Things to do in St Johann im Pongau (2022)

In summer, St Johann im Pongau is calm. Cows graze on the lush green slopes, chewing their cud, while small groups of hikers make their way through the forests.

This small town, about 50 kilometres south of Salzburg, is busy in winter when skiers take over the accommodation and the lifts run constantly up the mountains. It may not be the best or most famous ski resort in Austria, but it is one of the easiest to access.

As the snow melts, the warmer months reveal a different side of the town than most people know, with a whole range of other things to do in St Johann im Pongau beyond skiing.

Local Viktoria Obinger knows this side well. I meet her at the Zederberghof, the tourist accommodation owned by her husband’s family where she runs herb walks in the garden, showing people how they can make their own health products from things growing in nature.

“I think the mountains really have their own flavour and it’s so charming,” she tells me, when I ask what’s special about St Johann im Pongau.

“It’s so traditional and typical for Austria and a good way for tourists to connect with nature.”

There’s no shortage of nature in Austria – and, although the cities are stunning in their own ways, there’s something particularly refreshing about discovering a small town like this in summer.

Exploring what’s around it, without the crowds of international tourists, gives you an authentic look at the best of the region that can be so much more rewarding than just ticking off the typical sights.