Apres Ski in Seefeld
Seefeld Village
Seefeld is situated on a south-facing plateau 20km northwest of the city of Innsbruck. This plateau also contains the resort villages of Leutasch, Reith, Mösern and Scharnitz. It drops suddenly and dramatically down to the River Inn and the Inn valley.
Long before Seefeld became famous as a major cross-country skiing destination, the broad Seefeld plateau was a major route for pilgrims and traders through the Alps. In medieval times 70% of European trade passed through the city of Innsbruck on its way to and from Venice.
Pilgrims from northern Europe also passed through the village of “Sevelt” and a chapel was built for them. A small artificial lake was later added to provide fish for the local monastery. The monks of this large ecclesiastical institution produced good beer and beer production continued even after the monastery was closed at the end of the 18th century. The monastery was sold in the 19th century to a private buyer who turned the monastery into Hotel Klosterbräu, now one of Seefeld’s 5-star hotels.
The village today retains its medieval centre around the pedestrianised Dorfplatz, Klosterstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse while major roads lead north to Munich, south to Innsbruck and west towards Switzerland. It is pleasant, affluent but unremarkable despite a smattering of older buildings. Seefeld has become an important tourist destination because of its cross-country skiing but is also a popular summer destination for golf, walking and biking.
The train route between Munich and Innsbruck stops just to the east of the old medieval centre next to the casino and all hotels are within walking distance from the railway station. There is a post office, several banks, a supermarket, tourist information centre and five doctors all within a few metres of the red-roofed church, which is in the centre of Dorfplatz in the pedestrianised area.
Compared to some Austrian resorts Seefeld is not a shopping destination although Sport Shop Sailer sells designer fashion from a dozen or so well-known brands including Prada, Bogner and Valentino. There are five jewellery shops, including a working goldsmiths and a Swarovski outlet. There’s also a Spar supermarket. A day trip to Innsbruck (20km) offers plenty more retail therapy.
To the south of the old village centre, the Olympia Sport and Congress Centre on Klosterstrasse (Tel: +43 (0) 5212 3220) has recently been renovated. As well as a decent-size pool, there is a separate childrens’ and baby area, 140m wild-water flume, seven different saunas, cold-water baths and relaxation baths. Massages are available. There are also solariums and infra-red cabins and a restaurant.
To the south of the village there are two cross country ski circuits either side of the Gschwandtwald and another across the Wildsee where the golf academy is in the summer.
Seefeld Tourist Office
Olympiaregion Seefeld
Klosterstrasse 43
A-6100 Seefeld
Tel: +43 (0) 5 0880-50
Seefeld Apres Ski Bars & Restaurants
Seefeld attracts a mostly affluent, older, family-oriented clientele and while après ski is relatively low on the list of Seefeld’s priorities, there are over 20 bars and pubs, three discotheques and a casino to entertain night owls.
Apres Ski Bars & Nightlife in Seefeld
There is live music is at Batzenhäusl in Leutascherstrasse and a 5 o’clock tea dance at the Alt Seefeld and Kurpark Restaurant as well as piano bar music in Hotel Klosterbräu.
There is dancing at the Fundisco Jeep in Olympiastrasse, which is opposite Siglu, a small Igloo bar outside Hotel Klosterbräu, which is always full and claims to play rock music through till sunrise or the last client leaves.
Wildfang in Bahnhofstrasse, underneath Hotel Karwendelhof is a sophisticated late bar for night owls.
Bar Fledermaus at Casino Seefeld is currently the in disco-bar in Seefeld. The casino itself spices up the month of February with its annual Casino Seefeld Body Painting Award, sponsored by Svarovski. The “After Paint” Party in Bar Fledermaus offers an opportunity for the public to mix with the models, not something you get at every ski resort.
The casino has recently celebrated its 40 years anniversary. As well as being a good place for after dinner gambling, Casino Seefeld (www.casino.seefeld.at) also organises all kind of gambling including the Baccara World Championships, Poker Challenge and Black Jack tournaments.
Batzenhäusl Tel: +43 5212 2292
Kurpark Restaurant Tel: + 43 5212 2191
Fundisco Jeep Tel: +43 5212 2191
Hotel Klosterbräu Tel: +43 5212 2621
Wildfang Tel: +43 5212 2340
Fledermaus Tel: +43 5212 2340
Restaurants in Seefeld
What Seefeld lacks in vibrant après-ski it makes up for in good restaurants. There are some 40 restaurants in this comparatively small town, many of which like Südtiroler Stube have been in business for decades if not centuries.
The Südtiroler Stube in Reitherspitzstrasse is a sequence of small interlinked rooms offering meat dishes of all kind, grilled on charcoal as their speciality. The Hotel Klosterbräu in Klosterstrasse has been in business even longer and its Ritter Oswald Stube was awarded two Gault Millau “toques” in 2007. The hotel’s 500 year old wine cellar makes for an atmosheric dining experience by candlelight
Kracherle Moos in Moosweg 758 consists of four rooms carved out of old Tyrolean farm houses. Excellent cuisine, all four of them, in a very cosy Tyrolean style with tile stoves each of them in a different colour.
Erlebniswirtshaus Alt-Seefeld in Klosterstraße is new and unusual in having a both a range of décor styles and a show kitchen. Good terrace service in winter and summer. The home made pastries and strudels and Sachertorte are recommended
Waldgasthof Triendlsäge at Triendlsäge 259 is a rural Tyrolean gasthaus that gets its name from the old saw mill (restored in 2000). Dishes tend to be Tyrolean specialities using fresh local farm produce plus seasonal venison and locally picked wild mushrooms. Many couples arrange in advance to arrive by horse drawn carriage and walk back after the meal (walking time approximately 30 minutes).
For something more casual Adams Bistro Bar inside the shocking pink Hotel Eden on Münchner-Strasse has a good wine list, comfy leather armchairs and live music on Fridays until midnight.
La Traviata in Dorfplatz is a pizzeria restaurant for those who hanker after Italian food. There is also the Chinarestaurant Asia on Münchner-Strasse, with all the dragons, lanterns and oriental decor you’d expect of a traditional Chinese restaurant anywhere.
Südtiroler StubeTel: +43 5212 50446
Hotel Klosterbräu Tel: +43 5212 26210
Kracherle Moos Tel: +43 5212 4680
Erlebniswirtshaus Alt-Seefeld Tel: +43 5212 2951
Waldgasthof Triendlsäge Tel: +43 5212 2580
Adams Bistro Bar Tel: +43 5212 50495
La Traviata Pizzeria Tel: +43 5212 5070
Chinarestaurant Asia Tel: +43 5212 3065
Other Activities in Seefeld
Seefeld is a popular destination for hiking and there are plenty of activities for non-skiers including winter walking, Nordic walking, tobogganing, paragliding, ice skating and curling, swimming and wellness facilities.
Winter Walking in Seefeld
The Olympiaregion Seefeld is a real walkers’ paradise. In the winter there are approximately 142 km of cleared and salted walking paths with many traditional huts for refreshments. Over at Scharnitz there’s a 2½ hour walk from the village up to the Pleissenhütte and then to the top of Pleissen spitze. The view from the top is majestic and the descent, as long as you don’t encounter too many toboggans, a delight. A map with descriptions of all winter hiking paths and trails can be obtained from Seefeld Tourist Information Office. Snowshoe hikers can also discover breathtaking views high up above the Seefeld plateau.
Nordic Walking & Running in Seefeld
Olympicregion Seefeld is a centre of excellence for Nordic walking and running all year round and attracts experienced Nordic walkers including top athletes as well as beginners in winter and summer. Nordic walking with poles is easy on the joints and offers a whole body aerobic work-out and is an increasingly popular activity for fit outdoor enthusiasts to train at an altitude of 1,200-1,400m. The Nordic walking and running area includes 30 well-signposted routes with options for beginners and experts in three levels of difficulty and with varying types of route requiring different levels of experience and fitness. For more information or to book a beginners or advanced Nordic walking course in Seefeld contact Sport Norz Seefeld (www.sport-norz.at) or go to www.seefeld.at.
Tobogganing in Seefeld
Tobogganing in Olympiaregion Seefeld includes five toboggan runs, the Hoher Sattel, Hämmermoos, Katzenkopf, Rauthhütte (www.rauthhuette.at) and Wettersteinhütte in Leutasch, two natural toboggan runs at Kreidegraben and Mühlberg in Scharnitz and the Kaiserstand Natural toboggan run in Reitherjoch-Alm. Toboggans can be rented locally at sports shops and valley lift stations. For more information go to www.seefeld.at
Paragliding in Seefeld
Parashuttle Seefeld and the Human Eagle Air Academy offer panoramic paragliding flights over Seefeld all the year round when weather conditions are fine and the cable cars are open. Both companies employ only certified flying instructors and passengers do not need any prior experience. For more information contact the operators listed below or go to www.seefeld.at
Parashuttle Seefeld
Contact Christian Lindner
Tel: +43 664 124 40 10
Email: [email protected]
Human Eagle-Air Academy
Contact Alban Klose
Tel: 43-664-40-99-66-3
Email: [email protected]
Ice Skating & Curling in Seefeld
The Olympia Sport & Conference Centre in Seefeld includes a large artificial ice rink open daily in winter from 10 am – 1.45 pm and 2.15 pm – 6.00 pm. (Tel: +43 5212 3050) with changing rooms and skate hire for ½ day or a full day. For more information go to www.seefeld-sports.at (German language only) or www.seefeld.at
Olympia Sport & Conference Centre in Seefeld
The recently renovated Olympic Sports & Conference Centre includes indoor and outdoor swimming with special areas for families and children, a waterpark with special features including a 140m long whitewater river and SilverStar family slide, a sun terrace for relaxing and a restaurant. Wellness facilities include a 2,000 square meter two-storey sauna with seven different saunas, cold pool and themed relaxation rooms, a 33 degree warm relaxation pool, solarium, infra red cabins and massage facilities.
Olympia Sport & Conference Centre Seefeld
Klosterstrasse 600
6100 Seefeld in Tirol
Tel. +43 (0) 5212 3220
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.seefeld-sports.at
Shopping in Seefeld
Seefeld has five supermarkets, bakeries and Tirolean Speck shops (selling ham and sausages), numerous sports and fashion shops, leather goods and shoe shops, jewellers and the usual newspaper kiosk and souvenir shops.
Day Trip from Seefeld to Innsbruck
Innsbruck 20 km to the south east of Seefeld is worth visiting for a day out. There is a good train service from the Seefeld bahnhof and the descent is spectacular. While in Innsbruck, check out the new Hungerburgbahn station behind the Hofburg (Royal Palace). This rapid shuttle gets Innsbruckers up to the SeegrUbe ski area in less than half an hour. No other city in the world has such a rapid transit from urban life to the ski slopes. The controversial Pritzker-prize winning architect Zaha Hadid designed the station.
Seefeld Tourist Information
For more information contact Seefld Tourist Information:
Seefeld Tourist Information
Olympiaregion Seefeld
Klosterstr. 43
6100 Seefeld, Austria
Tel.: +43 (0) 5 0880 50
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.seefeld.com