Hidden deep in the belly of the Giant is a fascinating microcosm of sparkling chambers of wonder: in the Swarovski Crystal Worlds a spectacular glittering paradise awaits you, celebrating crystal in all its facets. Various modern artists and designers interpret this magical material entirely in their own way, creating crystal art for eternity. The model for this masterpiece is the 16th-century historical chambers of art and wonders, which then just as now offered a home to the most beautiful showpieces in the world. The journey continues in the garden of the Swarovski Crystal Worlds: there you will find even more of the impressive artworks and art installations. In the playground, the play tower or the labyrinth the youngest visitors can run around, play and let off steam to their hearts’ content.

Pictures: Copyright © Kristallwelten

It was back in 1678 that Ludwig Jobst opened the Zillertal Bier Brewery as the first private beer brewer in Tyrol, and thus founded Tyrol’s oldest family company. Today, 16 generations later, Zillertal beer is the epitome of its home region, beer culture and drinking enjoyment. At the BrauKunstHaus you will find a unique world of experience covering more than 5,000 m2, which grants fascinating insights behind the scenes of this traditional brewery. The highlight of every tour: at the end of the tour, you can check the quality of all the various beer specialities yourself.

If you have always wanted to know how cheese, yoghurt and butter are made, you should be sure to schedule a visit to the ErlebnisSennerei Zillertal. In the showplace dairy you will not only be shown how your favourite products are created, but you will also see how hay milk is processed and how it gets from the alpine pasture to the packaging. At the end of your visit, you will have the unique opportunity of sampling fresh milk and 7 creamy yoghurts with the “pleasure spoons” at 8 tasting stations. But that’s not all: at the show farm you can visit the happy cows, sheep and goats from which the hay milk that is processed at the showplace dairy is obtained. And then, if the little ones are not too tired, they can let off steam by jumping in the hay and on the mini-tractor track.

Pictures: Copyright © Erlebnissennerei Zillertal

You might have already seen a photo of the suspension bridge with the reservoir in the background. But if you haven’t, or want to take a souvenir photo of your own, it’s not a problem, because the Olperer hut and the legendary suspension bridge is around one and a half hours away from the reservoir. The Schlegeis Reservoir itself can be reached by car via the 16-kilometre-long Schlegeis alpine road, which begins in Ginzling (NB: toll payable) – or simply and conveniently by bus. Once you have reached the Schlegeis Reservoir, you have several options for increasing your adrenalin level: either by scaling the Schlegeis dam wall by means of a fixed-rope route, or by abseiling along the 600-metre Flying Fox.

Fun fact: there are 5 dam lakes in the Zillertal Valley! One of them is the Zillergründl Reservoir – and a trip there already borders on an adventure, because unlike the Schlegeis Reservoir you cannot simply drive up to the dam wall. The 14-kilometre toll road starts in Brandberg – but please note that to prevent the noise of cars and their exhaust gases, only 100 cars a day are permitted to drive into the Zillergrund. At the end of the toll road, you have to take the bus, as public transport is banned on the remaining stretch. If getting here in your own car seems too complicated, an alternative is to take the bus from Mayrhofen – or you could work on your calves with a prolonged hiking or biking tour. When you reach the Zillergründl Reservoir, a fantastic view awaits you over the surrounding mountain world and naturally of the dam lake, which on fine days sparkles like the infinite sea.

Did you know that the highest waterfalls in Europe and the fifth-highest in the world can be found just a good 21 kilometres from the Alpenland? They are located in another municipality of the Zillertal Arena – in Krimml. The drop height is 380 m over three cascades, with 5.6 m3 of water on average thundering into the valley every second, and there are 400,000 visitors a year. While these numbers are impressive, the breathtaking sight of the thunderous bodies of water is even more impressive. Luckily you have plenty of opportunity to admire this natural wonder on the 4.15-kilometre-long path to the waterfalls. What’s more, the Krimml Waterfalls are not only beautiful, but also healthy. Several clinical trials by the Paracelsus Medical University have scientifically proved that the fine spray mist at the foot of the Krimml Waterfalls has a positive effect on numerous medical complaints, such as asthma and allergies. For this reason, the Province of Salzburg has even recognised the Krimml Waterfalls as a natural healing resource.

To illustrate just how unique the Hohe Tauern National Park is, we thought we would throw in a few numbers here: largest national park in Austria and the Alps with an area of 1,856 km2; a habitat for 15,000 animal species, and thus a third of all the species that occur in Austria; home to the Krimml Waterfalls, the highest waterfalls in Europe and the fifth-highest in the world; and to the Pasterze, the largest glacier in Austria and the longest in the Eastern Alps. In the National Park Worlds, visitors can experience this fantastic conservation area first hand. In 10 captivating natural habitats covering 1,800 m² you can hike through a unique world of alpine experiences, and discover the astonishing diversity of the largest conservation area in the Alps. The absolute highlights are the eagle flight panorama, which allows you to experience the Hohe Tauern National Park from a bird’s-eye perspective, and the 360° panoramic cinema which shows a time-lapse view of the origins of the Hohe Tauern window.