What: Astier de Villatte, Ceramics-Manufactory Where: Paris I have a…
Jaunt through the Salzkammergut
What: Gerhard Gössl presents his Salzkammergut
Where: Salzburger Land, Austria
The whole city of Salzburg is in a state of emergency these days: the world famous Salzburger Festspiele (classical music festivals) are dominating life in this Austrian city. Anyone who wants to escape the cultural hype for a little while rents a car and gets out of the city into the Salzkammergut (“salt chamber“), the countryside surrounding Salzburg. But where to go? Exclusively for MyStylery Salzburgs traditional costume and Dirndl expert Gerhard Gössl presents his most famous spots – a jaunt with lots of insider tipps.
76 lakes shape the landscape of the Salzkammergut, which is surrounded by the impressing mountain tops of Dachstein („Stone Roof“), Totes Gebirge („Dead Mountains“), Osterhorngruppe („Eastern horn group“) Traunstein and Höllengebirge („Hell Mountain“). It once was an independent state. A long time ago though the meaning of producing salt was overcome by tourism thanks to Kaiser (Emperor) Franz Josef I., who had his summer residence in Bad Ischl and therewith turned the region into a heaven for visitors.
Our tour starts in the Salzburger part of the Salzkammergut at Lake Fuschl, where Gerhard Gössl lives and where he picks me up with his electric boat for a little ride across the turquoise colored water at the extravagant Hotel Schloss Fuschl, a historic castle from the 15th century.
We continue our trip by car along the Mondsee („Lake Moon“) and Wolfgangsee to the Attersee („Lake Atter“). „With a length of 19 kilometers the Attersee is not only Austrias largest lake, it is also different because of its color, due to the many inflows“, Gössl explains the rather grey-blue water of the Attersee with its many fish.
„Did you know that – despite its many lakes – is a paradise for sailing“, Gössl asks me. No, I didn’t know that, being a captain’s daughter I expected sailing only by the coast. Before I can get deeper into that we reach Gmunden town, located by the beautiful lake Traunsee.
Gmunden is known for its ceramics manufacture. Today it’s Dirndl flying day and the whole town is
absolutely excited about this event. Flying Dirndl? Yes, for four years Gössl organizes at various locations these „Flying days“, where brave men and women dressed in Dirndls throw themselves off a three and half meters high springboard into the lake. More than 40 contestants will jump today, carefully supervised by a jury and thousands of onlookers cheering them on. The best performers win, first prize is – of course – a beautiful Dirndl de luxe.
After this we urgently need some refreshments. On the terrace of castle Schloss Orth – known by tv viewers from the series „Schlosshotel Orth“ – chef Johann Parzer pampers us with a local delicacy called „Steckerl vom Riedling“, a sweetwater fish that exists only in lake Traunsee.
After this short break we take the motorboat to the other side of lake Traunsee, and visit Mariä Krönung (Mary’s Coronation), a baroque church in the small town of Traunkirchen. Beautiful and really impressing! My personal recommendation: if you love meat have a steak at a restaurant called „Klosterstube“ (Convent Room), which serves only the best from the region. I loved it!
Across the street we have a little drink at the „Traunkirchner Greisslerei“, a cute little shop with a small bar. Here you can find anything from cashmere jackets, scented candles, and fashion jewelry to culinary specialties from the region. And with a drink in your hand shopping is so much easier, isn’t it..? BvH
Address and Contacts:
www.goessl.com
Orther Stub’n:
www.schlossorth.com
Klosterstube:
www.klosterstube-traunkirchen.at
Die Greisslerei:
www.greisslerei.com
More Tips:
Restaurant ‚Haus am Hang‘ in St. Gilgen, Wolfgangsee
www.haus-am-hang.at
For a view over Salzburg:
Hotel-Restaurant ‚Schöne Aussicht‘
www.salzburgpanorama.at