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Your destination: Lofer
Although Lofer has around 2,000 inhabitants, it has almost as many guest beds. Hotels and guesthouses offer only a small portion of these beds; the majority result from the fact that almost every private home and farm offers at least one guest accommodation. Welcoming "strangers" into our home and lives is not an insincere platitude.
Every guest and visitor we spoke to was pleasantly surprised, and many were delighted by Lofer's unspoiled charm. Soon, visitors are smiling and greeting strangers on the street and along the way – just like the locals. Or throwing away litter in the bins – just like the locals. And although there are exceptions, it's almost impossible to lose something without it being immediately returned or kept safe until you come back.
For many decades, Lofer has been a quiet destination or starting point for year-round alpine activities for families, individuals and couples.
For summer and autumn activities:
- Hiking, climbing, cycling, kayaking, canyoning and more
- Family summer holidays, many child-friendly activities, and nearby museums and amusement parks
- Sights: Salzburg, Zell am See, Grossglockner, Königssee, etc.
For winter activities:
- Skiing, cross-country skiing, ski touring and snowboarding on the Loferer Alm.
- Cross-country skiing, ski touring, snowshoeing, winter hiking, and tobogganing are all nearby.
Lofer was designated as a market and customs town at the beginning of Habsburg rule and looks back on a tradition of welcoming visitors and travelers spanning over half a millennium. Travel and trade from Zell am See and East Tyrol to Berchtesgaden and Salzburg led through Lofer, which has seen every imaginable visitor, from Napoleon's army and Mozart to Hollywood, embodied by Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Clint Eastwood.
This long tradition of welcoming guests into our homes and our lives gives Lofer a rare balance. Guests who dine, hike, shop, cycle, enjoy a beer, or share a table at a festival or on an alpine pasture find themselves side by side with locals. Those seeking souvenirs, nightlife, anonymity, or a touch of city life, however, will need to look elsewhere.
Life in the region continues largely as it has for decades and centuries. The largest source of employment is not tourism, but forestry and agriculture. Farming, forestry, and wood processing enjoy high social standing, as do traditional crafts. Most families span several generations, and each successive generation thrives in the region. This fosters a strong sense of community and camaraderie that most people elsewhere never experience or enjoy.
Your accommodation: Haus Patricia
Patricia's house is located right on the edge of the village center; the village fountain is just a 2-minute walk away. The cable car is only a 3-minute walk from our front door, and many restaurants and cafes can be reached within a 10-minute walk.
In front of our house, at the end of our garden, runs the B311 federal highway, which runs between Salzburg and Zell am See and makes our house easy to find and reach.
The Saalach river runs behind our house: you can hear the rushing of the water, as this section is a whitewater stretch with a high degree of difficulty.
Our house faces southwest, so it has a warm, sunny location and there are no buildings in front of us to obstruct the breathtaking view of the Loferer Steinberge mountains.
These mountains are over 2000 m high and there are several hiking trails, via ferratas and climbing areas up there, and even a mountain hut.
The house was built in 1970 as a guesthouse and has been continuously renovated to offer guests a modern look, comfort and amenities.
