© Mauritius Images

It looks as if one of the famous pyramids from Egypt has been beamed into the middle of the Alps: The Guffert stands prominently in front of the Rofan mountains, but its peak towers lonely into the sky. It's popular with climbers because the view is magnificent and the terrain is challenging. If you are fit enough for the south ridge, you'll be thrilled by the wildness of the area. Although the people of Munich impertinently claim that the Guffert is one of their local mountains, it's actually one of the many Tyrolean alpine challenges; a climbing classic with guaranteed far-reaching views.

© Achensee Tourism

One thing you learn quickly as a tourist in Tyrol is that you can't compete with the locals. They have been conquering mountains since they were toddlers, where city dwellers would be breathless just looking at them. It's better to take it easy and find out whether the indicated route times are actually suitable for you - or whether, as is so often the case, they have been set out by speedy members of the Alpine Club. Photo breaks are not included in the hiking times, but you'll find endless motifs: idyllic rest areas away from the tourist routes allow you to experience nature up close.

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In Tyrol, it's almost impossible to remain an outdoor grouch. The landscape is simply too beautiful. Here, you move through an archaic mountain world in awe. Rugged cliffs alternate with flowering meadows; lakes that meander through the valley like fjords, mountain streams and waterfalls that glisten with unreal beauty. You constantly oscillate between the narrowness of the valley and the vastness of the mountains. These contrasts characterize both the region and the people; they spur you on to become a summiteer. A view of one's own life from above can be enlightening and liberating. You want to explore as much as possible, whether on foot, by bike or on a boat. Or perhaps you would prefer to glide over the Achensee in a hot air balloon and enjoy the incredible silence? Everything's possible and surprisingly easy to organize.

© StockFood / Achmann, Andreas

From Landeck, you can hike to Schrofenstein Castle - one of the many fortified buildings in Tyrol, telling of a past in which this region was hotly contested. Ruins, castles, churches and old salt roads bring the Middle Ages to life, allowing you to explore the rich history of Tyrol. The Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest national park in Central Europe and a great opportunity to get to know the unique ecosystem - also to teach children how important it is to protect this extraordinary wealth of species. 15,000 animal species can be found here, which is a third of all species found in Austria. The best thing to do is to ask the local rangers to explain everything to you - many of them are originals themselves, mountain enthusiasts and conservationists from the very beginning. Like chamois, they move around in the mountains as if they were in their natural habitat. They might even manage to spot a golden eagle, the heraldic animal of this national park.

Via ferrata debut 

© shootandstyle.com

At Achensee, you can combine relaxation, wellness, enjoyment and high-altitude sports without any strain. In the morning, you can climb the challenging Rosskopf via ferrata - or find a beginner's route to take your first climbing steps. In the afternoon, you can chill out on the lakeshore and enjoy the sun. In bad weather, you can spend your time in the futuristic Aqua Dome, a spacious, architecturally exciting thermal spa landscape, only an hour and a half away. The density of award-winning restaurants on Lake Achensee is also impressive.

© Zillertal/Magazine/BikeandHike

Tyrol is also one of the most varied mountain bike regions in Austria. The numerous bike rental points will give you the best tips on which tours are suitable for you. There are 250 kilometers of mountain bike routes on Lake Achensee alone, but you can also head out into nature from Innsbruck. The Alpbachtal valley is also exciting, a beautiful place with its rugged cliffs and idyllic Alpine pastures, but definitely challenging routes. With views of the Großglockner and the Venediger group to the north, East Tyrol is one of the most impressive nature park areas; the Ötztal, on the other hand, is particularly diverse in terms of routes. The Seefeld region is ideal for family excursions and e-mountain bike tours, while the Zillertal boasts numerous three-thousand-metre peaks as well as many mountain lifts that help you avoid having to conquer everything on your own.

© Thomas Pfister

Helping out on vacation is booming right now: Working as a volunteer on a farm is a great opportunity to learn more about alpine pasture care, wild herbs and animal welfare - and to make friends for life with the locals. Many guests have become regulars, enjoying their time on the mountain pasture and being part of nature. Accommodation and meals are usually free if you help with the hay harvest or stable work.

© cNPHT/Jakober

One thing is certain: you can't get away without sore muscles in Tyrol. But that's exactly why people like to go on vacation in the mountains - they want to feel themselves more again, to experience that our office bodies are capable of more than banal everyday movements. Tyrol is a motivation multiplier: even children who find it hard to tear themselves away from the screen at home discover the capricorn within them. And if you feel drunk in the evening, it's not necessarily because of the good food in the huts: Fresh air is also intoxicating - and addictive.

Read more: The best hiking routes in Tyrol