It’s arguable that in this day and age of Twitter and Facebook, we all love to share our holiday snaps online with our friends and family.
Whether you consider yourself an expert photographer, or you just love to upload the odd photo from your smartphone onto Instagram, we have brought together a collection of fantastic spots throughout lakes and mountains region in Europe where you can whip your camera out and capture some breathtaking shots.
1. Krimml Waterfalls in Zell am See, Austria
2. ‘The Five Fingers’ viewing platform at Dachstein, Austria
3. The Mittelallalin in Saas-Fee, Switzerland
4. Mount Baldo in Lake Garda, Italy
5. The Greenway Walk in Lake Como, Italy
6. Bürgenstock in Lucerne, Switzerland
7. The Penken Gondola in Mayrhofen, Austria
8. The Schilthorn in Mürren, Switzerland
9. Gornergrat Rack Railway in Zermatt, Switzerland
10. Isola Maggiore in Trasimeno, Italy
11. The ‘Two Lakes Viewing Platform’ in Interlaken, Switzerland
1. Krimml Waterfalls in Zell am See, Austria
Standing at 380metres high, the Krimml Waterfall is Europe’s highest waterfall, and the 5th highest waterfall in the world. The waterfall itself is tiered down the mountain, therefore you can capture some amazing photos from the hiking trail, which gets very close to this natural spectacle.
Getting there: You can either go for a hike for there are many trails and routes that lead past the waterfalls,
OR
You go in one of the trains of ‘Pinzgauer Lokalbahn’, or in the Postbus from Zell am See to Kaprun.
Top tip: Pack a raincoat! The waterfall has the tendency to spray.
Inghams recommends: Stay at the lovely Hotel Heitzmann in Zell am See, where you can expect a warm welcome from Rudi and his family.
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2. ‘The Five Fingers’ viewing platform at Dachstein, Austria
© Dachstein Tourismus AG
Sitting at a staggering 500m above the ground is the world famous ‘Five Fingers’ viewing platform! Shaped like a hand, the five fingers of the platform stick out over the threshold of the cliff, so this is definitely not one for the faint hearted!
Enjoy panoramic views across the World Heritage Region, this is a perfect opportunity to capture some jaw dropping pictures.
Getting there: Just a short 15 minute walk from the top of the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car: the base station of this gondola can be reached by Postbus from Obertraun. Obertraun has an easily accessible train station.
Inghams recommends: Pull up a seat on the beautiful sun terrace outside the Hotel Hanneshof in Filzmoos and enjoy a coffee whilst you watch the world go by.
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3. The Mittelallalin in Saas-Fee, Switzerland
© Saas-Fee Tourist Board
The Mittelallalin in Saas-Fee is one of the highest revolving cafe/restaurants in the world. Standing at 3,500m, the Threesixty offers fantastic views over the glacier and a very unique dining experience!
Impressive views across the Saas valley and over the surrounding peaks of the Swiss Alps, if you don’t fancy stopping for a bite to eat, the summit station of the Metro Alpin underground funicular is surrounded by viewing stations.
Getting there: From Saas-Fee, walk to the base of the gondola station (about 5-10 minutes) and hop on the ‘Alpin Express’ gondola.
At the midway station, ‘Morenia’, you change to another gondola, ending at ‘Felskinn’. From here, catch the underground funicular train called the ‘Metro Alpin’ which will take you to Mittelallalin.
Inghams recommends: The recently refurbished Hotel Dom in Saas-Fee is the oldest hotel in the town therefore the architecture both internally and externally tells a great tale.
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4. Mount Baldo in Lake Garda, Italy
Another not-to-miss experience is riding the Malcesine gondola to the top of Monte Baldo on the edge of Lake Garda, in Italy. The cable car rotates 360° during its 10 minute and 1600m ascent of the side of the Baldo mountain, making the journey as astounding as the view from the top itself.
Our Inghams expert, Ilenia, promises that the views from the summit of the mountain are definitely photo-worthy. On a clear day you can see the whole of Lake Garda from Riva to Peschiera del Garda!
Getting there: The Funivia Malscesine gondola is extremely well located and can be reached by foot from the centre of Malscesine.
Top tip: The Funivia Malscesine is extremely popular in the summer months, so aim to get there before 10:00. Also be prepared for a little stroll when you get to the top!
Inghams recommends: For something a bit different, we would recommend staying at the Hotel Bellevue San Lorenzo which was once six traditional Italian villas but has now been converted into this picturesque hotel. The hotel is a 20 minute walk away from the Funivia Malscesine.
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5. The Greenway Walk in Lake Como, Italy
For those who fancy slipping in a bit of exercise along their photography adventure, this is the walk for you. An easy 10km that runs along the shore of Lake Como in Italy, arguably one of the most beautiful and scenic lakes the country has to offer.
The walk runs past stately Italian houses, peaceful and secluded woodland and paths that run along the side of the lake.
Getting there: You can get the boat from Bellagio (and many other towns and villages around Lake Como) to Griante, near Cadenabbia. The walk commences from there.
Top Tip: Make sure you wear some ‘broken in’ walking shoes for this walk, as it spans 10km (roughly 2 hours walking). Nothing is worse than the ‘new boot’ blister!
Inghams recommends: The Hotel Belvedere is ideally located above the village of Bellagio, across the lake from Griante, offering stunning views across the lake.
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6. Bürgenstock in Lucerne, Switzerland
Described as looking like a ‘heaven bound rocket’, the 150m high lift to the Bürgenstock is Europe’s highest vertical outdoor lift, and the viewing platform at the top offers remarkable views across Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains.
If you don’t fancy the dizzying ascent of the mountain side in the Hammetschwand Elevator, then there is always the much easier trip up the nearby Bürgenstockbahn (Bürgenstock Railway) to the summit.
Getting there: There is a variety of different methods for getting to the base of the Bürgenstock Hammetschwand elevator (and the Bürgenstock summit itself), including boat connections across Lake Lucerne, and a pre-booked bus that runs from Stansstad to the summit during the summer months.
Top tip: Bürgenstock is currently undergoing lots of transformations and restorations. The full resort should be complete in 2017.
Inghams recommends: If you’re looking for a cosy atmosphere head to Hotel Central am See which is situated right on the lake front, across the lake from the Bürgenstock mountain and Hammetschwand Elevator.
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7. The Penken Gondola in Mayrhofen, Austria
Quoted as one of the ‘5 scariest lifts in the world’ by Whitelines online blog, the Penken Gondola in Mayrhofen is perfect for those who fancy a bit of a thrill in their pursuit for the most beautiful locations in Europe.
From the top of the Penken Gondola, there is an abundance of walking and hiking trails across the mountain, each one leading to its own unique photography vantage point.
If you don’t fancy hopping back on the gondola again, there is always a delightful 3 hour hike back down to the base station which is guaranteed to get you a bit of that fresh mountain air.
Getting there: The Penkenbahn runs from the centre of Mayrhofen up the mountain, it’s hard to miss it!
Top tip: A return journey up the gondola can be expensive, so pack your walking shoes and take the long way down. A beautiful scenic walk back into Mayrhofen will bring you plenty more photographs to share with your friends and family back home.
Inghams recommends: The Hotel Strass is one of our most popular hotels in Mayrhofen, due to its great central location, local cuisine and friendly staff.
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8. The Schilthorn in Mürren, Switzerland
Perhaps most famous for her starring role in the James Bond movie, On her Majesty’s Secret Service, the Schilthorn revolving restaurant in Mürren, Switzerland, holds some fantastic views across the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger mountains.
If you’re not in the Piz Gloria restaurant ordering your medium dry martini (shaken, not stirred, of course!), the pride and joy of the Schilthorn summit is its viewing platform outside. There you can get your snaps of the view across the Jungfrau skin region.
Getting there: Conveniently, the Mürren-Schilthorn gondola runs from the very centre of Mürren and up to the summit.
Top tip: Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get a photo of yourself and your travelling partners against the iconic backdrop of the three legendary peaks: the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger!
Inghams recommends: Guests staying with us at the Hotel Alpenruh in Mürren couldn’t be in a better position to hop on the Schilthorn as it is located adjacent to the hotel, perfect!
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9. Gornergrat Rack Railway in Zermatt, Switzerland
The Matterhorn Mountain, the Queen of the Alps, is an iconic landmark in the rugged alpine skyline. And there is no better way to view it and get some snaps than from the comfort of the Gornergrat Railway. The Gornergrat railway runs from Zermatt to Gornergrat, with mountains, rivers, valleys and wild untouched landscape dashing past the window.
Getting there: The Gornergrat railway station is only a stone’s throw from the centre of Zermatt.
Top tip: Take some time to explore the beautiful town of Zermatt- there are plenty of activities happening in and around the town all year long!
Inghams recommends: Just a few minutes’ walk away from the railway is the Hotel Alex, which has a modern and traditional décor giving it a ‘boutique’ quirky feel.
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10. Isola Maggiore in Trasimeno, Italy
This island, situated in the Lake Trasimeno in Italy, is a real gem for those who want to get off the heavily beaten tourist path and get a real slice (and snaps!) of rural Italian culture and history. Grab the boat to this secluded island and enjoy walking about in the traffic-free streets. The buildings here are centuries old, with beautiful paved streets and immaculate murals painted on the insides of churches, this is a real Italian haven.
Walk around the island (a mere 2km) and enjoy the isolation while you can!
Getting there: Easiest place to catch the ferry to Isola Maggiore is from Tuoro Sul Trasimeno, a short ride across the lake will bring you to the medieval village on the island.
Top tip: Don’t be afraid to duck your heads into churches on the island, but be wary about taking photographs without permission.
Inghams recommends: Stay at the Hotel Lido and request a room with a balcony view over the lake to admire the stunning sunsets.
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11. The ‘Two Lakes Viewing Platform’ in Interlaken, Switzerland
At the top of the Harder Kulm gondola is a viewing platform. But what makes this viewing platform so special? Well, for one, it can be quite hard to squeeze two majestic lakes and three epochal mountains into one view. But the view from the Two Lakes Viewing Platform does all this.
Enjoy the picturesque restaurant at this vantage point and make the most of the structure of footpaths and trails that start at this point and explore the mountain.
Getting there: The Interlaken Harderbahn gondola starts on the north side of the river in Interlaken, extremely easy to access by foot from the centre of town.
Top tip: Make the most of the end of your day by watching the sun slip beneath the mountains while you enjoy a glass of wine on the Harder Kulm restaurant terrace (subject to availability). The Harderbahn gondola will carry you back down the mountain again.
Inghams recommends: The Hotel du Lac is new to our programme for 2015, and what a great addition it is! The Interlaken Ost train station is just a few steps away making it a great base to get out and explore the Jungfrau region.
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