Pleasure Hiking in Tyrol: On the Culinary Way of St. James

The concept is simple: Since hiking naturally makes people hungry, guests should get to know not only the enchanting mountain scenery but also regional dishes as part of four different hikes. These will be prepared and reinterpreted in four Alpine club huts by four international star chefs.

The first offered pleasure route leads visitors from the Galtür village square to the Menta or Scheiben Alm to the Jamtalhütte, from where there is a fascinating panorama of the Jamtal Glacier. The area is ideal for families with children, but also offers ideal combinations of impressive mountain scenery and easy access roads for bikers. Another pleasure route leads from the church in Ischgl to the Bodenalpe, Gampenalpe, and Fimba Alpe. After about four hours, hikers reach the Heidelberger Hütte, which is located in a dreamlike location at the foot of the Fluchthorn. The starting point for the third tour is Kappl. From here, you hike over the Seßladalpe to the Niederelbehütte, which is surrounded by two mountain lakes. The last pleasure route starts at the Medrigalm, which can be easily reached by cable car. From here, you can reach the Versingalpe and the Ascherhütte, a perfect resting place with a fascinating mountain panorama.

Every year, four top chefs are at work in the mountain huts, creating special menus that incorporate the specialties of the Paznaun region. In Paznaun, agriculture and tourism are closely linked, and the Paznauner Almkäse in particular makes this connection very clear. It is exclusively produced from raw alpine and valley milk and has a mild, aromatic to pungent taste. The recipes of the top chefs remain in the huts, so that guests can enjoy exclusive haute cuisine throughout the summer. This is how the Culinary Jakobsweg combines enjoyment and nature in an ideal way.

But not only the mountain huts serve culinary delights, the regional products can also be tasted and purchased at the Paznauner Market Day, which will take place this year on August 30th. At the Florianparkplatz in Ischgl, a variety of products will be presented as part of cheese or cooking demonstrations, and traditional customs and a parade are also on the program. The International Cheese Olympics, which will be held on September 27, 2014 in Galtür, will also be a delicious event. Cheese specialties from more than 100 alpine dairies from various countries will be presented, and the best cheese will be awarded the “Galtürer Sennerharfe”.