Grossarltal – out and about in the winter wonderland

My two new friends are impatiently scratching their hooves in the parking lot of Hüttschlag. In front of us lies a beautiful snow-covered plateau. I get on the sled, snuggle up in the warm blankets and let myself be pulled through nature. The former mining community of Hüttschlag is located at around 1,000 m above sea level at the head of the Grossarl Valley and has been part of the Hohe Tauern National Park, the largest national park in Central Europe, since 1991. The sleigh ride takes us from Hüttschlag to the head of the valley. From here you can only continue on foot. To the left and right, steep mountain flanks rise. Since we are unfortunately on the road without snowshoes, we are content with a visual hike through the perfect winter landscape. We give the horses a short breather and enjoy the incredible peace. At this point, I have long since fallen madly in love with this little paradise in the Grossarl Valley and announce in the middle of the snowy landscape that I absolutely have to experience this here once in summer.

Back in Hüttschlag, there is a delicious refreshment in the Talwirt restaurant. In the basement of the restaurant, traditional Krampus masks can be admired. In the Talwirt itself, about 70 of these eerily beautiful masks are produced every year, which are known far beyond the region under the name “butcher’s masks”.

Afterwards we drive back to Grossarl, which is located 8 km down the valley. Grossarl itself not only enchants with the mountain Advent, but also offers fun on the slopes. The Grossarltal-Dorfgastein ski area starts right behind our accommodation, the Nesslerhof. We don’t have our skis with us, but we still don’t miss the opportunity to explore the ski area on foot. We take the panorama train up to the Laireiteralm, where I treat myself to a hot chocolate in bright sunshine. Then we climb the 200 m on foot until we stand on the Kreuzkogel at just over 2,000 m above sea level and marvel at the fantastic winter panorama. It almost seems as if the Grossarl Valley has put on the winter catalogue garb especially for us.

Back at the Nesslerhof, I really enjoy myself. The newly built 4-star superior hotel impresses with its strong regional roots and great staff. Before dinner, I relax my muscles in the spa area and am very impressed by the panoramic indoor pool. If I had to give an award for the most beautiful indoor pool, the Nesslerhof would win it by a wide margin. With an unobstructed view of mountains and nature, it is simply easier to relax. The sauna garden with panorama sauna and the pine wood relaxation room are also great.

Our day in the Winter Wonderland ends as fantastically as it began – with a gourmet dinner at the Nesslerhof. Wow, what we are served is a culinary poem in a class of its own!

Before this trip, I had never heard of Grossarltal. Horses and snow were enough to convince me of the beauty of this valley. The ski area was the encore and at the Nesslerhof there was a standing ovation on my part. My goodness, I have to go there again!

Note: I was invited by Austria Tourism to Salzburger Land. Thank you very much for this. Nevertheless, my readers can be sure that I always represent my own opinion and enthusiasm here.