Wildschönau

The winters are quieter here than in the summer months. The tranquility draws winter walkers and cross country skiers.

Try out all the typical Tirolean treats and dishes made with local farm produce on menus in the Wildschönau. It’s almost impossible to miss the local speciality, the beet schnapps known as Krautinger.

The beautiful old farmhouses in the Wildschönau add to the atmosphere in the deep winter landscape.

The blue hour between day and night is a particularly atmospheric time in the Wildschönau

A church, a school, a couple of hotels and a few houses and farms. Thierbach is an idyllic hamlet, the highest in the Kitzbühel Alps and well worth a visit.

The Wildschönau landscape is particularly rich in pasture land. 46 high pastures are the summer home to cows, horses, sheep and goats. Every pasture or "alm" has grazing rights for a certain number of animals. The Wildschönau's farmers own a total of 1600 grazing rights.

In the Wildschönau every village has it's own brass band. There are 4 in total from Niederau, Oberau, Mühltal and Auffach and each holds a weekly concert during the summer months and is the background to many an event around the region. The largest festival is the annual Valley Festival which takes place on the second weekend in August. Genuine Tirolean folk music is performed in hotels and at every event. 12 choirs and a music high school contribute to the musical culture of the valley.

260 working farms shape the landscape of the Wildschönau Valley. The farming life is more a vocation than a profession demanding total commitment.

Tradition is upheld in the local costume, worn proudly at many events. The most attractive version is the so-called "Kasettl", a particularly valuable costume, worn only on the most important occasions such as weddings, funerals and church processions.

The "Sturmlöda" or Storm Troopers is an historical society reminiscent of the Tirolean Freedom Fighters during the Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century. Armed with just scythes, flails and pitch forks the local farmers were called upon to defend Tirol against Napoleon's allies the Bavarians by local viligante Andreas Hofer. The Sturmlöda are a popular sight at festivals throughout the year.

Freshly pisted slopes and wide open runs, 45 lifts and rustic huts . Ski Juwel offers skiing enjoyment and is one of Tirol's top 10 ski resorts.