The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is one of the great drives of Europe, climbing from Bruck an der Glocknerstrasse (about 15km from Zell am See) through 36 hairpin bends to a high point of over 2,500m. From the Franz-Josefs-Höhe viewpoint, there are dramatic views of the Grossglockner (3,798m, Austria's highest peak) and the Pasterze, the longest glacier in the Eastern Alps.
The road is open from May to November and requires a toll. Allow a full day: stops at the viewpoints, the visitor centre at Franz-Josefs-Höhe, and a walk along the glacier rim add up. The wildflowers in June and the clear skies of September make those months particularly rewarding. Cyclists tackle the road in summer; the descent is one of the iconic alpine passes.