Seefeld's location on a sunny plateau above the Inn Valley at around 1,200 meters above sea level ensures a good covering of snow throughout the season. Many of the hiking trails in Seefeld can be walked all year round, with winter trails cleared and gritted for comfortable hikes through snowy landscapes. This allows for enjoyable hiking experiences in Seefeld during the winter months.
The Region Seefeld with its villages of Mösern, Scharnitz, Reith, Leutasch, and Seefeld, is nestled on a south-facing high plateau at 1,200 m, surrounded by the Karwendel Nature Park.
With its incredible variety of sports, leisure activities, and experiences, Seefeld is a real favorite place for 365 days.
The Seefeld Region is a winter wonderland for winter hiking with 142 kilometers of cleared and signposted trails. In addition, in the Seefeld Region, we also find another 35 kilometers (7 routes) for snowshoe hiking.
Seefeld is an old farming village located between the Wetterstein mountains and the Karwendel, in the Innsbruck-Land District in the Austrian state of Tirol. Seefeld is the “postcard pretty” Austria that you have in mind.
The Wildsee, also called the Seefelder See ("Lake Seefeld"), gave the village its name. The lake between Reith and Seefeld, known as ‘Sevelt’ (‘field by the lake’) was documented as early as 1022. By the time of Emperor Maximilian 1st, the area around the Wildsee was known for its lush flora and fauna, and in those days the lake itself was referred to locally as ‘Lampretensee’ due to the lamprey found in its waters.
This beautiful short lake trail leads in a winterly walking loop from the historic Seefeld village square around the Wildsee and back again.
This one-hour easy walk begins at the information office in Seefeld close to the train station. From there you walk to the church of St. Oswald in the center of the village, and then southwards along the colorful paintings on the house facades to the next large road junction. Follow the southern bypass to the right for a while until the sidewalk turns left to the lake promenade.
From here, the winter hiking trail now turns through picturesque lakeside landscapes to the nearby edge of the forest. Afterwards the the trail track leads through open terrain and finally takes the other lakeside back to the center of Seefeld.
From the end of November to January 6, the Christmas market in the pedestrian area of Seefeld offers an evocative Christmas scene. Culinary delights such as kiachl, aromatic mulled wine, and hot punch, as well as regional crafts and charming gift ideas, await visitors in the charming log cabin-style Tyrolean huts at the Christmas market on Seefeld's church square.
From the Seefeld village square, you must walk along the Klosterstraße through the historical Seefeld pedestrian zone to visit the Seekirchl, Heiligkreuzkirche in German, Seefeld's most famous landmark. The church is named after the miraculous crucifix from the beginning of the 16th century on the high altar. Its construction began under the regency of Archduke Leopold V in 1629 but was not completed until 1666, 37 years later. Originally, the Baroque Seekirchl Church stood in the middle of the Lake of the Cross artificially created by Sigismund, Archduke of Austria and ruler of Tirol from 1446 to 1490. The lake was drained about 300 years later in 1808.
Particularly noteworthy is the octagonal plan of the central building, something unusual in Tirol, with its columnless dome and enclosed bell tower, the work of Innsbruck Court architect Christoph Gumpp the Younger.
The Rococo high altar of the Miraculous Cross was set up in 1768 by Hans Greute. The paintings are signed by Joseph A. Puellacher including the wall frescoes with the two Cross legends related to
the creation of this sacred building. In 1628 a penitent pilgrim gained by the cross forgiveness of their sins (fresh on the right). Soon after, Archduke Leopold V passes on a hunting trip at the miraculous cross. He was so moved by the sight of the crucified Christ that he called for a priest for confession (fresco on the left) and vowed that "lovely, very moving image of the cross" to build a chapel.
To this day, the picturesque Votivkirche in Kirchwald is a historic pilgrimage site and probably the most photographed place in the Seefeld Region.
