St Wolfgang holidays

© Wolfgangsee Tourismus / Katrin Kerschbaumer / St Wolfgang, Austria

© Wolfgangsee Tourismus / St Wolfgang, Austria

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© Wolfgangsee Tourismus / Mirja Geh / St Gilgen, Austria

Choose a holiday to St Wolfgang to explore a beautifully rustic market town on the shores of Lake Wolfgang, known for its picturesque lakefront church.

Laid-back town

Life in St Wolfgang is pretty laidback. You can wander around a maze of cobbled streets at your own pace – admiring the artistry of the frescoed houses as you go – stop in at the pavement cafés or head down to the lake for a stroll along the promenade. For the best views, hop on the rack-and-pinion railway to the Schafberg peak.

Alpine legend

According to legend, the site of the village was chosen by Saint Wolfgang himself. After searching the slopes of Schafberg in vain for a suitable site on which to build his church, Wolfgang threw an axe down the mountain to find the spot and it landed on the edge of Wolfgangsee. Over the years the village's church became a pilgrimage destination for many around the world. Paddle steamers have the run of the lake these days and will take you over to the pretty villages nearby.

Out and about

Here are some ideas of things to do when staying in St Wolfgang:

• Lakeside promenade
• Lake bathing
• Boat trips
• Local ferries
• Rowing boats
• Mountain railway
• Horse-drawn carriage rides

Popular hotels in St Wolfgang

Top things to see and do in St Wolfgang

Beaches

Lake Appesbach

At Lake Appesbach there's a restaurant and beer garden, as well as sun loungers and parasols. If you're feeling adventurous, you can paddle-board or hire a boat or kayak.

Badestrand Intermezzo

Badestrand Intermezzo is part of a private resort property but the public has access to it. It's small and quiet, with a patch of sunbathing lawn, and is peppered with sun loungers and parasols.

Shopping

Bargain buys

The neighbouring towns of St Gilgen and Bad Ischl hold weekly farmers' markets on Fridays and Saturdays.

Mid-range buys

St Wolfgang has a few clothing and sports shops, speciality retailers and souvenir shops.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

Spend a peaceful evening people-watching from a local café. Sit back and soak up the town's night-time atmosphere.

Lively evenings

For a true taste of Austria, head to the town square where there are regular displays of Austrian dancing. Locals don their traditional dirndls and lederhosen. On other evenings, the square hosts brass band performances or music concerts.

Food & drink

Lakeside meals

Restaurants and cafés line the shores of Lake Wolfgang, many of them specialising in freshly caught fish and delicacies from the forest.

Konditorei Wallner

The family-run Konditorei Wallner is a household name in St Wolfgang. Situated in the centre of town and open since 1908, this café offers a variety of homemade cakes, pastries, sandwiches and drinks.

Getting about

Buses

Buses depart from the main bus stops next to the Michal Pacher Haus or beside the Schafbergbahn. They'll take you to nearby towns like St Gilgen in 30 minutes and Bad Ischl in 45 minutes.

Passenger ferries

Ferries criss-cross Lake Wolfgang. Every July and August, the Kaiser Franz Joseph Paddle Steamer operates between St Wolfgang to villages around the lake.

Summer lifts

Jump onto the Schafberg mountain cog railway to admire the excellent scenery. In nearby St Gilgen, you can take the cable car up to the summit of the Zwolferhorn mountain for stunning views of Wolfgangsee and the surrounding areas. There's also a chairlift which runs out of Bad Ischl.

Trains

The nearest station to St Wolfgang is in Bad Ischl. The station can be reached by bus 546.

On foot

You can take a stroll along the lakeside promenade to absorb the charming atmosphere of this gorgeous town, or admire the frescoed houses on a meander through the cobbled streets.

Walking

A maze of streets

There are 130km of marked trails around St Wolfgang, but newcomers should start with a leisurely stroll through the maze of cobbled streets and along the lakeside, to take in the charm and elegance of this rustic town.

Zinkenbachklamm

This easy route starts from the centre promenade in St Wolfgang, and follows mainly flat, paved pathways to the Zinkenbach. The route is well marked and, at the end, you can rest your feet and catch the ferry back to town.

Lake Schwarzansee

Follow the well-marked route 28 from the tourist office, along a paved road and then up into the woods. Wind through the trees until you reach the idyllic Lake Schwarzansee. Here, you can stroll around the lake shore or stop for a well-earned drink.