Lech, Austria is a picturesque tourist town situated at the base of the Arlberg massif of the Austrian Alps. Known more as a winter ski destination, Lech, and the surrounding towns, still offer ample opportunities for recreation in the summer months as well. I spent my week in Lech hiking several of the many trails in the area, ranging from “easy valley hikes” to “very difficult mountain hikes.” A sophisticated bus and gondola/chairlift system provides easy access to the high elevation trails, saving the legs a couple thousand feet of climbing.

The best part–in my opinion–of hiking in Austria (and the Alps in general) is that the majority of trails leads to a mountain hut fit with electricity, flush-toilets, warm food, cold beer, and of course, scenic views. While not exactly a true ‘wilderness experience,’  having luxury is nice every now and then. There certainly aren’t many places in the States that offer such deluxe accommodations on a hike. For meat lovers, most huts have the traditional dishes of sausage and sauerkraut, or my personal favorite, Wiener schnitzel, on the menu. For the best Wiener schnitzel you’ll ever have (Disclaimer: I did just hike 11+ miles, gaining and losing 2000 feet in elevation, and at that point, anything would have tasted delicious), go to Ravensburger Hut at Spullersee. The tender, breaded and golden-fried pork steak, accompanied by fresh cranberry jam, the crispiest, herb-topped, melt-in-your-mouth potato fries, and a cold Austrian lager to wash it all down, was the perfect way to end a long, demanding hike.

I hiked and exercised a lot in Austria, but I also ate so well I’m not sure if I lost or gained weight during my time there! Here’s a picture of the Wiener schnitzel below to wet your appetite…