The region and its holiday towns

Tyrol’s largest lake, Achensee, and its five holiday towns, lies in the midst of the breathtaking mountainous scenery of the Karwendel and Rofan mountains in the centre of Tyrol. The area around the lake stands out with its incomparable natural beauty, drawing in visitors who enjoy countless opportunities to enjoy Alpine leisure pursuits and to relax. 
ein Fischerboot unterwegs am Achensee am frühen Morgen

Since the Achensee area was developed for tourism the region has been one of the most popular holiday and excursion destinations in Tyrol.

In 1887 the first steamer, the ‘St. Josef’, was released and today the resulting Achensee boat trip  pulls in visitors. The same also applies to the historic Achensee railway. This steam-driven rack railway runs every summer from Jenbach train station to Achensee, covering an unbelievable 400 metres altitude over the 6.4 kilometre route.

Long ago the towns around Achensee discovered winter tourism. Gently sloping hills invited families in particular to ski; an extended network of slopes earned the region the reputation of being ‘Tyrol’s best cross-country centre’. The Achensee region also achieved fame thanks to its ‘dark gold’, Tyrolean shale oil. This fossil oil has been extracted for more than a century and used in the treatment of a variety of illnesses.

Achensee – the centre of the region

Achensee came into being in the last Ice Age from a natural lake created by glaciers. The lake is flanked by the mountain slopes of the Karwendel massif and the Rofan mountain range and is supplied by subterranean tributaries from Ampelsbach, Dürrach and Achenkirch’s springs. In 1927 an underground cave was built from Seespitz to the hydropower station in Jenbach, which meant that Achensee became a natural reservoir.

Achensee in figures:

  • Volume/water content: 481 million cubic metres
  • Surface area: 6.8 square kilometres
  • Length: 9 kilometres
  • Width: max. 1.3 kilometres
  • Depth: 133 metres
  • Perimeter: 21.3 kilometres
  • Theoretical water replenishment: 1.9 years
  • Originated: around 20,000 years ago as an terminal moraine lake after the last Ice Age
  • Water quality: very good, drinking water
  • Surface area of the entire Achensee region: 390 square kilometres

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