Pertisau on Lake Achensee: Trails, Cable Car and History

Pertisau on Lake Achensee

Pertisau lies on the southwestern shore of Lake Achensee. The valley station of the Karwendel cable car is in the village. A ride on the cable car offers views across the entire eight-kilometre-long lake.

Excursion trips run by Achenseeschifffahrt on Lake Achensee offer views of the Karwendel and Rofan mountain ranges. In summer, the trips operate in conjunction with the Achenseebahn railway, allowing for short transfer times. If you plan to use this connection, check the timetable in advance.

Hiking Trails and Winter Activities

The Alpine Animals circular trail is suitable for pushchairs. Trail facilities may change seasonally, so check the current status before your visit.

The Pertisau–Gaisalm–Achenkirch hike begins with a short lakeside path. It then follows a trail cut into the rock along the western shore of Lake Achensee towards Gaisalm. In places, the route is very narrow and exposed; it requires sure-footedness and a good head for heights. The initially short lakeside path describes only the beginning of the hike; the exposed sections later on also need to be taken into account for the full route.

At Zwölferkopf, skiing and winter hiking are offered on groomed ski slopes. This means that Pertisau has both trails with distinctly different requirements and a named range of winter activities.

Lake Excursions and Golf

Excursion trips on Lake Achensee offer views of two mountain ranges: the Karwendel and the Rofan. On the Karwendel cable car, by contrast, the focus is on the view across the entire lake. The two activities therefore offer different scenic highlights.

Pertisau is home to the Achensee Golf Club, described as Tyrol’s oldest golf club. The 18-hole course stretches from the village centre to the foothills of the Karwendel valleys.

Culture and History in Pertisau

Original tools are on display at the Tiroler Steinöl Vitalberg Museum. The Tiroler Steinöl Vitalberg Visitor Centre offers special guided tours for children aged four to twelve. The Pertisau Discovery Trail is a family-oriented activity.

The Fürstenhaus in Pertisau is considered to have been the former hunting lodge of Emperor Maximilian I. More than 500 years ago, Maximilian I regularly travelled to his hunting lodge in Pertisau. Another local story tells of the steam-powered ship “St. Josef”: it was transported to Pertisau and assembled there.

If you are looking for a hotel in Pertisau, your travel dates and planned activities can be a useful starting point. The connection between Achenseeschifffahrt and the Achenseebahn is part of the summer services; skiing and winter hiking are offered at Zwölferkopf. When choosing a hike, the difference between the pushchair-suitable circular trail and the narrow, exposed path towards Gaisalm is a practical point to consider.

Discover more destinations: Hippach-Schwendberg, Distelberg, Acham, Hainzenberg, Buch In Tirol, Terfens, Schwendau, Stummerberg

Go to the overview of the wider region: Schwaz.