Austria is a beautiful country with great lakes and breathtaking mountain landscapes. There are many different towns and villages that are definitely worth visiting and Schwaz is one of them. Here you will find a guide with all the attractions that Schwaz has to offer. From the Museum of Peoples to great walks and hikes. Are you ready to plan a great trip? Then you have come to the right place!
Schwaz – the city at a glance
Schwaz is located in the Austrian federal state of Tyrol and is therefore in a popular tourist part of Austria that could hardly be more diverse. All cars with the SZ license plate officially come from the town with its almost 14,000 inhabitants. The district capital is also only 30 km from the state capital Innsbruck, which is also worth a visit if you can fit it in the time. The history of the town goes back a long way and there are records of many of the town’s buildings and when they were opened. These include the train station, which was built in 1858, and the tobacco production facility built in 1830. This was closed and demolished in 2005 – there is now a nice shopping center there.
What all this shows is that the history of Schwaz is complex and anyone who is interested can find many retrospectives and information about the history of this magnificent city in Schwaz.
By the way: This is Europe’s Reformation City! Or at least Schwaz was awarded this honorary title in 2017 by the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe. Schwaz also received the title of Fair Trade City in 2017, which is awarded by the Tyrolean community. Not bad, right?
The most beautiful and interesting museums in Schwaz
Are you a fan of museums? Then Schwaz will not disappoint you. Here you will find a list of our favorite museums in Schwaz.
- We can’t help but start with our favorite museum: The Museum of Peoples. In our opinion, a guided tour of the museum is extremely worthwhile because you can get a lot of background information about the individual exhibits. The museum is huge and has various changing exhibitions, so it’s worth visiting several times. The café is also absolutely worth it and we think that children will also have a lot to discover in the museum and can learn new things in a fun way.
- Freundsberg Castle is also fun for all ages, it is a special museum. The church is also worth a look. It is also worth eating in the castle tavern. Great for a rainy day! By the way, we recommend walking to the castle, there are parking spaces there, but the way up is a nice walk – just make sure you have Google Maps ready.
- When you visit the City Archives & Chronicles, you can expect to find not only lots of books, but also coins and many other historical items related to Bristol’s history. Ideal for all history fans!
- Are you a fan of art? Then you should definitely visit the Rabalderhaus. There are various exhibitions here, so it might be worth visiting several times. At Christmas there is also always a special Christmas exhibition, which all Christmas fans will certainly enjoy.
- If you feel like travelling a little further and not just staying in Schwaz, we can also recommend a look at the Tyrolean State Museums. There is art, history and exhibitions here that are simply well done. There is something for everyone to discover, including every age group.
Schwaz with children – fun for young and old
When you go on holiday with your children, you often feel the pressure to make every activity fun. That’s why we’ve collected some attractions here that are fun for all ages!
- The Schwaz Silver Mine This is a really great activity that combines adventure with learning something new. You can visit the Schwaz Silver Mine with children, but just as well without the little rascals. You are guided through the mine in small groups and are transported back to another time in the cave. Exciting and thrilling, but also informative – our favorite combination!
- House Stands Upside Down is a museum in which everything is literally upside down. You can take some funny photos here, but you should be prepared for the fact that the house is relatively small and you will see everything within 15 minutes. There are a few rides outside for small children, so they can have their money’s worth too. If you don’t set your expectations too high, you can definitely have fun here!
- One of our favorite recommendations is the Schwaz Planetarium. There are various events here. Some of them are great for children, others are more geared towards adults. But it is definitely worth checking out the program and paying the planetarium a visit. Since it is very close to the silver mine, you can combine both activities wonderfully, you just have to plan it well because the planetarium has fixed times.
- We definitely recommend planning a day at the various playgrounds, especially if the children are younger. Here you can sit relaxed on a bench and watch the children play. There are five different playgrounds in the city, all of which are waiting to be explored. We love all of the playgrounds, but the Pirchanger playground has a special place in our hearts.
- What should not be missing on a summer holiday? That’s right! A visit to a great swimming pool. The Schwaz adventure pool has various adventure slides and pools that are all waiting to be discovered. Surrounded by great mountains and great water highlights, young and old alike will get their money’s worth here. Perfect for water fun in the summer!
What we also want to mention are the many adventure parks in Tyrol. The Pillersee Family Land Adventure Park, the Tyrol Adventure Park and the Ebbs Adventure and Leisure Park are all facilities that are beautifully designed, get the adrenaline pumping and simply promise great family time. The Pillersee Family Land Adventure Park also has a really nice petting zoo where we could spend hours.
Great food in Schwaz
We believe that every good vacation also includes culinary highlights. That’s why we’ve put together a few of our favorite restaurants and cafes for you here.
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- Essbar
There is delicious food, a great bar and particularly tasty grill specialties. But vegetarian and gluten-free options are also on the menu of this great restaurant. There is also a fantastic selection of different wines and very friendly staff. Definitely worth a visit.
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- Himmelhof
In our opinion, the desserts from the Himmelhof come straight from heaven – so unbelievably delicious and beautifully presented! Plus classic Austrian food and very friendly service. One of our regular restaurants in Schwaz!
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- Alpengasthof Loas
Fancy a huge Wiener Schnitzel? Then the Alpengasthof Loas is definitely the place to go! Plus, a great view, great staff and delicious drinks. If we fancy schnitzel, then this is definitely the place to go.
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- Michlkeller
The Michlkeller has a very special atmosphere, so you can enjoy a pint of beer and also buy a delicious dinner. We have spent many fun hours here.
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- Tipper
Tippeler serves classic regional food. The portions are huge and the menu is very authentic. The beer garden is also impressive, so we keep coming back and we enjoy it!
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- Das Hüttegg
The ribbed fries at Hüttegg are so delicious that we always eat here at least once when we are nearby. They have delicious food, a great terrace and really good service. The breakfast brunch and cake are also excellent here. We could basically spend the whole day at Hüttegg and enjoy the delicious food and the great view.
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- Cafe Central
We always like to go to Zentral for a good coffee. It’s also a great place for brunch. You have a view of Pfundplatz and can watch people.
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- The Baker Ruetz
The baker Ruetz is the best bakery we have ever been to. Delicious baked goods, great coffee. Definitely worth a visit!
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- Cafe Restaurant Klingler
They serve burgers here, but they also serve cakes and delicious coffee. The prices are fair and the service is friendly.
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- Vitalberg Café Bar
If you are nearby then it is worth a visit for the great view and the very delicious coffee!
Our Schwaz insider tips
The Fuggerhaus may not be a classic insider tip, but because you can’t see the inside of the house, many people skip this beautiful attraction. However, the house is a historical site and an architectural masterpiece – we like to get a coffee to go and stroll to the house. In any case, it’s a very relaxing activity where you can also have a great chat!
We also think it’s always great to be able to support small cinemas when we’re on holiday. The Mayrhofen cinema is our favourite – a cute little cinema. There are also larger chains nearby, but we recommend this independent cinema.
Excursions in the Schwaz area
Maybe you don’t want to spend every day in the city, but also want to explore the region around the city. Here are some tips for that purpose!
- As I said, Innsbruck is only 30 km away, so if you want to get a taste of big city life for a day, you can definitely do that in beautiful Innsbruck. Here you should look at the golden roof and otherwise we can recommend just strolling through the city and going on a little unguided discovery tour. Who knows what wonderful things you might discover?
- The Kellerjoch is recommended for a lovely hike. There is also a chairlift if you want to go up and walk down – or vice versa! There is also a toboggan run and the option to climb to the top and sign a book there. So there really is a fun option for every level of difficulty! For all ages. The food up at the hut is regional and delicious, highly recommended!
- Karwendel is not only a beautiful mountain for hiking, you can also go tobogganing and do winter sports here in winter. It’s worth it for all ages and we highly recommend it, especially in winter, but also for fun tobogganing.
- Tratzberg Castle is beautifully situated and is worth a visit for that reason alone. But a tour is also worthwhile because the rooms are beautifully designed and the history is exciting. The castle was built around 1500 and is therefore a well-preserved Renaissance castle complex. Well worth seeing!
- Fancy an absolute hiking highlight? Then you’ll love the Dalfazalm! From here you can see the beautiful Achensee and you can spend the night on the mountain pasture and you should definitely try the Kaiserschmarn, it’s so delicious!
- We also love the Wolfsklamm hike, there are rocky mountains and many waterfalls to discover here. A magnificent view and an adventurous hike. Definitely not for beginners, but great for people who want an adventure – including wooden bridges!
- From the Olpererhütte you have a really good view of the reservoir and all the mountains around it. The hut is quite luxurious and the hike is a good activity for a day.
- The Blaubergalm not only has a sweet name, it is also cute and has delicious food and a cool drink on hand. You can also spend the night there in a small camper van. We don’t think the hike is that difficult, so it should be doable even for beginners.
- Hiking expert? Then the Gaisalmsteig is worth it. The path is very steep, but leads directly along the Achsensee and therefore has a wonderful view. If you don’t want to do that, you can also travel by boat! That would be a great adventure with children too, wouldn’t it?
- If we need a challenge, we hike the Bärenkopf. At 1,991 meters, you get a view of Lake Achensee, which makes the climb absolutely worthwhile. Highly recommended!
You shouldn’t miss this!
What we haven’t mentioned yet is the town’s parish church. Don’t let that put you off visiting it, because admittedly the church doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it’s really worth seeing inside and much bigger than you’d think from the outside. The interior is definitely something special and different to what you might otherwise be used to. And if you find that interesting, you’ll definitely enjoy the Franciscan monastery, which is very beautiful to look at. There’s also a great cloister that’s set up in an exciting way.
Off to Schwaz?
And what do you think? We think that Schwaz and the surrounding area of Tyrol really have something for everyone. For children, families, couples, singles or friends. Hiking, fun on the water or simply strolling from café to restaurant and enjoying your holiday. All of this is possible here!