7 reasons why you should spend your holiday in East Tyrol
Have you ever considered East Tyrol as a travel destination? This small region is a geographical wonder. Although it belongs to the Austrian federal state of Tyrol, it has no overlap with it on the map. East Tyrol borders only Salzburg, Carinthia, and the Italian province of South Tyrol .
East Tyrol is rich in nature and relatively sparsely populated. It has approximately 50,000 inhabitants – and 500 pairs of chamois. People who come to East Tyrol primarily love two things: nature and good food. We'd like to give you seven good reasons for a vacation in East Tyrol .
Lienz, the only major city in East Tyrol, is often referred to as the "Gateway to the South." The city enjoys a whopping 2,049 hours of sunshine per year. By comparison, in 2024, Berlin was considered Germany's sunshine capital, with 2,005 hours. Moers and Krefeld, the sunniest cities in Germany that year, had 1,168 hours of sunshine.
Lienz is not only a tranquil medieval town, but also the sunny capital of the region.
Source: IMAGO/Dreamstime
And indeed, time and again, when you return to the city from the many mountains and valleys of East Tyrol, you will notice that the clouds have disappeared and the sun is shining down on you.
The people of East Tyrol are incredibly friendly. It's easy to strike up a conversation, everywhere. In the pub, in the supermarket, at the bus stop. A friendly word here, a little joke there. There are several theories as to why the residents of East Tyrol are so welcoming.
One of them comes from Josef Mühlmann, a star-rated chef from East Tyrol: "Because we don't have mass tourism here. Fewer guests come to us than to North Tyrol and South Tyrol. Perhaps we can't afford to be unfriendly to the few people who do find their way to us," he laughs.
Michelin-starred chef Josef Mühlmann believes he knows the secret of East Tyrolean friendliness.
Source: Conny Derdak
The residents of East Tyrol are less consumed and less "burned out" than elsewhere – and they also live in a stunningly beautiful environment. People still know that they need each other. Before the breakdown service arrives, someone from the neighborhood will have already pulled your car out of the ditch with a tractor, Mühlmann explains the East Tyrolean mentality.
The average East Tyrolean eats 232 Schlipfkrapfen (a kind of doughnut) per year. Why? Because Schlipfkrapfen are so delicious. They're practically the national dish of East Tyrol. A Schlipfkrapfen is basically a potato-filled pasta dish. Wherever you try a Schlipfkrapfen in East Tyrol, it will taste a little different. But it's always good.
Schlipfkrapfen – pasta dough with potato filling – are the national dish in East Tyrol.
Source: Conny Derdak
Schlipfkrapfen is a dish that can be made with just a few ingredients. Ingredients that every farmer used to have at home: flour, potatoes, onions, and butter. Depending on your taste, you can also add a little curd cheese, the Austrian version of sour cream.
At the Gannerhof in Innervillgraten, you can enjoy ultra-regional fine dining – with meadow herbs and pine cones.
Source: Conny Derdak
East Tyrol offers both down-to-earth, home-style cooking and fine dining. This is ensured by one Michelin-starred restaurant and a total of twelve Gault Millau-toque restaurants. Josef Mühlmann earned the Michelin star at his Gannerhof in Innervillgraten. He also received a green star for excellence in sustainability.
Pure idyll at the Gannerhof: hotel and restaurant in front, the farm's own sheep in the back. It couldn't be more beautiful.
Source: Conny Derdak
But be careful, you won't pass by the Gannerhof by chance. It's located in a quiet valley that's practically a dead-end street. So you'll have to make a conscious effort to find the restaurant. But it's worth it: pure rural idyll at 1,400 meters above sea level, combined with creative fine dining using regional products and with—how could it be otherwise—extremely welcoming hosts.
The view from the Dolomitenhütte of the peaks of the Lienz Dolomites is breathtaking.
Source: Conny Derdak
For fantastic views, head to the Dolomitenhütte at an altitude of 1,661 meters. You can hike, bike, or drive up. The view down into the valley and onto the peaks of the Lienz Dolomites has never left anyone untouched.
East Tyrol is one of the most beautiful rafting areas in the Alps. And the best part: Rafting tours can be booked for every level of difficulty – from easy to moderate to difficult. For the truly hardy, there's even extreme rafting.
The river becomes increasingly narrow, the waves get higher, and the blockages and swells become larger. Tip from rafting guide Michi: "In summer, rafting is the perfect bad-weather activity. Because you'll get wet anyway, it doesn't matter if it rains."
Rafting on the Isel can be really wild or – as here – leisurely.
Source: Conny Derdak
You can book your rafting tour at Cool's Outdoor Center Lienz , for example. If you want to get even closer to the gorges, you can also try canyoning tours.
Not only the rafting, but also the Isel River in East Tyrol itself is an experience in itself. The Isel is a glacial river, meaning it originates from a glacier. Therefore, its water is wonderfully cold, even in midsummer.
And the river even has a unique selling point: The Isel is the longest free-flowing glacial river in the Alps. This means its water is nowhere held back by dams.
Various plants, including tall ferns, have settled on the banks of the Isel.
Source: Conny Derdak
You can also enjoy wonderful nature observation along its banks, as the Isel River provides a habitat for many animal and plant species. Among them are rare species like the German tamarisk – a shrub with white or pink flowers that is rarely seen these days. If you really want to explore the Isel River, the best way to do this is to hike the 74-kilometer Isel Trail – from the town of Lienz to the source of the Isel River on the glacier.
The water quality in East Tyrol is, by the way, unique. Even from the tap. Proof: The average hardness of tap water in Germany is 16. In Austria's capital, known for its excellent drinking water quality, it's 9. In East Tyrol, the water has a hardness of 3. This corresponds to the standard of distilled water.
The high quality is thanks to the so-called Tauern Window. "In this geological area, rock layers come to light that are normally hidden much deeper in the Alps. They contain minerals that naturally filter and purify the spring water," explains water expert Brigitte Eckle.
Healing water is also found in East Tyrol. The spring is located in the Deferegger Valley at a depth of 1,850 meters – and can be visited. The Deferegger healing water helps with skin, bronchial, and joint problems and is also incorporated into numerous creams and body care products.
In East Tyrol, one waterfall follows the next – many of them on the Isel River. There are also many tributaries with magnificent waterfalls and large gorges. The Steiner Waterfall, the Hasslach Schleier Waterfall, and the 120-meter-high Celar Waterfall are just a few of the approximately 250 waterfalls in East Tyrol.
East Tyrol has over 250 waterfalls.
Source: IMAGO/Avalon.red
The Umbal Falls in Prägraten am Großvenediger are especially worth a visit. There's also a nature trail with information boards and viewing platforms. And if you don't feel like walking, you can take a horse-drawn carriage ride up.
Another special waterfall is the one in the Galitzenklamm Gorge. It's just a few minutes' drive from Lienz. But the waterfall isn't all there is to see in the Galitzenklamm Gorge. The water adventure park also features a fantastic water playground and numerous via ferratas of all difficulty levels.
In the Galitzenklamm you can climb with a great panorama.
Source: Conny Derdak
The "Dopamin" via ferrata is even considered one of the most difficult via ferratas in the world. Another special feature: "Our climbing park is the only one in Austria where all of the via ferratas are located within the park," explains the climbing park. Around 40,000 people come here to climb every year, especially many from Germany and Italy .
Those who love altitude will be delighted in East Tyrol. This mountainous region is also called the roof of Austria or the "Nepal of Europe." The region boasts a total of 266 three-thousanders, meaning mountains over 3,000 meters high. One of these is the Großglockner.
East Tyrol offers a vast network of hiking trails. There are approximately 2,500 kilometers of trails for every ability level, including families. Many of the trails lead past one of East Tyrol's 365 mountain lakes. Hiking in East Tyrol is also ideal for those who want to cover longer distances: the region boasts 23 long-distance trails.
East Tyrol has 365 mountain lakes, including the Obersee at 2016 metres above sea level.
Source: Conny Derdak
The Iseltrail is a particularly beautiful long-distance hiking trail. It consists of five stages, each of which can be hiked individually. If you hike the entire Iseltrail, you'll cover 73.7 kilometers and gain a total elevation gain of 2,120 meters.
The route includes the town of Lienz and a spectacular suspension bridge over the Isel Gorge at a height of 90 meters. The grand finale is the source of the Isel River at the tongue of the Umbalkee glacier – at 3,499 meters in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park.
The mountain world around the Karlsbader Hütte in the Lienz Dolomites is quite rocky.
Source: imago/Eibner Europe
Whether religious or not, the "High & Holy" pilgrimage route definitely promises good prospects: The mountain pilgrimage route leads not only through East Tyrol, but also through South Tyrol and Carinthia. What it promises? 200 kilometers and 13,000 meters of elevation gain over nine stages and across four national borders. Along the way, it tells all who walk it about creation and its wonders. What you definitely need is time: The total walking time is approximately 65 hours.
When hiking in Prägraten am Großvenediger, meadows and forests dominate.
Source: imago/Eibner Europe
No matter which route you choose, one thing you'll definitely notice while hiking: one-third of East Tyrol's area is covered in forest. And if you love the scent (or schnapps) of Swiss stone pine, the region has a special highlight for you. East Tyrol is also home to Europe's largest continuous Swiss stone pine forest.
Looking for more inspiration? You can find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter, and the best travel deals on our deals page .
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