Around the Totes Gebirge

Bad Ischl - Ebensee: side-trip to the Langbath lakes - Traunsee - Traunkirchen - Gmunden - Scharnstein: side-trip to Grünau - Kirchdorf: side-trip to Schlierbach abbey (appox. 4 km) and Kremsmünster (approx. 20 km) as well as to the National Park Kalkalpen - Klaus - Hinterstoder - side-trip to the hiking area Schiederweiher - Windischgarsten - Gleinker See - Spital am Pyhrn - Pyhrn pass (945 m) - Liezen - Stainach - Pürgg - Tauplitz - Bad Mitterndorf: road up to Tauplitzalm (1426 m, toll) - Bad Aussee - Grundlsee - Altausseer See - Loser Straße - Pötschenhöhe, 992 - Bad Goisern - Bad Ischl

Highlights:
Bad Ischl: Beautiful buildings from the late 19th cent.; Imperial Villa - summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth
Ebensee: Langbath lakes - superb landscape
Traunkirchen: Parish church, "Fischer Pulpit" in boat shape
Gmunden: Old town, lake promenade, famous ceramics manufacture; Ort castle located on an island in Traunsee, picturesque 17th cent. castle
Grünau: Almsee - romantic mountain lake at the foot of the Totes Gebirge
Kremsmünster: Benedictine abbey - impressive building founded in th 8th cent., later adapted to Baroque style; famous treasure chamber with richly decorated "Tassilo Chalice" (8th cent.), observatory from the 18th cent.
Spital am Pyhrn: Baroque church, Austrian museum of rock paintings
Stainach: Trautenfels castle, beautifully located between Enns Valley and Grimming
Pürgg: Idyllic village; parish church, Johanniskapelle (romantic, with frescos from the 12th cent.), superb view to the Enns Valley
Aussee region: Bad Aussee and Altaussee: health resorts
Grundlsee and Altausseer See: idyllic lakes in the Styrian part of the Salzkammergut region, hiking on the "Via Artis" around the lake, villas of famous poets

Accommodations