Holidays in Maria Alm & the Hochkönig Region

Every year, towards the end of August, we hear the same sentence at the HOCHKÖNIGIN.

"It's a shame summer is almost over."

We understand why people say it. The days have been long, the alpine meadows are still bright green, and evenings on the terrace have a habit of lasting much longer than expected.

And yet, we always smile.

Because while many travellers think the mountain season is coming to an end, something entirely different is happening here in Maria Alm, in the heart of Austria's Hochkönig region.

For us, this is when hiking becomes even better.

The mornings are cool enough for a light jacket but warm enough to enjoy breakfast outside. After a clear night, the mountain air feels incredibly fresh, the limestone peaks of the Hochkönig massif seem almost within reach, and the hiking trails become noticeably quieter. As autumn slowly arrives, forests turn shades of gold and amber, the light becomes softer, and every viewpoint feels as if nature has turned the contrast up just a little.

This is why many of our returning guests don't choose July or August.

They book September.

Or October.

Not because they missed summer.

But because they've discovered one of Austria's most beautiful seasons for hiking.

Almost every day, someone asks us the same question:

"If we only have a few days here, which hike shouldn't we miss?"

We could simply hand over a hiking map with hundreds of marked trails.

It would be accurate.

But it wouldn't be particularly helpful.

When you're spending a few days in the Austrian Alps, you're not looking for every possible route.

You're looking for the ones you'll remember long after you've returned home.

So instead of listing dozens of hiking trails, we'd like to share the walks and hikes we genuinely recommend to our closest friends.

Our personal favourite.

A panoramic trail that truly comes alive in autumn.

And an easy mountain adventure starting almost directly from the HOCHKÖNIGIN that is perfect for families and for your very first day in the mountains.

A Culinary Journey at Hochkönig: From Farm to Michelin Star

Butter you help make yourself in the morning, then rediscover that evening in a dish by two award-winning chefs. A cocktail whose herbs weren't poured from a bottle, but picked from the landscape around Hochkönig earlier that day. And producers whose stories suddenly explain why a menu never really starts in the kitchen.

That's what the Culinary Journey at Hochkönig is about.

Not a standard gourmet package built around one big dinner. Rather an invitation to look behind the scenes of a region shaped, for generations, by honest craft, exceptional produce and genuine hospitality. For four days, producers around Maria Alm open their doors, share their stories, and show why regionality here means far more than a phrase on a menu.

Summer has arrived. And honestly? Autumn is every bit as beautiful.

Right now, in the height of summer, Hochkönig is full of life. Marmots dart across alpine meadows, children race down the forest slides again and again, and the evening air is filled with the aroma of barbecue on the terrace. It is the season when families stay outdoors until the sun disappears behind the mountains and nobody feels the need to check the time.

But—and we're happy to let you in on a little secret—autumn here has its own kind of magic. It is quieter, warmer in colour and wonderfully relaxed. So even if you are only just planning your summer holiday, it is worth looking a little further ahead. Sometimes the best time to travel is not the most obvious one.

From 13 to 15 July, Maria Alm becomes the place to discover the next generation of e-bikes – not just by looking at them, but by riding them.

When people think of e-bikes, they often picture mountain bikes with wide tyres, large batteries and powerful motors.

But the world of cycling is evolving. Modern e-road and e-gravel bikes are becoming lighter, quieter and more natural to ride. They provide assistance exactly when it is needed while preserving the authentic feel of a road or gravel bike.

The only way to truly understand this new riding experience is to get in the saddle.

From 13 to 15 July, guests of die HOCHKÖNIGIN will have exactly that opportunity. During the TQ E-Bike Experience, you can test premium e-road and e-gravel bikes free of charge on the beautiful roads and cycling routes around Maria Alm and the Hochkönig region.

A Cool Summer Holiday in Maria Alm at Hochkönig

At some point, the thought simply appears.

Usually when the asphalt shimmers in the heat, the air conditioning has been running for hours, and even your ice cream melts faster than you can eat it.

There has to be another kind of summer.

One where you're not constantly searching for the next patch of shade.

One where you wake up to fresh mountain air, spend the day outdoors, and fall asleep with the windows wide open because nature has already cooled everything down.

That is exactly how summer begins in Maria Alm at Hochkönig.

While the towns are still holding onto the day's heat, a gentle breeze already drifts across the alpine meadows.

You open the window.

No humming air conditioner.

No heavy, stuffy air.

Just birdsong, the scent of forests and wildflowers, and somewhere in the distance, the church bells of Maria Alm.

Summer doesn't feel smaller here.

It feels bigger.

Quieter.

Lighter.

That is why more and more travellers are choosing a summer holiday in the Austrian Alps, a cool mountain escape, or a coolcation in Austria.

At Hochkönig, however, this has never been a trend.

It's simply called summer.

An aperitif on the terrace. A little live music in the background. Maybe even the plan to head to bed early because tomorrow's hiking adventure is already waiting.

And then something happens.

The best holiday days rarely stick to the plan.

You stay a little longer. Order another drink. Conversations become more relaxed. The mountains slowly turn golden. And somewhere between sunset and that one song everyone suddenly seems to know, you realise why a summer holiday at Hochkönig feels so special.

Not because of the time.

But because, at some point, time simply stops mattering.

There are places where everything suddenly becomes quieter.

Your thoughts.
The constant noise.
The feeling of always having to keep up.

Instead: fresh mountain air, warmth, movement and time for yourself.

That is exactly why wellness retreats in Austria are being redefined right now. Not as a quick escape, but as a conscious break that restores energy and creates a feeling that lasts far beyond the holiday itself.

And honestly, the Alps around Hochkönig could hardly be a better place for it.

It doesn’t start with a plan.

It starts with a feeling.
The desire to slow down. To breathe. To reconnect with what really matters.

And suddenly, you’re here.
In Maria Alm at Hochkönig, surrounded by mountains, silence, and that rare sense of clarity.

A yoga retreat in Austria that doesn’t just happen.
It transforms.

A summer holiday that feels different from the start

It rarely begins with a big plan.
More with a simple thought: a few days away. Fresh air. More space.

And then you arrive.
In Maria Alm at Hochkönig, surrounded by mountains, nature and a quiet feeling that this is exactly what you needed.

A summer holiday in Austria that doesn’t need to be loud – because it stays with you anyway.

There’s this one moment…

…it doesn’t happen at the airport.
Not while packing your suitcase.
And definitely not between two emails.

It happens here.

Maybe in the morning, when the mountains still feel a little sleepy. Or in the afternoon, when the light softens and everything slows down.

And suddenly you think: “This is how a holiday should feel.”

Welcome to your summer holiday in Maria Alm at Hochkönig.

It often starts quietly.
With a simple thought: A few days away would do me good.

A few days without schedules.
Without to-do lists.
Without that constant feeling of “I still need to…”.

Instead: mountains. Light. Stillness.

A wellness retreat in Maria Alm at Hochkönig is exactly that — a conscious pause at the foot of the Austrian Alps.

Sometimes you don’t travel for the mountains.
You travel for flavours. For conversations between courses. For that one evening you’ll remember long after you return home.

With the Culinary Journey at HOCHKÖNIGIN, a stay in Maria Alm becomes a carefully curated gourmet escape in Austria. Three nights, three distinct culinary experiences – each memorable on its own, together forming a perfectly balanced story of taste.

Ideal for anyone seeking a culinary getaway in Austria in March. Refined, relaxed and deeply enjoyable. In between: wellness, gentle movement and plenty of time to breathe.