Road Tripping

Austria’s landscape is dotted with Alpine hills and mountains, and the country is home to the Grossglockner, one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The majestic peak shows off nature in full glory, and you can take it all in by driving down the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. This 48-kilometre long road offers some gorgeous views – cascading waterfalls, wild forests, azure lakes, rolling pastures and of course the soaring Alps. Experience the thrills of some 30-odd hairpin bends along this road, which was a trade route used by the Celts and the Romans centuries ago. There are several designated viewpoints on the way where you can get a 360° panorama of the Austrian Alps. At the Kaiser-Franz-Josephs-Höhe visitors’ centre is the Wilhelm Swarovski Observatory, an unusually designed lookout tower. From here you can also trek down to the Pasterze Glacier, the longest in the Eastern Alps. The road passes through the Hohe Tauern National Park, the second largest nature preserve in Europe and home to many endangered plant and animal species. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is open from May to November and a day ticket is payable to take your car or bike for a spin on the road. Alternatively, there are bus tours that cover the route, with scenic stops on the way.