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Zillertal or Stubaital for hiking and mountain biking?

Posted by (Seattle, WA) on

After numerous trips to Switzerland, I am looking at Austria for a July 2023 family trip (3 generations, with our kids and 10-year-old grandchildren). We want primarily to hike, but my son and his wife and kids would also enjoy mountain biking. I would like to rent a 3-bdr Ferienwohnung in a town with good hiking access (out the door, or by train to another town, or lift) and a nice public pool (outdoors). Activities like a zip line or climbing garden for the kids would be a bonus. We will not rent a car.

Zillertal came to my attention in a mountain-biking magazine I saw some years back. Mayrhofen in the Zillertal looks like it ticks all the boxes but I am curious if there are other villages I should consider as well. And in the Stubaital, is Neustift the best base?

Thanks for your help. We spent a week in Vienna a couple of years ago, and I visited Salzburg whenI was a student in Germany 50 years ago, but that is the extent of my experience in Austria.

Posted by
1289 posts

I'm older now so my hikes are limited and don't mountain bike. I think your assesment of the Zillertall and Mayrhofen is on point. You also have Tristner- Ginzling towards the Stausee area east and the Tuxertal to the west. Train to Mayrhofen and bus throughout the region. Have stayed in Mayrhofen twice and visited from the Achensee. My Stubaital experience is limited to one short trip to Mieders and Fulpmes in early December. No train as I recall, but 1/2 hour bus trip to Innsbruck. Zillertal is more developed. You have probably read through the Forums for FEWO recommendations.

Posted by
16241 posts

Thank you both. I am leaning strongly toward Mayrhofen for the train accessibility and other considerations. A friend who goes to Seefeld for Nordic skiing says the plateau may not offer the type of terrain we seek for hiking, but I’ll take a look.

I started planning this trip 3 years ago and found a FeWo I liked then, but it is no longer available so I will start the search over. My son, his wife, and I all speak passable German (tho’ I am a bit rusty), so I am comfortable using the booking sites in that language.

Posted by
1289 posts

Well along with the "Older Now" I've also migrated to nice 3-4 star 1/2 to full Pension Austrian Hotels with Wellness. You can get good deals sometimes now a days. Apartments are cheaper generally and more relaxing. Depends on what you want and are willing to spend.

Posted by
16241 posts

With the grandchildren, we are happier with an apartment so we have the extra space and a kitchen. We don’t make much use of spas, saunas, etc. and the kids normally would not be allowed in, so a Wellness Hotel offers more than we need. I did find a nice 2-bed apartment in a hotel in Mayrhofen last time I was planning, but I can’t seem to locate it again. And we would like 3 bedrooms, 2 baths now that the children are older (actually they will be turning 11 just before this trip).

Maybe I will search harder for the place I found last time—-I kind of remember the location, so I can look around on Google maps.

Posted by
2903 posts

We stayed at the Bergland in Finkenberg. Beautiful location, wonderful place to stay.

Posted by
16241 posts

With two recommendations now, it sounds like I should investigate options in Finkenberg! I ordered some materials from the Zillertal tourist office, and they will be arriving by post someday. There should be some good information on the villages in there.

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