Coolcation in Krimml: a cool summer holiday by the Krimml Waterfalls

There's that moment in high summer when the news is full of 40-degree reports from the south, of wildfires and overcrowded beaches — and you wonder whether a holiday really has to be this exhausting. This is exactly where the travel trend that's been popping up everywhere for a summer or two comes in: coolcation, a blend of cool and vacation. Instead of enduring the heat, you escape it — to regions where summer is a few degrees gentler. I live here in Krimml, at Salzburg's gateway to the Hohe Tauern National Park, right by Austria's highest waterfalls — and honestly: I don't know a better coolcation address.

What coolcation is really about

Coolcation is more than a marketing word. Behind it lies a real shift: more and more guests are choosing their summer destination deliberately by climate — a pleasant 15 to 25 degrees instead of oppressive heat. Three motives mix here. First, plain comfort: anyone who has tried to sightsee a city at 38 degrees knows it has little to do with relaxation. Second, climate awareness — many would rather reach the cool alternative without flying. And third, calm: cooler destinations often lie away from the big tourist streams. Krimml ticks all three boxes without even trying.

Why Krimml is a few degrees gentler

The secret is altitude. Krimml sits at around 1,080 metres, with the hiking and alpine-pasture destinations around it often considerably higher. From about 1,000 metres up, the air grows clearer, the nights cool enough to sleep, and in the shade of the mountain forests and by the streams it stays pleasant even on hot days.

Then there's all the water. Krimml is famous for the Krimml Waterfalls — at 380 metres they are Austria's highest and Europe's largest. And water cools: the three tiers create a fine spray mist that lowers the temperature of the whole surroundings by a few degrees. On a muggy summer's day, the path up through that mist is the most natural air conditioning I know — the higher you go, the more refreshing it gets.

Favourite cool spots around Krimml

When you plan your coolcation, here are my favourites for the hot days:

• The waterfall trail: the classic. The path leads in several tiers right beside the roaring water and through the cool spray — the most refreshing hike in the region.
• The Wildgerlos valley and Wildgerlos lake: behind Krimml a quiet high valley opens up with a crystal-clear mountain lake above 1,500 metres, surrounded by alpine pastures.
• The shady valley trails in the Krimml Achental: a network of paths through forest and along the Krimml Ache, ideal when the sun is high.
• Alpine huts with refreshments: open from early June — climb in the morning, a hearty snack on the sun terrace with mountain views, the way back in the cool afternoon breeze.

And if you want to range further: the Hohe Tauern Panorama Trail starts right at the Krimml Waterfalls.

Active at pleasant temperatures

Of course it can get warm up here too in the full midday sun — that's part of an alpine summer. The difference is that you can dodge the warmth at any time: into the shade of the forests, down to the Ache, into the spray of the waterfalls. With a little planning — touring in the cooler morning hours, a break by the water at midday — hiking and cycling are a pleasure. The Tauern Cycle Path begins right at the foot of the waterfalls; with an e-bike it's within reach for the less trained too. And for families the cool altitude is a blessing: children who only whine at 35 degrees come alive again by the stream and on the pasture.

Arriving without flying

You get here without a plane. By rail you take a long-distance train to Zell am See, then the Pinzgau local railway into the valley — the last leg to Krimml is currently covered by the post bus. Once here, you can happily leave the car behind and get around by public bus, bike and on foot.

In short

Coolcation isn't a new trend anyone here had to invent — Krimml is coolcation, and always has been. Cool mountain air, the thundering waterfalls with their refreshing spray, clear mountain water, shady trails and pastures with wide views, plus a flight-free journey: when the next summer turns too hot again, you'll know where it's a few degrees gentler.

Looking for the right place to stay for your coolcation in Krimml? Just ask our concierge.