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    • City walk in Salzburg, Mönchsberg
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    17 Outdoor Adventures in the Middle of the City

    From river surfing in Salzburg to a walk through Vienna’s jungle: 4 ways to get active and experience nature in the middle of and not far from the city.

    You are never far from nature in Austria’s cities. They are often the perfect starting point for excursions into the local surroundings – and you can usually find real nature experiences in the middle of the (big) city too. Whether cycling along the water or surfing on it, climbing the city mountains or walking through green oases – here is how you can dive right into an outdoor adventure in Austria’s cities:

    Untersberg mountain / Untersbergbahn
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    On the Mountains

    Salzburg, the City of Mozart, lies between several city mountains. Whether you wish to take a leisurely afternoon stroll or embark on a more demanding day tour – the city mountains offer unique panoramic views of the old town, River Salzach, and the surrounding area.

    The Gaisberg and Untersberg are ideal for day tours with an overnight stay in a hut. The Festungsberg, the adjacent Mönchsberg, and the Kapuzinerberg, on the other hand, make for a leisurely excursion as part of your city trip, such as on a city walk – with picture-postcard backdrops included.

    Further Cities That Take You Above and Beyond

    •                         Linz
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      Linz’s Favourite Summit

      Follow the locals on a hike to their favourite mountain, the Pöstlingberg.
      City hiking trails Linz
    •                         Kreuzbergl in Klagenfurt
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      The Idyllic Kreuzbergl

      Klagenfurt’s "local mountain", the Kreuzbergl, is a real idyll of nature close to the city centre. 
      Hiking in the heart of Klagenfurt
    •                         Mutterer Alm, Innsbruck
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      Adventures on the Muttereralm

      Experience morning yoga or downhill carting on the Muttereralm Mountain of Adventure near Innsbruck.
      Aim high in Innsbruck
    Donau-Auen National Park / Nationalpark Donau-Auen
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    Out in the Open

    Vienna is not considered the most liveable city in the world without reason. Think green spaces rather than grey estates, as you don’t even have to leave the city to experience nature here. Vienna even has its own jungle.

    The Lobau lies to the east of the capital, covers 2,300 hectares, and makes up almost a quarter of the entire Donau-Auen National Park. It is known as the jungle of Vienna due to its diversity of plants and animals. Believe it or not, over 800 types of plant, 30 mammal and 100 breeding bird species, 8 types of reptile, 13 types of amphibian, and 60 types of fish can be found here.

    More Tips for Excursion Into the Countryside

    •                         Freizeitparadies Donauinsel
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      21 Kilometres of Island Vibes

      Vienna’s Danube Island is a recreational paradise with countless things to do.
      Off to the island
    •                         Thermenradweg cycle lane in Wienerwald
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      The "Green Lung" of Vienna

      Those longing for nature will find what they are looking for in Vienna and Lower Austria’s Vienna Woods.
      Into the woods
    •                         Vineyards in the Leithaland, Eisenstadt area
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      Eisenstadt’s Leitha Mountains

      Take a break at the former Esterhazy hunting lodge on a walk through the Leitha Mountains.
      Up in the noble mountains
    Biking at the Almkanal, Salzburg
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    On the Water

    Looking for the perfect wave? Then you are in for a surprise, as you will not only find what you are looking for on the islands of Hawaii such as Big Island or Oahu, but also in Austrian cities such as Salzburg and Innsbruck. In the Salzburg district of Gneis, for example, you will find the man-made surfing wave on the Almkanal.

    A special feature of the four and a half metre wide and half a metre high wave are two movable spoilers, which mean it can be individually adjusted. You can surf the 150 m long wave almost all year round, with the exception of the cattle drive in September when the riverbed is dried out.

    Further Urban Surfing Experiences

    •                         View of Mariahilf, Innsbruck / Innsbruck
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      Upstream on the River Inn

      Help create the perfect wave with upstream surfing in Innsbruck.
      Upstream surfing in Tirol
    •                         Surfer at Lake Neusiedl
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      Kite- and Windsurfing Paradise

      Lake Neusiedl near Eisenstadt provides ideal wind conditions for surfers.
      Water sports on Lake Neusiedl
    On the way along the Traisental cycle path
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    On Two Wheels

    A part of the Traisental cycle route leads along the Traisen, a river that flows through St. Pölten, the capital of Lower Austria. The family-friendly trail takes you past the Viehofner lakes, where you can swap your bike for a pedal or rowing boat. Alternatively, you can push the bike over a wooden jetty to the Feldmühle nature trail, where you can listen to frogs and marvel at colourful butterflies and yellow water lilies.

    Fancy even more nature along the way? Museum Niederösterreich’s museum garden is the ideal place for a short break and its Haus für Natur (house for nature) is home to a formicarium with thousands of red ants. 

    More Experiences on Two Wheels Near the City

    •                         Donauradweg
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      The Classic: The Danube Cycle Path

      You can explore parts of the most popular cycle route in Linz und Vienna: the Danube Cycle Path.
      To the Danube Cycle Path
    •                         Genussradfahren am Wörthersee
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      Along the Carinthian Lakes

      A 17 km route runs from and to Klagenfurt along Lake Wörthersee.
      The Carinthian Lake Loop
    •                         Along the Mur Cycle Path, Murau
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      Country and Old Town Flair

      The Mur Cycling Path takes you from the old town in Graz to the countryside in just 10 minutes.
      Graz by bike
    •                         Along the Inn cycle path
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      Breathtaking Mountain Panorama

      An exceptional panorama is your constant companion on the cycle path along River Inn through Innsbruck.
      To the Inn Cycle Path

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