Oberalm is an excellent base for exploring the Salzburg region. You can spend several weeks here, alternating between mountain hiking and visiting the surrounding towns. One day you can set off on a hike to the Steinernes Meer karst plateau, spend the next day in the centre of Salzburg, and the following day head instead to one of the enchanting lakes – of which there are more than seventy in the Salzkammergut region. You can set off on easy walks and hiking trails straight from the village; the local tourism website mentions, for instance, the Marterlweg, which leads from Oberalm towards the Wiestal valley. For more challenging mountain hiking, you can head to the Berchtesgaden Alps, the Tennengebirge or the Dachstein West region. Popular destinations include the waterfall in Golling, the Trattbergalm or Lake Bürgerausee in Kuchl.
One of Oberalm’s greatest advantages is undoubtedly its close proximity to SALZBURG. The historic centre of Mozart’s city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, in addition to its monuments, offers restaurants, shops, concerts, theatres and a rich cultural programme all year round. The most famous sights include Hohensalzburg Fortress, Getreidegasse, Mozart’s birthplace, Mirabell Palace and Salzburg Cathedral. The proximity to Salzburg also significantly expands the potential uses of the property beyond the traditional winter and summer tourist seasons. Oberalm is therefore not a location that is ‘alive’ for just a few months of the year.
Even closer is Hallein, a historic town whose development has been linked to salt mining for centuries. Its old town centre offers restaurants, cafés, shops and a vibrant cultural scene, whilst the nearby Dürrnberg is home to the famous Salzwelten Salzburg – historic salt mines whose tradition dates back to the Celtic period. It was in Hallein that the local choirmaster Franz Xaver Gruber composed the famous Silent Night, and the museum dedicated to this very composition is one of the finest in the Salzburg region. Also well worth a visit is the Keltenmuseum, one of the largest museums of Celtic history and art in Europe.
Winter activities
Although Oberalm is not a ski resort, its location near the A10 motorway provides excellent access to a whole range of well-known ski areas.One of the nearest major options is Werfenweng, a family-friendly resort at the foot of the Tennengebirge massif, with 29 kilometres of slopes and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. It can be reached from Oberalm in about half an hour’s drive.
An even wider choice is offered by the resorts grouped under the Ski amadé brand. Thanks to the direct link to the A10, Flachau is roughly 56 kilometres away and can be reached in about 35 minutes in smooth traffic. Flachau forms part of the interconnected Snow Space Salzburg ski area, which includes Wagrain and St. Johann and offers around 120 kilometres of slopes. The entire Ski amadé network comprises up to 760 kilometres of slopes and 260 cable cars and ski lifts. Other areas are also within easy reach, such as Dachstein West (with access points in Rußbach and Annaberg), Hochkönig, or the smaller resorts in Tennengau. The advantage of Oberalm is therefore that it is not limited to a single ski area – depending on the weather, snow conditions or your mood, you can head off in a different direction every day.