Autumn holidays

Enjoyable days with friends and family

November 14, 2021

Summer has only just finished, and many German states are already enjoying the autumn break. If you fancy a change of scene but haven’t decided where to go yet, here are a few tips on places to enjoy an autumn time-out.

Hiking and vineyards in South Tyrol

Extensive vineyards, rustic wine taverns and paths running alongside ancient irrigation channels – South Tyrol’s cultural landscape has been shaped by its rich tradition of wine-making. South of the Brenner Pass, wine lovers will find countless hiking trails winding their way past lush vines. If you’re looking for a good starting point or a great place to stop off, the “Roter Hahn” quality brand has a range of vineyards and pubs in every region of Austria. Many hiking routes start directly from the winery, where guests can taste red, white and rosé wines produced on site, and not just during the traditional Törggele season, when locals and visitors try the new wine accompanied with chestnuts, speck and other local specialities. If you’re lucky, the winemakers themselves will host the tours.

We highly recommend the four-kilometre Wine Culture Path in the region of Merano, which takes you past vineyards and idyllic farms to the Cantina Merano winery and back. The circular route takes about one and a half hours, starting from the church square in Marlengo. The Eccli-Mitterer family offers four spacious holiday apartments as well as evening wine tastings in the stone vault of their historic South Tyrolean Pardellerhof winery.

Stopping off at the Fronthof in Völs am Schlern in the Dolomites is a must. The Kompatscher family tavern has featured several times in influential restaurant guides such as Falstaff and Gault & Millau. True to their motto “enjoyment at the source”, they pamper guests with South Tyrolean dishes made from their own products and wine – especially during the Törggele season in autumn. Mentioned in documents dating back to 1379, the Fronthof is something special. It is the largest preserved farmhouse in South Tyrol, built from stone blocks on a steep slope. The old, panelled farmhouse parlour provides the ideal setting for special occasions, but also invites you to relax and take your time after a hike on the “Oachner Höfeweg”.

Climbing, riding, torchlight hikes:

Autumn, when the Carinthian Nock mountains show off their most beautiful and colourful side, is the perfect time to enjoy a visit to the Hotel GUT Trattlerhof & Chalets. The location and ambience of this traditional yet innovative house make it the ideal place to enjoy an active family holiday in the autumn holidays, a romantic break with your partner or an extended weekend of indulgence.

Climbing, riding, torchlight hikes: just a few of the countless activities you can experience at the Hotel GUT Trattlerhof. Take the kids to enjoy a riding lesson on the pony farm or squeeze in some father-son bonding time as you hurtle down the longest bike flow trail in Europe.

Or head to the family-friendly St. Kathrein thermal spa, which has the longest water slide in Carinthia. When the weather is really autumnal, Trattler’s “Sonnenreich” is a great place for the kids to let off steam thanks to the indoor playground with slides, swings and a climbing tower.

When it’s time for dinner, old and young alike can discuss their day over a range of culinary delicacies. A torchlight hike over hill and dale offers the perfect end to an action-packed day for the whole family.

A trip to Innsbruck

A bike ride, followed by a wander round the city – both the Hotel Schwarzer Adler Innsbruck and the ADLERS DESIGN HOTEL Innsbruck offer e-mountain bikes and trekking e-bikes to help guests to explore the Tyrolean peaks. Whether you’re travelling with friends or family, the Arzler Alm (1,067 m) in the Karwendel mountains is easy to reach by bike and gondola and is a great destination for an excursion.

The Hungerburg gondola valley station is just a few minutes’ drive from both hotels. From here, head up to the Hungerburg mountain station and continue by bike to the Arzler Alm, about two kilometres away, where the trail of the same name begins.

Most of the three-kilometre route is surrounded by untouched nature, leading you on a fun-packed ride down into the valley. The route is suitable for mountain bikers of all skill levels. If you feel like a wander after your descent, why not head to the centre of Innsbruck, stroll in the late autumn sun, enjoy a bit of window-shopping or relax with a scoop of ice cream.

Yoga retreat on Mallorca

Escape the grey winter weather to bask in the mild climate of the Mediterranean, eat well and be surrounded by like-minded people: this is exactly what Austrian specialist tour operator Indigourlaub offers at the Son Manera Retreat Finca in the heart of Mallorca. Mindful holiday-makers enjoy two yoga lessons a day, a 400 square metre spa area and vegetarian/vegan full board.

Or if you’re seeking solitude, you can lose yourself in the lush green landscapes that surround the facility. You can expect mild temperatures of around 15 to 20 degrees. The dynamic, one-and-a-half-hour sunrise yoga session with views over olive, orange and almond trees is aimed at both beginners and experienced practitioners. Head straight from the Son Manera Retreat Finca’s Mediterranean garden to the terrace for breakfast, where you will enjoy a range of local delicacies.

Time to start planning your day. How about a trip to the beach or the island’s capital, Palma, for example? Both are just 30 minutes’ drive from Son Manera.

Autumn hikes and bike tours on Lake Starnberg

In summer, the area of Fünfseenland (named for its five lakes) was buzzing with a diverse cultural programme. From 18 to 31 August, film fans and industry experts came together at the 15th Fünf Seen Film Festival, where more than 100 feature films, short films and documentaries were shown in Starnberg and the surrounding area. Now it’s autumn and Lake Starnberg beckons, providing the ideal backdrop for a hike, a bike tour or a trip around the lake by Vespa.

Is there any more impressive way to start a hike than with views of Lake Starnberg? Hardly. If you want to complete the route around the lake, leave yourself plenty of time as it’s almost 50 kilometres long. It will take you past museums, feudal castles, palaces, monasteries and magnificent villas, beer gardens, bathing coves, cosy pubs and all kinds of sights worth seeing. You should set aside at least a weekend for the long route, and if you can, a week is even better.

The Roseninsel, Sisi’s love nest

From Starnberg you pass Possenhofen Castle, childhood home of Sisi, who would later become Empress Elisabeth of Austria. For a shot of pure romance, why not take a boat tour to the Roseninsel (“rose island”), where Sisi and Ludwig II met in secret. Or you can stroll through the castle park, which still belongs to the former royal house of the Wittelsbach family.

Also located on the lakeshore are the villas of Hans Albers and legendary motorcycle racer Ernst Henne. Unfortunately, both villas are a bit dilapidated now. At Tutzing you can take a look at the residence of the Thai king, who divides his time between Starnberg and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Continue onwards to the Buchheim Museum, also known as the Museum of Fantasy in Bernried on Lake Starnberg. Over 4,000 square metres you can marvel at works by Erich Heckel, Emil Nolde, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Max Pechstein. The museum is modelled on a ship, and has a jetty which leads straight out onto the lake. Sculptures by well-known artists adorn the museum’s beautiful park.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, head from the museum to the nearby Bernried Abbey, where you can enjoy princely lodgings right on the lakeshore. The rooms available here have neither telephone nor internet, as this is a place where you should slow down. The feudal property of Seeseiten Palace, which today belongs to the Baron von Fink, is located near Seeshaupt. It’s well worth a look.

From here, why not head to the Buchscharner Seewirt, where you can take a break in the beautiful beer garden. Not far from the beach at Münsing, you can marvel at Seeburg Castle, and a few hundred metres further on you will find Allmannshausen Castle. On the east bank of Lake Starnberg, right on the shore, you will find Bavaria’s greatest attraction: the cross protruding from the water marks the spot where, according to legend, King Ludwig II of Bavaria drowned.

There are so many excellent dining options around the lake that it is impossible to list them all here. But we can promise one thing, you will never forget your trip around Lake Starnberg.

Follow the same route to return to Starnberg. If you want more tips on excursions in the Upper Bavarian region of Starnberg-Ammersee, staff at the four-star superior Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Starnberg are a mine of information. The hotel provides guests with the perfect spot to relax after a hike. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a foodie, your first port of call should be the Michelin-starred Aubergine, a gourmet restaurant on the outskirts of Munich, where chef Maximilian Moser will cook you up a storm. The perfect way to round off your trip.

We wish you a wonderful time on your autumn break.