Best places to run in Austria

Turquoise 'Fjord of the Alps' whose Gaisalmsteig path traces the steep western shore between Pertisau and Achenkirch with continuous lake views.

Tyrol's flagship Eagle Walk, a 400 km long-distance trail in 33 stages threading rugged peaks, alpine lakes and wildflower meadows.

Highest summit in Styria at nearly 3,000 m, a glaciated massif with high alpine trails, via ferrata and a famous sky walk.

Long artificial island in the Danube with a flat 21 km marked path that is Vienna's prime riverside running and walking route.

Turquoise lake circled by an easy, popular Nordic-walking and running loop with several free natural lake-access points.

Austria's highest mountain at 3,798 m, a serious glaciated alpine ascent for experienced mountaineers reached from the Franz-Josefs-Höhe.

Iconic 48 km high alpine panoramic road with adjoining footpaths and ranger trails winding into the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park.

Famous turquoise lake fed by snowmelt that floods surrounding meadows in spring, circled by a gentle flat walk through clear water.

Famous UNESCO lake whose east-shore Ostuferwanderweg offers an easy, beautiful flat walk with swimming spots between Steeg and Obertraun.

Highest point within Vienna at 542 m, a forested summit on hilly Vienna Woods trails crowned by a lookout tower.

2,277 m karst massif with numerous demanding alpine trails and broad plateau hiking across one of Styria's great ranges.

Dramatic limestone plateau ringed by cliffs with easy plateau walks, via ferrata and far views over the Vienna basin.

Wooded Vienna Woods hill at 484 m with the Stefaniewarte lookout and a classic walk down through vineyards to Grinzing.

Protected car-free valley below the Wilder Kaiser, entered by a long staircase and offering peaceful forest and meadow walking.

Salzburg's forested local recreation hill with a roughly 90-minute walking circuit, many viewpoints and old fortifications.

Atmospheric gorge where the Rötschbach has cut deep into limestone, followed on bridges and walkways past cascades.

Europe's tallest waterfall at 380 m, climbed on a well-paved switchback trail past multiple thundering viewpoints in the Hohe Tauern.

Dachstein summit area at 2,108 m home to the dramatic 5fingers viewing platform jutting over a sheer drop above Hallstatt.

Vineyard-clad hilltop with a historic castle above the Danube, linked to Kahlenberg on a popular ridge walk from Nussdorf.

Spectacular narrow gorge with wooden walkways and a spiral staircase carved beneath towering cliffs alongside crashing water.

The 'pearl of the Alps', a turquoise reservoir with a popular loop walk beneath the imposing limestone wall of the Rätikon.

Easy cliffside ridge walk above Salzburg's old town with fine views of the rooftops and the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

High alpine Karwendel ridge reachable by cable car straight from Innsbruck's old town, with the panoramic Goetheweg leading along the crest.

Austria's largest glacier, reached by a secured alpine path down from Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe with dramatic views toward the Großglockner.

Local mountain above Bregenz with walking trails and magnificent panoramas over Lake Constance, the Rhine Valley and the Swiss Alps.

Tree-lined straight 4.5 km avenue through the Prater park, Vienna's favourite flat running and strolling boulevard.

Wooden observation tower above the Wörthersee, reached on forest trails from the lakeshore for a sweeping view to the Karawanks.

Broad alpine plateau near Vienna with a cable car and a network of scenic ridge and meadow trails of all difficulties.

Highest summit of the Rätikon at 2,964 m, a strenuous ascent from the Lünersee with panoramic, rugged high-alpine terrain.

Zell am See's 2,000 m home mountain with an easy high-altitude promenade and views over 30 peaks above 3,000 m.

Lower Austria's highest mountain at 2,076 m with 80 km of trails and via ferrata, offering panoramas as far as Lake Neusiedl.

Graz's popular home mountain at 1,445 m with many trails up to a panoramic summit overlooking the city and the Styrian hills.

A 1,577 m saddle at the heart of the Wilder Kaiser, a steady forested climb rewarded with dramatic close-up rock scenery.

Legendary table mountain on the Salzburg–Berchtesgaden border with steep, demanding paths to a broad summit plateau.

Crystal-clear alpine lake with a flat lakeshore loop framing a postcard view of the Dachstein glacier.

UNESCO Danube valley with riverside and vineyard paths winding past terraced slopes, villages and hilltop ruins.

Pristine high lake with a Slow Trail along the eastern shore and a demanding north-shore route over stone walls returning by boat.

Jagged limestone range with the Stripsenjoch saddle as a natural hub for tough, scenic hikes beneath dramatic vertical walls.

Carinthia's largest warm bathing lake with a 55 km circular trail and shore-to-summit routes up toward the Pyramidenkogel.

Alpine lake ringed by a flat lakeside esplanade walk with mountain backdrops, easy and pleasant in any season.

Easy high-altitude Stone Pine Path running near 2,000 m through ancient stone-pine forest with minimal elevation gain and broad views.