Austria for Cheese Lovers and Families

cheese in austria

Travel for foodies is a booming niche. Travel Agent is taking a look at the top culinary offerings for lovers of beer, cheese, wine and more around the world. Here we turn our gaze to Austria

Booking a culinary experience for families? Austria has some great options that will leave kids and adults smiling. In the Bregenzerwald region families should participate in the Nature Hands On project. Visitors will explore a working farm and get to taste the farm’s delicious products, including cheese, whey drinks and fresh fruit. Children will love peering inside the cow pens and the goat house. Then it’s off to the animal cuddling zone, the herb garden, the high-tech cooling and heating system, the cheese production and the whey-based cosmetic processing. Note: This experience includes a guided tour of the farm. To book this tour, contact Bregenzerwald’s tourist board directly at 011-435-512-2365, or e-mail [email protected]. Tip: Herlinde Moosbrugger is the director of the tourist board.

Older children and teens will enjoy exploring one of the eight culinary pathways through SalzburgerLand. We suggest these itineraries because they provide a lot of flexibility, are self guided (not everyone wants a guide) and fit a wide range of preferences. There is a suggested route for gourmet meals, fish, cheese, desserts, meat, herbs and more. Agents can access maps online that will take travelers to restaurants, hotels and gardens — like a culinary pilgrimage or treasure hunt. Note: All the stops are also listed on the route planners; agents should contact those locations directly to make special arrangements. Otherwise, visit www.salzburgerland.com/en and click on “Via Culinary.”

A mouth-watering spread of gustatory treats outside a wine cellar in Mailberg, Austria.
A mouth-watering spread of gustatory treats outside a wine cellar in Mailberg, Austria.

For families that are grown (or just the grownups) and looking for other culinary delights and hands-on experiences, there is a wide range of cheese tours that are sure to please.

The Cheese Route through the Bregenzerwald in Vorarlberg is an ideal way to explore the region and its close ties with cheese-making. Dairy farms and cheese specialty inns provide unique ways to discover the country’s culinary heritage.

The Bregenzerwald Cheese Road is a local network linking the various aspects of cheese production in Austria, winding past traditional buildings, including The Alpine Dairy Farming Museum in Hittisau. The exhibit includes a dairy kitchen designed exactly as it was used 300 years ago, and guests are welcome to explore while tour guides explain how various historic tools were used in the making of the cheese. The museum is open on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For travelers who want to sample Austria’s cheese culture, while at the same time take in some of the country’s natural scenery, the “Taste of Place” itinerary covers both. Set in the mountain village of Galtuer, a region famous for its cheese, visitors can experience award-winning mountain cheeses crafted by local farmers, while taking in the location’s natural scenic landscapes.

The artisan cheese tour is a one-of-a-kind-experience. At each of the four Galtuer “Taste of Place” stops, guests will sample culinary offerings revolving around the theme of original Paznaun Valley Mountain Cheese. The tour’s trailhead is the Alpinarium, where travelers will visit various sights and attractions in the village of Galtuer before walking into Larein Valley, where the cattle graze in pastures and woods during the summer months. Additionally, during the walk, travelers are accompanied by marching Galtuer Musicians. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit www.tyrol.com.