Styrian Alpine village on a sunny plateau below the Dachstein glacier, strong on cross-country skiing.
Ramsau am Dachstein is a mountain village in the Styrian Alps, spread across a sunny plateau at around 1,100 metres with the massive Dachstein glacier looming behind it. The setting is spectacular — green meadows in front, sheer limestone walls behind — and the village has managed to stay genuinely Alpine without tipping into theme-park territory.
In winter, Ramsau is one of Austria's premier cross-country skiing destinations, with over 200 kilometres of groomed trails winding through the valley and up toward the glacier. Downhill skiing is available on the Dachstein glacier itself, which offers year-round snow, and at the nearby Planai resort in Schladming. In summer, the area transforms into hiking and climbing country. The Dachstein Skywalk, a glass platform jutting out from the mountain at 2,700 metres, offers vertigo-inducing views across the Alps, and the ice caves inside the mountain are worth the cable car ride up.
The village is quiet and traditional, with wooden farmhouses, a couple of inns, and a small church at its center. Ramsau makes a good base for exploring the wider Schladming-Dachstein region, whether you are here for the mountains, the glacier, or simply the clean air and the views.
Guide
Eating Out
Eating in Ramsau is uncomplicated and almost always centres on a wood-panelled Stube serving Styrian classics: pumpkin-seed oil over salads, Backhendl (breaded fried chicken), Käsespätzle, beef goulash, and the local schnapps poured at the end of the meal. Trout from local farms shows up on most menus.
The Pehab-Kirchenwirt and the Annaberger Hof, both old village inns, are reliable choices for traditional cooking. Many of the mountain huts above the village serve hearty lunches in summer — Brettljause platters of cured meat, cheese, bread, and pickles are the standard order after a morning of hiking.
Guide
When to Go
Ramsau has two distinct seasons and a couple of awkward shoulder weeks in between. Winter runs from late November to early April, when the cross-country trails open and the Dachstein glacier and Schladming ski areas are in full swing. December and February are the busiest months; January often has the best snow and the cheapest prices.
Summer runs from mid-June to mid-September. Wildflower meadows, long days, hiking on the plateau and up to the cable car, glacier walks, and warm afternoons that cool sharply once the sun drops. July and August are peak Austrian holiday months; June and September are quieter and just as beautiful.
Avoid the shoulder weeks of October and May, when many lifts and inns close, the glacier is hard to reach, and the village goes quiet.
