First and foremost these are the mountains of the Salzkammergut, which I visit every summer. Not only the mountains, but also the lakes: Wolfgangsee, Altauseer See, Attersee and a few smaller ones in the area.
The mountains here are not as rugged and high as further west, the landscape is softer and tourism is like in the good old days.
The Salzkammergut is much less “touristy” than other areas of Austria. The towns and villages have remained more unspoilt, everything is more cosy, more relaxed. A summer retreat, just as Emperor Franz Josef once appreciated it.
Wolfgangsee
Most of the Wolfgangsee is in the province of Salzburg, a small part belongs to Upper Austria. With an area of 13 m2 it is one of the largest Salzkammergut lakes. At its deepest point it is 114m deep.
I can warmly recommend a visit to the Wolfgangsee, the water temperature reaches 24 to 26 degrees in summer and in addition to swimming there are plenty opportunities for water sports and boating.
You can travel comfortably in only 3.5 hours by train from Vienna, for example, and it takes about 3 hours by car.