Scharnitz - Tyrol - Austria

Ideal starting point for hiking

Thanks to the countless sports and recreational activities on offer, a holiday in Scharnitz offers an unforgettable experience amid an untouched mountain landscape. The resort’s central location provides tours of all lengths and levels of difficulty. Mountaineers and mountain bikers too can enjoy a wide range of routes and challenges through the protected landscape.  

A break in Scharnitz offers hiking fans the chance to explore the area’s huge network of tracks and trails. The Eagle’s Way long-distance hike offers a fascinating experience taking walkers in stages through Leutasch, Scharnitz and the Tyrol’s most beautiful regions. A further highlight is the annual Karwendelmarsch event. Up to 2,500 fell runners, hikers and Nordic walkers have the chance to tackle a route of either 35 or 52 kilometres from Scharnitz, through the scenic nature protection area, all the way to Achensee.

Alpine adventure. Scenic serenity.

Located on the Bavarian-Tyrolean border, and nestling amid a stunning mountain landscape, the village of Scharnitz serves as a gateway to the breathtaking Karwendel Nature Park, the largest and most beautiful nature reserve in the Eastern Alps. The rural municipality of Scharnitz is well known far beyond the local borders as an ideal ‘base camp’ for sports fans and outdoor enthusiasts, and it guarantees a variety-packed holiday complete with rustic charm and pristine nature.

A holiday in Scharnitz is a holiday accompanied by bubbling mountain brooks, deep ravines and roaring torrents. The power of water is present wherever you go in the region. The river Isar, the source of which is located in the Karwendel mountains near Scharnitz, is a magnet for countless water sports enthusiasts, as well as visitors from near and far who want to savour the multifaceted beauty of this destination and its surroundings. The focus of Scharnitz is very much on nature, water and sport, and the area offers a huge variety of activities to stimulate and invigorate body, mind and soul. Outdoor fitness trails, suitable for all generations, boost muscle development and improve coordination. Modern yet created using only natural materials, the Kneipp outdoor water therapy facilities located between Isarsteig and Kreidegraben provide an idyllic place in which to relax and refresh during your holiday.

The holiday resort of Scharnitz is an ideal destination for winter sports enthusiasts too

Numerous back-country ski tours lead through a magical winter wonderland and offer breathtaking snow-covered vistas. Those who prefer downhill skiing during their winter break need look no further than the immaculately groomed pistes of the small but superb local ski area, where you can also try your hand at the legendary (and adrenaline-inducing) sport of snow-tubing! Additional alpine ski areas are located in all the other nearby villages of the Olympiaregion Seefeld and travel is easy – and free for holders of a valid ski pass – with the local ‘Regio bus’.

Porta Claudia as a cultural monument

Culture aficionados shouldn’t miss a visit to the ruins of the Porta Claudia fortress during their holiday. The border fortification was constructed during the Thirty Years’ War between 1632 and 1634 on the estate of the Bishopric of Freising in the narrow Scharnitz valley. Despite the fact that it was not attacked during the Thirty Years’ War, the Porta Claudia fortress was, nonetheless, extended in 1670 based on plans drawn up by the distinguished local architect Christoph Gumpp.