A gorgeous landscape in both winter and summer, Lake Achen in Austria — known as Achensee locally — offers recreation and adventure as well as relaxation and modern comforts.
With crystal-clear and nearly drinking-water quality waters, Lake Achen is a natural lake formed by glacial and snow runoff in the State of Tirol in Austria. The largest lake in Austria, it has long been a vacation destination for Europeans in every season. An alpine lake, the lake’s temperatures stay rather cold all year long, rarely spiking above 68 Degrees Fahrenheit. The low temperatures don’t shun away daring adventurers, however, with the lake playing host to watersports and swimmers in even the coldest months.
The Achen Valley
While the lake is the center-point of the area, the entire Achen Valley is a playground filled with gorgeous sights, hiking trails, and parks. There are a total of 5 towns on or near the lake, and these towns are very much geared towards the tourism industry, with luxurious hotels, premier shopping districts, and fine dining. The towns — Achenkirch, Maurach, Pertisau, Steinberg am Rofan, and Wiesing — all are charming and offer unique sightseeing opportunities.
Lake Achen Activities and Recreation
There are plenty of activities in the Achen Valley, enough to fill even a 10+ day vacation. From boating and hiking to golf and wellness spas, there is always something to do and places to explore on Lake Achen.
Cross-Country Skiing
The relatively flat areas alongside the lake offer miles of great cross-country skiing opportunities. The Karwendel Valley cross country skiing course offer good signage and trails for beginners to advanced skiers.
Hiking in the Achen Valley
There are many trails for hiking in the Achen Valley from Achenkirch at the northernmost part of the lake to Maurach at the southern tip. There are rolling hills alongside the lake for easy and short hikes, while the more adventuresome can scalle the mountains to their high summits. Campsites are also available at various points in the valley for overnight hikes and for those that want to spend a night beneath the clear night skies in the valley.
Lodging at Achensee
Das Kronthaler
While there are plenty of lodging and hotel options on all sides of Lake Achen, our favorite place to stay is definitely Das Kronthaler. Offering luxurious rooms as well as chalets, Das Kronthaler is a village in itself, offering rooms, restaurants, shopping and wellness spas all located on the property.
Das Kronthaler in Winter
Luxurious, Warm and Comfortable
Take A Quick Tour of Das Kronthaler Resort for Yourself in the Video Below:
Visit Das Kronthaler For Yourself:
Am Waldweg 105a | 6215 Achenkirch | Achensee | Tirol | Österreich
Tel.: +43 (0) 5246 6389 | Fax: +43 (0) 5246 638965 | E-Mail: welcome@daskronthaler.com
See More of Lake Achen and the Achen VAlley in the Video Tour Below:
And Check Out Our Lake Achen Photo Gallery Below:
International Bellhop Travel Magazine 
Beautiful
Wow, these pictures are stunning. Austria is such a remarkable country, there is something beautiful in every city and region!
Achensee is truly an amazing place. I have been there in the summer and winter and it never ceases to amaze me.
Lucky you, getting to see both sides of the beauty!
OMG, that is stunning.
What a beautiful part of the world! Hope someday I will get the opportunity to visit. Thank you for sharing.