Holiday in the Defereggental

The Defereggental with its villages St. Jakob, St. Veit and Hopfgarten is idyllically located at the Hohe Tauern National Park. Those looking for largely untouched, intact nature will find it here: With a national park share of around 123 km², two-thirds of the municipal area is under nature protection. Fragrant stone pine forests, clear streams, and lush alpine meadows surrounded by the mighty peaks of the Rieserferner group, Lassörling group, and Defereggen mountains offer all the conditions for a relaxing holiday with the right balance of sports and wellness. More than that: Benefiting from an above-average number of sunny days per year and the location on the southern side of the Alps, the Defereggental holiday region is a true oasis for body and mind, and especially suitable for asthmatics and allergy sufferers!

The hotel industry in the Defereggental also contributes to a relaxing holiday. Sports or hiking hotels and wellness hotels offer the perfect setting for an active and enjoyable holiday. Modern facilities and first-class, individual service are a matter of course, and spacious wellness areas in the hotels provide space for relaxation. The many specialties of Tyrolean cuisine ensure that you are pampered in the hotel restaurants.

In winter, skiers and snowboarders will find a fine, manageable ski area with plenty of natural snow in the Defereggental. 52 kilometers of slopes - awarded the Tyrolean slope quality seal - as well as a halfpipe and a fun park offer plenty of variety and holiday fun away from the crowds. There are also beautiful cross-country ski trails for all levels, as well as three toboggan runs and a children's toboggan run, and of course plenty of opportunities for winter hiking, snowshoeing, and ski touring.

In the summer, the Defereggental is a hiker's paradise. From leisurely valley walks, themed trails, and alpine hikes to challenging tours in the glacier regions, everything is possible here, as well as the trend sport of Nordic walking. Mountain bikers and cyclists will also get their money's worth here and can really let off steam during their holidays. A highlight are hikes following in the footsteps of history, such as to the "Knappenlöcher" or to the Jagdhausalm, which is probably the oldest alpine pasture in Austria, mentioned in a document as early as 1212. The Jagdhausalm can be reached in a relatively easy, around 2½-hour hike or a bit faster by mountain bike.

Noteworthy are the churches in St. Jakob and St. Veit and the old trading house, where the National Park information center with the exhibition "Zirbe" is located. Definitely worth a visit is the themed museum in St. Jakob with the exhibition "Time Travel Defereggen," where the unique, 1000-year-old dugout canoe found in Stallersee is also on display.