minutes, including time to read the info boards dotted along the path.

Top Hotels in Ramsau

Facts about Ramsau

Currency
Euro
(EUR)
Language
German
Time zone
GMT +2
Flight duration
From 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes from Gatwick

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