Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen lies at the point where the Zillertal splits into four side valleys, the Tuxertal, Stillupptal, Zemmgrund and Zillergrund, each cutting into the high Zillertal Alps. At about 630 metres, the village sits low, and the mountains rise steeply on all sides to peaks above 3,000 metres, so the sense of scale is large. The valley's river, the Ziller, runs through the village on its way to the Inn. About 4,000 people live here, and many more visit in season.

The Zillertal has a distinct identity. Its people have a strong tradition of folk music, with brass bands, the harp and the accordion, and of costume, and in summer festivals such as the Gauderfest in Zell am Ziller celebrate local life. Mayrhofen itself is a lively village with a pedestrian zone and many shops and bars, but behind the new hotels you can still find old farmhouses and the parish church. The valley railway, the Zillertalbahn, a narrow-gauge line that still runs steam trains on certain days, connects Mayrhofen with Jenbach in the Inn Valley.

Skiing is the main winter activity. The Penken, on the western side, is a wide, sunny mountain with runs for beginners and intermediates and a snowpark with some of the best terrain park features in Europe. The Ahorn, on the east, has quieter slopes. The Harakiri, a piste on the Penken with a gradient of about 78 per cent at its steepest, is among the steepest groomed slopes in Austria and is a rite of passage for expert skiers. The Zillertal Super Ski Pass covers several areas in the valley. At the head of the Tuxertal, the Hintertux Glacier is open nearly all year, with ski runs at over 3,000 metres and, in the summer, snowboard and ski training.

The Hintertux Glacier is also home to the Natur Eis Palast, the Nature Ice Palace, a natural glacier cave carved by meltwater that can be visited with a guide. Inside, walls of blue ice and ice formations show the interior of the glacier, and a lake of frozen water lies at the bottom. The temperature is at freezing, so warm clothing is necessary. The glacier is reachable by cable car from Hintertux, and the trip is a highlight for visitors in any season.

Another excursion is to the Schlegeis Reservoir, a large high-mountain reservoir at about 1,800 metres, reached by a toll road from Ginzling that passes through tunnels and along dramatic cliffs. A path around the lake and views of the Zillertal Alps make it a popular outing, and the Friesenberghaus and Berliner Hütte are among the huts that can be reached on foot. The mountains above belong to the High Alpine Nature Park, the Naturpark Zillertaler Alpen, which protects the glaciers, peaks and side valleys with marked trails of various lengths.

In summer, Mayrhofen is a hiking and mountain biking base. Cable cars lift walkers onto the Penken and the Ahorn, where trails lead to alpine pastures and huts, and longer routes include the Berliner Höhenweg, a multi-day hut tour. Rafting on the Ziller, paragliding and climbing are other activities. The valley is also known for its dairy products, and several mountain farms and creameries sell cheese and butter, with demonstrations of traditional production. Grauer Almkäse, a strong grey mountain cheese, is a speciality.

The village's table is Tyrolean: Tiroler Gröstl, Kaspressknödel, Zillertaler Krapfen, a stuffed fried pastry, and Kaiserschmarrn appear on menus, along with local beer from the Zillertal brewery in Zell.

The best time to visit is from December to April for skiing, with the best snow between January and March, and from June to September for walking. The village is quiet in May and in October to mid-November.

Getting there is simple. The Zillertalbahn runs from Jenbach, which has a main-line station on the Innsbruck line, to Mayrhofen in about 40 minutes, and buses serve the side valleys. By car, take the A12 Inntal motorway to the Zillertal exit and follow the valley road for about 30 kilometres. Innsbruck is about an hour away, Munich about two hours.