Rattenberg, Austria

Rattenberg is a popular excursion destination, so on nice days and especially during the summer months, the crowds can be quite large. In the winter half-year and when the weather is not so good, we see significantly fewer people strolling through the town. It is also easier to look at the glassware in the shops then.

From the parking lot, we walk along the street to the gate in the row of houses, which we cross through a small passage beside the street. On the other side, we see a small square with a fountain that marks the beginning of Südtirolerstraße, the main street of Rattenberg. Passing many old houses, we stroll through the wide street where shops and dining options are located on both sides.

Unmissable are the many shops with glassware, often displaying and selling everyday items. A few also exhibit works by artists, which are definitely worth seeing. A very well-known manufacturer is Kisslinger Glass, located approximately in the middle of Südtirolerstraße.

At the end of Südtirolerstraße, we see on the left the Nailsmith Houses, which are said to date back to the 12th century and are therefore the oldest houses in the town. We turn right and walk along the row of houses by the Inn River. Soon we see a passage to the right through which we return to Südtirolerstraße. We turn left and take a break in one of the cafés or restaurants.

Shortly before the end of Südtirolerstraße, we turn left into Klostergasse, at the end of which there is also a passage to the Inn. Before that, we see the Augustinian Museum on the right in the former Augustinian-Servite Monastery, founded in the 14th century and existing until the second half of the 20th century.

We then turn right into Hassauerstraße, cross the beginning of Südtirolerstraße, and walk via Bienerstraße to the parish church of Saint Virgil, which was built around 1500. On the right, we see Pfarrgasse with some old houses.

Via Bienerstraße, we leave the town and immediately behind the railway line turn right uphill, where shortly after we reach the lower part of the castle. From up here, we have a beautiful view over the roofs of the old town, the Inn Valley, and the Rofan mountains located to the north. A small path leads a bit steeper up to the upper part of the castle, from where we can again overlook the town and the Inn Valley.

We could now descend westward to Rattenberg, but we return the same way we came up. Where Pfarrgasse is on the left, we see a small passage to the right through the row of houses. On the other side, we have the parking lot in front of us, where we started.