Camping in Gmunden, Austria, and Climbing Mount Traunstein
- Takuya Sakoda
- Jun 9
- 3 min read
Gmunden is one of Austria's most beautiful lakeside destinations. The town is built around the expansive Lake Traun, and its charming, picturesque streets make exploring on foot a real pleasure. The reason we — a pair of hiking enthusiasts — chose to visit this place is simple: the mountains are right on the doorstep. Mount Traunstein, at 1,691 metres, is as rewarding to gaze at as it is to climb. With numerous campsites around the lake, it's a highly recommended spot for outdoor lovers.
What Kind of Town is Gmunden?
Situated on the shores of Lake Traun (Traunsee), the town is framed by breathtaking views of the lake and mountains. The town sits at the foot of the mountains, so the streets are noticeably hilly — but on the lakeside (town centre) side, there's even a tram running, making getting around convenient. Personally, I absolutely love the atmosphere of a place where you can see mountains and water from virtually anywhere. Easy access from the town centre to the mountains is another of its charms. It's a genuinely appealing area for anyone who loves the outdoors.
The distinctive green floral pattern of Gmunden Pottery has a history spanning several centuries and is popular as a souvenir. We didn't visit any pottery shops or the ceramics museum ourselves, but if that interests you, it's definitely worth a stop.
Gmunden is also easy to reach — about one hour by car from both Salzburg and Linz.
Hiking Up Mount Traunstein
This turned out to be one of the most frightening and thrilling hikes I've ever done. If you have a fear of heights, it may be a bit of a challenge. That said, there are several routes to the summit — we probably chose (or accidentally ended up on) the most difficult one — so if you opt for a gentler path, you won't need to tackle the steep sections we did. There's a mountain hut at the summit, and for the most part the trails are well-constructed and well-equipped.
Since we came without a car, we started on foot from the campsite on Lake Traun — but if you have a car or can take a bus, you can skip that section. No specialist climbing gear is required, though parts of the route involve ladders and chains, so if you're at all uncertain, a climbing helmet would give you extra peace of mind.
The day we climbed, the mountain was unfortunately wrapped in cloud the whole time, but even without the views it was a deeply satisfying climb — and the sense of achievement when we finally made it back to our tent was immense.
Where We Stayed: Camping Traunsee
The prices are very reasonable, the showers and toilets are clean, and I have absolutely no complaints about this campsite. One thing to note: there are no trees or dividers between the tents and campervans, so once you step outside your tent or van, privacy is essentially zero. It's a very open layout — though on the flip side, that probably makes it less inviting for anyone with light-fingered intentions.
A neighbour at the adjacent tent turned out to be an elderly gentleman cycling his way around Austria. We had a brief chat, and I came away genuinely inspired — a bicycle tour sounds like a wonderful way to travel.
Comments