The road from Salzburg to Gosau wound through mountain forests, with a winding serpentine that revealed breathtaking scenery around every turn. Trusting the navigator, we, of course, took a turn onto a country road where it was impossible to pass another car, with wooden bridges over mountain rivers and the silence of the Alpine mountains. Such a rare pleasure – to roll down the windows and breathe, breathe deeply with full lungs and ease.
After reaching our mini-hotel Frühstückspension Pachler, for the first half an hour, I wanted to sit in silence and contemplate the breathtaking view of the Austrian Alps. My consciousness was completely altered, and I felt a sense of unreality, overflowing with emotions, a mixture of delight and tranquility.
The friendly hostess, Martina, brought her homemade liqueur to try and asked us to guess its ingredients. It turned out that the recipe for this liqueur has been passed down through generations in her family. And her recipe is not so simple. Young pine cones, which are only collected for a short period in July at a specific altitude, combined with forest berries, give such a delightful and slightly tart taste with a berry aftertaste.
Sitting on the balcony, gazing into the distance at the mountains, sipping a beer after a long journey, and engaging in aimless conversation or simply staying silent while inhaling the marvelous mountain air. This air feels like something you could eat with a spoon, and while looking ahead, you try not to blink, not wanting to miss a single second of this picturesque scenery. After taking in the view, you can unfocus your vision and quiet your mind, dissolving into the surrounding space.
The village of Gosau is located in the heart of the Austrian Alps and is one of the numerous ski resorts in Austria. But even in the summer, there are plenty of things to do here. This place attracts hiking and cycling enthusiasts, with numerous hiking trails and cycling routes available. One of the must-visit places in this area is Gosau Lake, located not far from the village.
On our way to Gosausee (mountain lake), we came across a small turquoise lake called Gosaub, surrounded by tall lush firs. There is a little parking area near the lake where you can stop and take a look around, but it’s not possible to go around the lake entirely.
Lake Gosau is considered the most beautiful lake in Austria. There is a path around the lake, which we decided to take a stroll on and fully enjoy the breathtaking views from different angles. The entire walk around the lake takes about 2 hours with stops, savoring its beauty and grandeur. Along the path, we came across bushes of bilberries and wild strawberries, which we couldn’t resist trying. There are also numerous benches in the shade of the forest along the way where you can take a rest, or you can go down to the shore and sit by the water. As it turned out, you can even swim in this lake, and some people were even jumping from rocks into the water.
After completing our walk around the lake, we sat down at the Gasthof Gosausee restaurant, located at the beginning of the hiking trail. It turned out that there was also a hotel with rooms overlooking the lake. When we inquired about the prices, we were pleasantly surprised that staying overnight by the lake was quite affordable. The hotel offers various activities, such as diving, trekking, a cable car where you can climb with a carabiner on the rocks above the lake, catamaran rentals, and cycling routes.
Our acquaintance with Munich began on Friday evening at the central square, Marienplatz, when all the central streets were filled with crowds of people, each having their own way of having fun.
Zurich greeted us with a heavy downpour, which was much-awaited and refreshing after the unbearable heat in Liechtenstein.
Next, our journey took us towards the village of Kaprun, the town of Zell am See, the High Tauern National Park, and along a high mountain serpentine road to Gerlos, where we stopped to spend the night.
