Sights & traditions in the Kaunertal
Experience Tyrolean nature and culture
Nature meets culture in the nature park and glacier region of the Kaunertal.
The customs, culture, and the nature of Tyrol are alive, cherished, and cared for in the Kaunertal! Find out what makes the region special and which highlights you definitely won't want to miss out on!
From museums and churches to historic buildings and stories, right through to special events and festivals. With so many sights to see, you’re guaranteed not to get bored!
Museum and Exhibitions in the Kaunertal
Kaunertal Valley Museum
As everyone knows, collecting is a part of human nature. So it's not surprising, then, that not a few historically valuable treasures have made their way into the Kaunertal Valley Museum. In the basement of the campsite administration building next to Sporthotel Weißseespitze, you leave the present day behind and learn more about the struggles of past generations who lived in the Kaunertal.
Grand Piano Museum
What's on display at the Grand Piano Museum? Grand pianos, of course! The museum is unique not only for its collection of historic grand pianos: it was also built in the shape of one! Anton Wille, an organist, wood artist, and farmer has restored many of the pianos himself, breathing new life into them. He regularly gives concerts at the museum, too.
Opening hours are Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 14:00 to 18:00
Also happy to accommodate requests!
Kaunergrat Nature Park Museum
The Kaunergrat Nature Park Museum is located on the Gachenblick directly on the mountain road between the Kaunertal and the Pitztal and is therefore right in the heart of the Kaunergrat Nature Park.
The Nature Park Museum's exhibition "Magie der Vielfalt" helps you to get to know the Tyrolean mountains in a completely new way. Visitors can also discover the diversity of habitats in the nature park on an interactive walk through the peaks of the Kaunergrat. You will also embark on a visual ‘dream journey into the past’ – specifically to the Bronze Age and the Roman period.
Churches and chapels as religious sights
Especially in the countryside, the people of Tyrol tend to remain devout Roman Catholics. Various religious sites in the Kaunertal stand as reminders of this faith. Would you like to find out more about the ‘Holy Land of Tyrol’? A visit to the following churches and chapels also takes you on a journey through significant periods in the history of art.
Religious events well worth seeing include the Tyrolean Sacred Heart Fires. Every year at the end of June, the mountains are set ablaze ‘in honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus’. Read more about the religious and cultural events typical of the Kaunertal valley.
The historical and the mystical in the Kaunertal
The Kaunertal is teeming with mystical and historic sites. Reason enough to visit at least one of these special places. Berneck Castle at the valley entrance, for example, is perched on a 150 m high rock spur. The three beautifully painted townhouses in Kauns that once belonged to the castle are also always worth a visit.
Worth noting: the Ögghöfe are cultural monuments and the oldest surviving farmhouses in the Kaunertal, having first been mentioned in 1420. You can find them high above Feichten. Two of the three farms are used as conference centres and holiday apartments; the third is privately owned. The walk up there does always pay off, as you’re rewarded with a fantastic view at the end!
Tradition and customs also live on in the myths, legends and stories of the Kaunertal, which date all the way back to the Bronze Age. Since time immemorial, people have felt the magic in the Kaunertal mountains. Let yourself be drawn into the past with the following legends:
The stunning nature and wildlife of the Kaunertal
The Kaunertal is known and loved as a nature park and glacier region - and with good reason! Tourists can experience several alpine climates at a time in this unique spot of Tyrol; there's even a glacier with ice year-round. This provides an excellent refuge for a wide variety of animal and plant species to survive and thrive. Amazing and sometimes unbelievable, creatures large and small have adapted to the landscape and the climate.
The Kaunertal’s natural landscape and wildlife are undoubtedly the region’s most beautiful attractions! The Kaunertal sun herbs, which cover the sun-facing slopes, play a particularly important role in this. These versatile plants promise a holiday that appeals to all the senses - whether you’re picking them in the Kauner herb garden, taking part in guided herb walks, or enjoying them already transformed into delicious soups and liqueurs.
More about the Kaunertal sun herb route
Your Tyrolean holiday in the great outdoors is also enhanced by …
- the dry grassland in Kauns, Kaunerberg, and Faggen, a unique phenomenon north of the main ridge of the Alps;
- the forest and shrub nature trail in Kauns, covering more than 40 species of indigenous trees and shrub and crossing the dry grassland;
- the Fendel fen, a managed wetland home to very rare plants;
- the Piller Moor, a historic natural monument and one of the most beautiful bogs in Europe.
Life flourishes in Tyrol and not just its flora, but also its fauna. Did you know that the largest ibex colony in Austria lives in the Kaunertal? The marmot also feels particularly at home in the Ötztal Alps. As do more than 1,100 species of butterflies and the rare European dark bee, the original honeybee.
Adlerblick Viewing Platform and the Knappensteig
Would you like to get an overview of the Kaunertal at the start of your holiday? There’s no better place to do so than the Adlerblick viewing platform! Take a deep breath and let the surrounding three-thousand-metre peaks, the wild natural landscape and the countless picturesque spots work their magic on you. Perched on a rock face over 100 metres high above Feichten, you can enjoy views that will take your breath away.
Ready for another journey into the past? A great excursion for the whole family is the Bergwerksblick vantage point, including a tour of the mines and the old miners’ cottage at the Knappensteig.
Kaunertal Glacier Road
The most beautiful "dead end" in the Alps
26 km, 29 hairpin bends, 1,500 m change in elevation: these figures just give a glimpse of what you'll experience on Tyrol's highway to the permanent ice. From the valley village of Feichten, there are 29 turns to take you to the edge of the glacier at Weißseeferner. Numerous viewpoints and historic buildings provide opportunities to stop along the way. Want to relax on the sun terrace of a glacier restaurant? One of the most beautiful high mountain roads in the Alps makes it possible!
By the way, motorcyclists in particular love riding the Kaunertal Glacier Road! It's just one of the many beautiful motorcycle tours in Tyrol's Kaunertal. At 2,750 meters there is also the highest public bus stop in Austria. Did you know?
The nature park and glacier region in autumn
Autumn in the Kaunertal is also all about tradition and customs. As the heat of summer fades away slowly, but surely, the leaves turn colour and the days get shorter and cooler. The valley's inhabitants enjoy the last rays of sunshine, while herdsmen prepare to bring their flocks back to the valley. This is the start of a very special season in the Kaunertal, full of rich scents and colours. Harvest time in Tyrol is something you absolutely should come to smell, taste, and experience!
For many, late summer/early autumn is the best time of the year. With the driving down of the livestock, the harvest festival, and richly laden tables, you will get to know the people and the diversity of the nature park and glacier region best.Enjoy a holiday full of variety, mountain cuisine and delights. Nowhere is this better than in the huts and alpine pastures of the Kaunertal!
Learn when and where exactly the livestock drives will take place in September.
- Gepatschalm
- Nassereinalm
- Verpeilalm
- Falkaunsalm
- Aifneralm
- Fendler Alm
A great tip for an active autumn: plan a hike to the various pastures on the Kaunergrat! You will not only enjoy the impressive mountain panoramas, but also regional Tyrolean delicacies in the huts along the way.
A traditional Advent celebration in the Kaunertal closes the year out with another attraction. As you can see, there is always something going on in the nature park and glacier region. Get the best holiday deals right now!
