Alpbach in Summer: Top things to see and do

Alpbach in summer is one of Austria’s prettiest Alpine villages. It is stunning in the summer, where bright flowers decorate the wooden chalets and green pastures lead up to tall mountains. Here’s how to enjoy Alpbach in summer.

Updated: February 2025

Alpbach is a small village in the Austrian Alps. It’s definitely one of Austria’s prettiest villages. Alpbach in summer is full of beautiful flowers and cute wooden chalets. Even though Alpbach is small, it’s definitely worth visiting. And it’s a great base to explore this part of the Austria Alps as well. Here are the best things to do and best way to enjoy in Alpbach in summer.

Where to stay in Alpbach in summer

Alpbach is a small village in Austria, but there are plenty of options for small, friendly places to stay. I recommend Gaestehaus Schneider – a small guest house in the centre of Alpbach with stunning Alpine wood decor. There are apartment options with a small kitchenette, which is perfect if you’d like to save some money and cook some of your own meals. A delicious breakfast is available as well, so you can fill up ready for a day hiking. However, what really makes this guest house special is the friendly, welcoming owner, Getti – she was able to run the guest house and simultaneously be friends with every guest, interested in your plans for the day and full of tips to make your stay extra special.

There are lots of accommodation options in Alpbach to choose from. Because the village is small, all of the accommodation is close to the centre of the village. So almost anywhere you stay is going to be in a convenient location for exploring the Austrian Alps from Alpbach.

What to pack for a week in Alpbach in the Austrian Alps in summer

Although so many of the photos of the Austrian Alps show clear blue skies in the summer, that’s not always the case. You might get lucky and have lots of sunny days on your trip to Alpbach in summer. But there can also be rainy days, afternoon thunderstorms, or days when the clouds are low and obscure the mountain tops. Perfect weather can never be guaranteed in the mountains, and the weather can change several times even within the same day.

It’s important to be prepared for the rapid weather changes if you’re planning to spend a day out in the mountains in the Austrian Alps. Hiking boots and a waterproof coat are necessary, as well as plenty of water and snacks. A firsts aid kit is also useful. And I recommend also taking a map and compass, in case your phone battery dies.

For a more comprehensive list of things to pack and the weather in the Austrian Alps in the summer, see my blog on Kitzbuhel in summer.

Things to do in Alpbach in summer

Alpach is a great base to explore the Austrian Alps in summer. As well as enjoying the pretty village, you can also use Alpbach as a base for exploring the mountains nearby. There are great hiking trails, and also cycling trails where you can hire e-bikes. For even better mountain views, you can take the gondolas up to the tops of the mountains. Here are the best things to do in Alpbach in summer.

1. Hire e-bikes and explore the valley

E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular in the Austrian Alps in the summer, and Alpbach is a great place to try cycling with e-bikes. There are plenty of places to hire the bikes in the village, along with maps of different routes.

E-bikes are easy once you get the hang of using them. Along flat paths you can cycle at really good speed. Going uphill on e-bikes is easier than cycling uphill on a traditional bike. However, I did find that when going uphill, the extra weight of the bike did almost cancel out any help you were getting from the battery so it was still hard work. But cycling on e-bikes is definitely easier than on traditional bikes. So you can go further and faster, and explore more of the stunning scenery.

2. Hike in the mountains around Alpbach

There are plenty of hiking paths around Alpbach, each of them offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains and villages.

The best thing to do is to pick up a map at your hotel or guest house and look for an option that suits your ability and the weather conditions on the day. There are hiking paths of varying lengths and difficulty. On a cloudy day, you might want to choose a hiking trail in the valley so you don’t risk getting lost up in the clouds. Or, if the weather is nice and you’re feeling more energetic, you can try one of the hiking trails that climbs up the mountains, rewarding you with stunning views.

3. Take a gondola up to the top of the mountains

For more beautiful views of the mountains, take one of the gondolas up to the top. In the summer, there’s a choice of four small gondolas from Alpbach and all are worth a trip. Both the Wiedersbergerhornbahn and Reitherkogelbahn give stunning views and also great hiking options from the top, with the sound of cow bells echoing around the mountains.

And keep an eye out for Alpine marmots! These incredibly cute furry creatures live just above the tree line in the Alps and you can often hear their distinctive bird-like call before you spot one.

4. Walk around Alpbach village and visit Schrödinger’s grave

It’s definitely worth spending some time in the beautiful Alpbach village in summer. Although it can be tempting to spend all your time hiking and cycling in the mountains, you should make sure you give yourself some time to walk around the village. Alpbach really is one of the most beautiful Alpine villages in Austria.

Alpbach in summer is beautiful with bright flowers spilling from every balcony and wooden chalets snaking their way up the mountainside. It’s so colourful, and so peaceful as well.

St Oswald Catholic Church in the village is pretty as well. It’s the centre point of the village, and a really beautiful church and graveyard.

And the colourful graveyard hides the grave of the famous Nobel prize winning physicist Schrödinger, famous for the Schrödinger’s Cat theory.

Alpbach is a really beautiful village, and it’s definitely worth adding a few days in Alpach to any trip to the Austrian Alps in summer.

Enjoy your trip to Alpbach in summer! If you’d like to extend your trip to the Alps, why not visit Kitzbuhel in summer and take cable cars up to explore mountain peaks. Or Zell am See in summer is perfect if you’re looking to relax by a pristine Alpine lake. Or if you fancy heading somewhere a bit more lively, Innsbruck in the summer is a lovely small city, or you can relive the Sound of Music in one day in Salzburg.