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    • Zillertal Alps near to the Olperer Hut
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    Records & Superlatives: Austria's Extraordinary Nature Up Close

    Austria's nature is real, original and authentic. In some places the gorges, caves, national parks, lakes and waterfalls are especially impressive. #feelAustria

    Hiking around the village Lech am Arlberg / Lech at Arlberg
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    Experience Nature: Feel it - and be Amazed

    The Real Austria

    Austria's nature seems so real on social media posts that you might immediately want to dive into it. And the good news is, the lakes and mountains don't end at the edge of your screen in real life. In Austria, you are right in the middle of it all.

    Many hiking trails lead very close along waterfalls. So close in fact that you can see the tiny water droplets in the air and feel them on your skin. The gorges are so deep that hikers experience a special microclimate when walking on the well-secured footbridges between the raging water and the rocks. And even places that seem out of this world do really exist in Austria - like enormous ice caves that were formed over millions of years. And the lakes? It seems like nature only used the brightest colours for them. Austria is real - touch, feel and experience its natural treasures for yourself!

    Austria's Oldest, Longest & Largest Natural Wonders

    •                         National Park Hohe Tauern - Lake Weisssee / Weisssee Glacier world
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      Austria's Oldest National Park

      ... is also the country's largest: the province of Carinthia declared the Hohe Tauern region a National Park in 1981; parts of Salzburg followed in 1983. Here you have nature as far as the eye can see.
      The Hohe Tauern National Park
    •                         Nationalpark Neusiedler See-Seewinkel / National Park Neusiedler See
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      Austria's Largest Lake

      The province of Burgenland is home to two thirds of Lake Neusiedlersee. Located on the Hungarian border, the summer hotspot with its extensive reed belt is the largest steppe lake in Europe.
      Lake Neusiedl
    •                         Ice formation "Pulpit" in the Eisriesenwelt (World of the Ice Giants)
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      Austria's Largest Ice Cave

      The largest ice cave in the world can be found in Werfen in the SalzburgerLand region. Its labyrinth-style paths are an impressive 40 km (24,8 mi) long.
      To the Ice Caves in Werfen
    •                         Krimml Waterfalls / Krimml Waterfalls
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      Austria's Highest Waterfall

      A hiking trail leads straight up to the Krimml waterfalls. With 385 metres (1.263 ft) in height, they are the record holder in Austria - and even all of Europe!
      The Krimml Waterfalls
    •                         Little Raabklamm ("Raab Gorge")
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      Austria's Longest Gorge

      Crystal-clear water, romantic footbridges and steep cliffs along the water are what makes Austria's longest gorge - the Styrian Raabklamm - so special. It is 17 km (10,56 mi) long.
      The Raab Gorge

    The Power of the Natural Forces

    Grawa Waterfall in Upper Stubai Valley
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    The Rushing Force of Water

    Austria's Waterfalls

    Austria's waterfalls are an impressive natural spectacle - and you can admire over 700 of them up close. They are popular destinations, especially on hot summer days. The humid air feels pleasantly cool on the skin and refreshes the lungs with a mix of moss and fir.

    The closer you get to the falls, the louder its roaring sounds. The healing effects of water are scientifically proven: It can reduce stress and enhance mental wellbeing. Thinking about it, this comes with little surprise: The irrepressible force of nature has been around a lot longer than us humans.

    Impressive Spectacle: Austria's Top 4 Waterfalls

    • Gartl Waterfall

      The circular path around Tirol's Gartl waterfall features show mills and a viewing platform. The microclimate is said to have stress-relieving effects.

      Gartl Waterfall
          Gartl waterfall
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    • Grawa Waterfall

      The widest waterfall in the Eastern Alps can be found in the Tirolean Stubaital valley. It is especially impressive in early summer after the snow melts.

      Grawa Waterfall
          Grawa Waterfall in Upper Stubai Valley
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    • Stuibenfall Waterfall

      The picturesque natural spectacle in Tirol's Ötztal valley seems close enough to touch thanks to a system of paths, platforms and vie ferrate.

      Stuibenfall Waterfall
          waterfall Stuibenfall, Ötztal valley
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    • Wildensteiner Waterfall

      One of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Europe is located close to Carinthia's Lake Klopeiner See. A platform provides a picture-perfect view.

      Wildensteiner Waterfall
          Mountainbiking, region Klopeiner See South Carinthia, MTB zone, Wildensteiner waterfall
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    Nationalpark Hohe Tauern - East Tyrol
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    Where Nature is all the more worth protecting

    Austria's National Parks

    Whirring crickets provide the melodic background music to outdoor activities, a hawk circles over the pastures in search of prey and the cows enjoy the lush grass on the alpine pasture. Austria's national parks spoil locals and visitors with their natural beauty - striking mountains in the distance, dense forests and lovely rivers in the foreground, the panoramic views often look almost unreal.

    The national parks do not pretend to be an ideal world, they are an ideal world. They are places where humans live in harmony with nature and take great pride in protecting its treasures for the generations to come. Visitors to Austria can experience them first-hand while walking and hiking, climbing, cycling or swimming.

    Wild and Biodiverse: 4 National Parks You Need to Visit

    • Thayatal National Park

      The national park is located in the secluded Green Canyon of Lower Austria, between dense deciduous trees, steep rocky cliffs and the river that gives the valley its name.

      Thayatal National Park
          National Park Thayatal, Thaya in the morning mist / Thaya valley
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    • Gesäuse National Park

      Experience Austria's youngest national park in Styria along the roaring Enns river and the rugged limestone mountains. Unspoiled nature at its best!

      Gesäuse National Park
          Gesäuse National Park / National Park Gesäuse
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    • Kalkalpen National Park

      In the National Park Kalkalpen (literally: Limestone Alps) in Upper Austria, four fifths of the area are covered by trees, the majority of them being spruces, firs and beeches.

      Kalkalpen National Park
          Hölleitenbach Pechgraben (National Park Kalkalpen)
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    • Donau-Auen National Park

      A wild forest on Vienna's doorstep, the greenest city in the world? Fact! The Danube River flows freely and unregulated here and provides a habitat of various endangered species.

      Donau-Auen National Park
          Donau-Auen National Park in Lower Austria
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    Kitzlochklamm Gorge in Taxenbach
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    Hiking Along a Rocky Massif

    Gorges in Austria

    Wild water is a constant companion when hiking in many parts of Austria. The gorges are beautiful witnesses of the past, proudly showcasing the deep aisles that have been washed into the rock over the millennia. In Austria, where the mountains are high, the gorges are particularly deep and long. However, secured paths, footbridges and steps lead along the rushing river, allowing us to experience the power of the water up close. Hikers are also rewarded with a constant play of light and shadow, impressive waterfalls and deep pools.

    Tired legs? All the natural beauty the water has created will easily distract you and get you back on your feet to see even more!

    At the Wild Water: 3 Must-See Gorges in Austria

    •                         Forest in the Saalachtal valley - Maria-Kirchental
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      Seisenberg Gorge in the Saalachtal Valley in Salzburg

      Hike on wooden footpaths while taking in the twittering of the birds and the forest scents. It's like in a fairy tale - only for real.
      Seisenberg Gorge
    •                         Slow Trail Roman Gorge in Velden
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      Römerschlucht Gorge in Carinthia

      The slightly uphill path along the Göriacher stream leads to the Römerbrücke (roman bridge).
      Römerschlucht Gorge
    •                         Dr. Vogelgesang Gorge
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      Dr.-Vogelgesang Gorge

      The particularly romantic paths lead to the longest accessible gorge in Upper Austria, the Dr.-Vogelsang Gorge.
      Dr.-Vogelgesang Gorge
    Lamprecht's cave in Salzburg's Saalachtal valley / Lamprecht's cave
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    Explore Subterranean Worlds

    Caves in Austria

    Austria is full of mystical parallel worlds beneath the earth's surface, namely huge caves and grottos. Anyone venturing down these cavities will find themselves in an extraordinary environment: Some of the grottos and caves feature bizarre stalactite formations, others shimmering objects made of ice. They all came about by a whim of nature. As unreal as these fascinating worlds may seem, they are real!

    What do they tell us about the past? What is hidden deep inside? Only those daring to explore them will see the colourful minerals in the rocks, the subterranean lakes condemned to eternal darkness and the mighty ice palaces with their own eyes.

    Bizarre Formations Below Ground: The Top 2 Caves in Austria

    •                         Lurgrotte cave Graz region
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      Lurgrotte in Styria

      Austria's largest active water cave reveals an extraordinary world full of sinter formations, stalactites and subterranean rock gorges.
      Lurgrotte Cave
    •                         Nature Ice Palace at the Hintertux Glacier
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      Nature Ice Palace in Tirol

      If magical ice stalactites, glittering ice crystals, frozen waterfalls and a glacial lake are your cup of tea, you are exactly at the right spot.
      Nature Ice Palace
    Fly fisherman near St. Ulrich at lake Pillersee
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    Like a Painting - but you can jump in

    Austria's Lakes

    The outdoor options at and around Austria's lakes are as varied as the waves that roll onto the shore. Where the tranquility of the water meets the power of the Alps, it's easy to relax and rewind. Whether you want to jump straight into the water to cool off, take a bike ride around the lake, a boat tour together with your family or go on a diving adventure, we promise, your day will be a good one!

    That alpine summer feeling everyone talks about will kick in the moment you first set your eyes on the picturesque mountain and lake landscape.

    Cooling Off in Style: 4 Magical Lakes in Austria

    •                         Salzkammergut Lake Attersee
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      Lake Attersee in Upper Austria

      The largest lake entirely located in Austria, Attersee in Upper Austria, offers a huge variety of summer sport activities.
      Lake Attersee
    •                         Lake Weissensee
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      Lake Weissensee in Carinthia

      Crystal-clear water, bright blue skies and deep green forests - this jewel in Carinthia is the highest of the province's lakes.
      Lake Weissensee
    •                         Panoramic view of Achensee: The biggest lake in Tirol / Lake Achensee
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      Lake Achensee in Tirol

      Its surface is emerald green, its clear water legendary - at Lake Achensee, you can easily see 10 metres (32,8 ft) below the surface.
      Lake Achensee
    •                         A Couple at Lake Wolfgangsee / Wolfgangsee
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      Lake Wolfgangsee in the Salzkammergut Region

      This lake offers something for everyone, no matter if sports enthusiast or sun worshipper, young or young at heart.
      Lake Wolfgangsee

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