Tamsweg between history and distinctive routes

Tamsweg combines a protected historic townscape with distinctive cultural sites and a variety of routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Tamsweg, you can start by choosing according to the focus of your stay: local history and sacred architecture offer a different emphasis from cycle routes or Lake Prebersee. The destinations and activities below provide practical guidance.

Local history, museum and sacred architecture

The historic town centre of Tamsweg is one of seven townscape protection zones in the province of Salzburg. Kuenburg Castle is a historic castle on Kirchengasse and is open to the public as a “place to meet”. The Lungauer Heimatmuseum is located at Kirchengasse 2, in the former Barbaraspital building. The building is a listed monument.

The Lungauer Heimatmuseum offers historical walks through Tamsweg for groups of five or more by online registration. If you are planning such a walk for your group, take the minimum group size into account and register online. As registration procedures may change, it is a good idea to check the information in advance.

Another highlight is St. Leonhard Church. Construction began in 1421; Bishop Johann Ebser of Chiemsee consecrated the church in 1433. Its gold window is made entirely of golden-yellow and blue panes of glass. St. Leonhard ob Tamsweg is the only walled fortified church in the province of Salzburg above the Murtalstraße. Its construction history, fortified-church character and window each offer a distinct cultural connection for visitors.

Living intangible cultural heritage also shapes the town. The Vereinigten zu Tamsweg contribute to the cultural identity of the local population. The Samsontragen was added to Austria’s UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inventory in 2010. In November 2025, the Tamsweger Preberschießen at Lake Prebersee was added to Austria’s national inventory of intangible cultural heritage.

Routes and landscape around Tamsweg

The signposted Leonhardsweg runs from Salzburg Cathedral to the Church of St. Leonhard in Tamsweg and is 140 kilometres long. The Murradweg is on a different scale: it extends for more than 365 kilometres from the Lungau region through Styria to the Slovenian border. It is classified as easy to moderate and runs along paved routes as well as well-maintained surfaces of asphalt, gravel and crushed stone. Length, destination and the available route information therefore help distinguish the two routes.

There is also the Lungau Bike Tour for cycling. Tamsweg is a suitable starting point for this tour, which can be completed in its entirety on an e-mountain bike. For the Murradweg, by contrast, its classification and the surface types listed above are useful reference points. Tamsweg also has the Preber high-altitude cross-country ski trail.

Lake Prebersee near Tamsweg lies at around 1,500 metres above sea level in a mountain landscape of dark forests and lush alpine pastures. The approximate altitude and the landscape described give the lake a different character from the ecclesiastical and historic points of interest in town. When planning, you can weigh up cultural themes, cycling routes and an outing into the mountain landscape without combining these options into a single route.

Getting there and culinary specialities

The district capital of Tamsweg has a railway station served by the Styrian Murtalbahn. If you plan to arrive by train, check the Murtalbahn timetable before setting off. This is a practical addition to your itinerary, particularly if you need to work to a set timeframe between arrival and activities.

When choosing your hotel, local history, sacred architecture, cycling or the landscape around Lake Prebersee can therefore each provide a different focus.

Discover more destinations: Mariapfarr, Mauterndorf, Ramingstein, Sankt Michael Im Lungau, Tamsweg, Sankt Margarethen Im Lungau, Sankt Andrä Im Lungau, Zederhaus, Muhr, Wölting, Tweng, Göriach, Unternberg, Thomatal, Katschberg, Hinterweisspriach, Weißpriach, Begöriach, St. Martin, Lessach, Schellgaden, Zankwarn.

Go to the main travel overview: Salzburgerland.