Coolcation on the Villach Alpine Road The travel trend of the summer? Coolcation! In other words, heat-free holiday and excursion destinations for all those who want to escape the rising temperatures in summer, keep a cool head and enjoy refreshing views. Coolcations are becoming increasingly attractive, especially for families with young children.

Cool head & refreshing views instead of sunstroke & sweating!

Coolcation is a neologism made up of the words "cool" and "vacation": in other words, it's about travelling to places where temperatures are naturally moderate. 

Up into the mountains - instead of off to the south

Instead of Italy, Spain and Portugal, Sweden, Norway and Iceland are at the top of many holidaymakers' wish lists this summer. But if you're looking for refreshing holiday destinations that aren't quite so cost-intensive, you don't necessarily have to go far away! Because coolness is also very close at home: in the mountains, for example, where temperatures are always pleasant even in summer, where there are ice-cold streams and mountain lakes, cool nights and a refreshing wind! GROHAG, Großglockner Hochalpenstraßen AG, has the ideal coolcation spots at the ready: Großglockner Hochalpenstraße, Nockalmstraße, Gerlos Alpenstraße, Villacher Alpenstraße and the Krimmler WasserWelten. Really cool! 

The top cooling spots in Salzburg & Carinthia!

Family on the relaxing deck chears on the Rosstratte | © villacher-alpenstrasse.at/Stabentheiner
  • 1,200 metres in altitude from Villach-Möltschach up to the Rosstratte car park make up the difference in temperature 
  • Skywalk "Rote Wand" - 400 metres above the abyss, you automatically keep a cool head because the wind is whistling ... 
  • Relaxed cool-down at the Waldrast - idyllic rest area in the middle of the forest with a view of the Finkenstein castle ruins 
Glocknerroad, Nassfeld reservoir | © grossglockner.at/Michael Stabentheiner
  • Waterfall at the Nassfeld reservoir on the Carinthian side at bend 3 - only about 400 metres from the road, the waterfall rushes down into the Nassfeld reservoir 
  • Cool water wherever you look - at the Fensterbach waterfall, in the Fuscher Lacke or at the Margaritzen reservoir, which at 2,000 metres above sea level shines like the Caribbean Sea 
  • Snow along the road - from the opening in May until the beginning of summer 
  • Highest accessible point - Edelweiss-Spitze at 2,571 m, cool breeze included 
  • Glacier trail in 30 minutes from the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe down to the Pasterze, the largest glacier in the Eastern Alps 
  • Open the window and let in the cool night air - sleep cooler and wake up refreshed in many huts and mountain hotels along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road 
Krimml Worlds of Water, family under the waterfall curtain | © krimmler-wasserwelten.at/Michael Stabentheiner
  • Aquapark to cool off in the Krimml Worlds of Water - splash around in the cool water, play and experiment, walk through the water curtain 
  • Cool underwater adventure world "Aquaszenarium" all about the element of water in the waterfall centre  
  • Refreshing water spray along the largest waterfalls in Europe with a drop height of 380 metres  
  • Open the window and let in the cool night air - sleep cooler and wake up refreshed in many accommodation options in Krimml 
Family sitting at the lake Windebensee | © nockalmstrasse.at/Stabentheiner
  • Highest accessible point: Eisentalhöhe at 2,042 m - don't forget your cap on the viewing platform, even in summer ... 
  • Crystal-clear Windebensee lake at 1,950 m above sea level - with a nature trail all around and numerous stone pines, but not a bathing lake  
  • Lively babbling brook on the Grundalm - where you can cool off your feet for a while 
  • Open the window, let in the cool night air - sleep cooler and wake up refreshed in many huts in the "Nocky Mountains" 
Gerlos Alpine Road, bend with a view of waterfalls | © gerlosstrasse.at/Michael Stabentheiner
  • Cool pass road starting at the Krimml Waterfalls - the highest waterfalls in Europe 
  • Wild waters at the Krimml Waterfalls - cooling spray, thundering water cascades, refreshing views 
  • Cool off in the Durlaßboden reservoir - swimming, pedal boating, sailing and surfing at 1,400 metres above sea level 
  • Make a refreshing stopover at the Krimml Water Worlds at the foot of the Gerlos Alpine Road on the Salzburg side 

Ready for a coolcation in Austria instead of a holiday at hotspots in the south? Then check out GROHAG's refreshing adventure trails & cool excursion destinations! We are looking forward to it!