Ramsau am Dachstein Guide

Ramsau am Dachstein sits on a sunny high plateau in Styria, Austria, built for slowing down and speeding up at once. Traditional farmhouses dot the grass between the Dachstein and the Schladminger Tauern, and the scene explains why this is one of Styria's most famous holiday resorts.

Step outside in the morning and the skyline does the talking: Torstein, Mitterspitz, Sinabell, Kufstein and Stoderzinken line up across the Dachstein massif like a private mountain gallery. If the ridge looks familiar, that's because Ramsau am Dachstein was the original filming location for the ZDF series "Die Bergretter", and locals will happily point out where scenes were shot.

Summer turns the plateau into a walking and climbing playground. Hiking trails lead up toward the Dachstein South Wall and its neighbouring peaks, while gentler, family-friendly themed trails wind through alpine pastures for anyone travelling with kids. Paragliders launch straight off the plateau, so pause to watch a few wings lift into the wind first.

For something steeper, Ramsau am Dachstein is a genuine via ferrata base, with 14 varied routes threaded across the Dachstein massif. The classic here is the "Schulter und Randkluft Hoher Dachstein", usually climbed with a qualified mountain guide rather than alone. Book that guide a few days ahead in high season, since the good ones fill up fast.

The Dachstein glacier lift starts right in Ramsau am Dachstein, which makes the glacier feel like a day trip rather than an expedition. Up top, the Stairway to Heaven, a suspension bridge and the aptly named Stairway to Nothingness dare you to look down, while the Sky Walk, nicknamed the "Balcony of the Alps", opens onto a 280-degree panorama reaching as far as the Czech Republic and Slovenia on a clear day. Inside the mountain, the Ice Palace leads you through glittering ice tunnels that took thousands of years to form.

When the snow comes, the plateau switches identity completely and becomes Austria's centre of excellence for cross-country skiing, built around its own stadium. Over 220 km of trails fan out across the plateau in 20 circuits of up to 30 km, and strong skiers head straight for the 29 km Dachstein Loop Trail. The stadium stays lit for night skiing daily until 19:00, with the ski-jumping stadium also open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; try the 2.8 km XC Night Trail Ramsau on your first evening, short enough to ski by headlamp without wearing yourself out.

Not everyone here is on cross-country skis. The Rittisberg has its own gondola, chairlift and ski tow serving five kilometres of downhill pistes, and horse-drawn sleigh rides give you a slower, jingling way to see the plateau. Serious athletes train year-round at the Nordic Performance Center, one of Austria's most modern facilities, complete with a climbing hall and a roller ski treadmill for rainy days. Whichever season brings you here, Ramsau am Dachstein has a knack for making you want to come back for the other one.