Sunny high plateau in southern Salzburg state, Austria. Quiet villages, moor lakes, medieval castles, and family ski areas.
Lungau
Lungau is the alpine district in the south of Salzburg state where the rhythm is simple: one village, one mountain, one lake, and enough time to enjoy all three. ## Why go You get real alpine landscapes with shorter transfers, quieter villages, and clear seasonal options: hikes and lakes in warm months, snow-sure ski days in winter. ## Good to know - Base strategy: stay near Mariapfarr for easy access to villages, lakes, and ski areas. - Family fit: short drive times and gentle options make planning low-stress. - Weather plan: there are strong sunny-day routes and practical rainy-day alternatives.
{"agentSummary":"Lungau is Salzburg's high-alpine district, a sunny plateau around 1,000-2,000 m with villages, lakes, castles, and family ski areas. Distances are short, crowd levels are lower than major resorts, and Mariapfarr works as a practical base for all seasons.","canonicalUrl":"/lungau/","description":"Sunny high plateau in southern Salzburg state, Austria. Quiet villages, moor lakes, medieval castles, and family ski areas.","destination":"lungau","driveMinutesFromBase":0,"entityKind":"Region","geo":{"latitude":47.13,"longitude":13.75},"goodWithKids":true,"lastVerified":"2026-08-03","name":"Lungau","nearbyFood":"Village Gasthof options across Mariapfarr, Mauterndorf, and Tamsweg.","placeKind":"attraction","relatedItineraries":["3-days-with-kids","summer-lake-weekend","winter-weekend","one-week-in-lungau"],"schemaType":["TouristDestination","Place"],"type":"Destination","weatherSuitability":["sunny","snowy","misty"],"whatToBring":["layers","walking shoes"]}
The Longa, a naturally winding mountain stream, meanders out of the Weisspriachtal valley below steep alpine slopes.
Wide mountain panorama above the naturally winding Longa stream in the Weisspriachtal valley
Wide alpine valley panorama with steep mountains and forested slopes
A rocky cascade feeding the Longa, the naturally winding mountain stream that flows out of the Weisspriachtal valley.
Rocky forest cascade feeding the Longa mountain stream in the Weisspriachtal valley
Aerial panorama of a Lungau village with green fields and mountains
Late-summer meadow colors with mountain views in the Pichl area of Lungau.
Sunny meadow and wildflowers with forest and mountain backdrop in the Pichl area
Lungau's main town — shops, pools, cafés, the St. Leonhard pilgrimage church, and the Samson procession tradition. 12 minutes from Mariapfarr.
Tamsweg
Tamsweg is where the valley does its errands — and where you go when the clouds sit low. ## Why go Shops, an indoor pool, proper cafés, the gothic St. Leonhard pilgrimage church above town, and in summer the UNESCO-listed Samson giant processions. ## Good to know - 12 minutes by car from Mariapfarr. - Market square cafés are the best coffee stop in the valley. - Samson processions: selected summer dates — check locally. ## Eating late When the huts have closed and the valley has gone quiet, the **Gambswirt** on the Marktplatz is Tamsweg's reliable evening address — a family-run hotel-restaurant (third generation) serving regional and seasonal cooking in traditional dining rooms. Reserve ahead for later evenings, especially in season: +43 6474 2337.
{"agentSummary":"Tamsweg is the main town of Lungau, 12 minutes from Mariapfarr. Practical stop for shopping, indoor pool, cafés; cultural highlights are St. Leonhard church and the UNESCO-listed Samson processions in summer. For evening dining the family-run Gambswirt on the Marktplatz (reservations +43 6474 2337) is the reliable address. Good rainy-day destination.","canonicalUrl":"/lungau/places/tamsweg/","description":"Lungau's main town — shops, pools, cafés, the St. Leonhard pilgrimage church, and the Samson procession tradition. 12 minutes from Mariapfarr.","destination":"lungau","driveMinutesFromBase":12,"entityKind":"Town","geo":{"latitude":47.1167,"longitude":13.8},"goodWithKids":true,"lastVerified":"2026-07-05","name":"Tamsweg","nearbyFood":"Cafés and bakeries around the Marktplatz; Gambswirt (Marktplatz 5) for a proper evening dinner.","placeKind":"town","relatedItineraries":["rainy-weekend","one-week-in-lungau"],"relationships":{"partOf":["lungau"]},"schemaType":["Place"],"type":"Town","weatherSuitability":["rainy","sunny"],"whatToBring":[]}
Samson giant procession scene in Tamsweg during local festivities.
Samson giant carried through Tamsweg street procession with onlookers
Samson procession crossing Tamsweg town square during a summer festival.
Samson giant in procession on Tamsweg town square during a local festival
Traditional brass band performing under a Lungau canopy
Detailed close-up of the Samson figure headpiece during the Tamsweg tradition.
Close-up view of the Samson figure headpiece during Tamsweg festival
Summer evenings in Tamsweg: the local Trachtenmusikkapelle plays on the Marktplatz.
Evening brass band concert on the Tamsweg Marktplatz