Looking for a family holiday to Austria that is both adventurous and relaxing all at once?
A working farm holiday in Austria might be what you’re looking for. It’s a great combination of fresh air, outdoor activities, and authentic rural life, with plenty to keep both kids and parents busy.
Think horse riding, farm animals, alpine hikes, bike rides, and swimming in mountain lakes and thermal swimming pools.
We stayed on a working farm in Eben im Pongau, about an hour from Salzburg, and it was exactly what we needed.
A working farm holiday is also a brilliant add-on if you’re planning a hut to hut hiking trip or multi-day cycling adventure in Austria. It offers a good change of pace; you get the luxury of staying in one place for a while and not having to pack up every morning, but there’s still lots of opportunity to stay active.
If you’re considering a family holiday to Austria and want to know more about staying on a working alpine farm, read on for:
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What is a working farm holiday in Austria?
Basically, it’s exactly what it sounds like; you stay on a real, family-run farm and get a little taste of rural life. In German it’s called Urlaub am Bauernhof. Each farm is a bit different. Some have horses and offer riding sessions, others focus on local produce, and a lot of them let kids help with feeding the animals or collecting eggs.
Accommodation varies from farm to farm, with most offering a mix of self-catering apartments and B&B-style rooms, so you can choose what suits your family best.
It’s a brilliant option for a family holiday to Austria if you’re after something different from a typical hotel holiday. There’s always something to do outdoors – riding bikes, hiking nearby trails, or just pottering around with the animals. And because it’s Austria, everything is generally well organised and family-friendly, and your hosts (who are the farmers themselves) are really customer focussed and keen to look after you!
When I was a child living in Vienna in the ’80s, we spent our summers on an Urlaub am Bauernhof farm in rural Austria. We spent our days running wild, helped the farmer collect Haflinger horses (the local Austrian breed) from the mountain, riding them bareback down to the stables. We even helped the farmer deliver calves more than once – it was pretty exciting, chaotic and adventurous.
With those memories in mind, I booked our stay on a working farm in Eben im Pongau. And while things were a bit more polished than my childhood experience (there is a slightly different attitude to health and safety these days!), it still had that same magic. Here’s how our farm holiday unfolded and why we’d definitely do it again.
So, Where Did We Stay?
We stayed at Ortnergut, a lovely family-run farm in Eben im Pongau. The farm has been in the same family for generations, and you can tell how much care they put into making it a welcoming place for guests.
There’s a mix of self-catering apartments and B&B-style rooms, so you can choose what works best. We went for a self-catering option, which gave us the flexibility to do things at our own pace. The apartment was cosy and well equipped, with a little balcony where we could sit and take in the mountain views. If you choose the B&B option, you get to have a hearty Austrian style breakfast every morning, made with local produce from the farm.
The farm itself was full of things to keep us all entertained. We could visit the barn to see the dairy cows and pigs; there were also horses, turkeys, ducks, geese, cats, rabbits, chickens and alpacas.
There were regular excursions you could join, free bikes for guests, regular horse rides for the kids, and plenty of open space to run around. There was even a small swimming pool in the garden!
The location was ideal, too. Eben is a quiet little village, but it’s close to everything and has a train station and is on the bus network. The local swimming lake is just a short walk away, and there are great hiking and cycling routes right on the doorstep. Plus, Altenmarkt and its thermal pools are only a quick cycle (on a segregated bike path) down the road if you fancy a day off the farm.
🌟 Book your stay at the Ortnergut Holiday Farm here! 🌟
How Did We Get There?
We arrived at Ortnergut after a couple of days in Salzburg, where we’d been relaxing and exploring the city after cycling the Tauern Bike Path over a week. From Salzburg, it’s really easy to reach Eben im Pongau by public transport.
We took the train to Eben im Pongau station from Salzburg, changing at Bischofshofen, but there are also a couple of slower, regional but direct trains each day if you time it right. The train ride takes about an hour and a half and is full of gorgeous scenery – you’ll definitely want a window seat. It’s a 10 minute walk from the train station to the farm.
Train tickets can be booked via the Rail Europe website or app, and it’s often cheaper to buy in advance. Families can also take advantage of family-friendly discounts, which are worth looking into.
Not a fan of train changes? The express bus 270 is a brilliant alternative. It runs directly from several stops in Salzburg to Eben P&R (Park and Ride). From there, it’s an easy 25-minute walk through the village to the farm, or you can hop on the local bus 510 for a two-minute ride that drops you right outside Ortnergut. It couldn’t be simpler.
Bus tickets can be booked on the Salzburg transport website.
If you’re driving, it’s just about an hour from Salzburg, and there’s plenty of parking at the farm. Driving gives you more flexibility for exploring the surrounding area, but honestly, we found public transport super easy and reliable.
Plenty to Do for Active Families
One of the best things about a farm holiday is that there’s plenty to do as a family. Whether you’re hiking, cycling, or getting involved with life on the farm, it’s the perfect chance to get outdoors and be active together. Here’s how we spent our week at Ortnergut:
Horse riding every couple of days
Every couple of days, the farm offered short horse and pony rides for the kids in their dedicated riding arena next to the house. Before each ride, the kids were encouraged to groom the horses (Haflinger – Austria’s native breed, Pinto and ponies), brushing their coats and gently untangling their beautiful manes. It was a great way for them to get familiar with the horses and build confidence before mounting up for a ride.
The rides themselves were relaxed, so perfect for beginners. No fancy gear or intimidating lessons, just (fairly) patient horses and kind instructors who were happy to lead the horse around or let the kids do the controlling (or attempt to).
Riding lessons can be arranged on site for more experienced riders.
The barn and animals
Depending on what was happening that day, we helped feed the alpacas, watched the cows being milked, collected eggs from the chickens and even got roped into cuddling rabbits and bringing in the hay. Activities aren’t staged for guests. It’s a real working farm, and you’re genuinely joining in with whatever the daily tasks happen to be. You don’t get to pick and choose, but that’s what makes it fun.
Alpaca hike
Once a week, you can join a hike with the farm’s fluffy alpacas. These gentle, curious animals make surprisingly great hiking companions. The walk starts at the farm and leads you through the idyllic countryside around Eben, passing meadows, forest paths, and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. It’s a relaxed pace, especially as the alpacas are full of character and stop every few minutes to munch on a tempting patch of grass.
Bike rides and countryside explorations
Ortnergut’s free bikes were a great perk – they had bikes for all sizes and bike seats and other options for toddlers and babies too. We could head out on a ride easily following completely segregated and traffic free bike paths, through stunning alpine scenery, as the Ennsradweg (Enns Cycle Path) passes by here.
There are playgrounds, cafés, and villages and towns along the way. Cycling is a brilliant way to explore the area without needing a car.
Cooling off at the local swimming lake
In the afternoons, we often walked down to Badesee Eben, a small swimming lake just a short walk through woods from the farm. The water was cool and clear – perfect after a morning of hiking or biking. There’s a slide, a little beach, a grassy area for sunbathing and a café where we refuelled with ice cream and drinks.
A trip to Altenmarkt thermal pools
One morning, we cycled to Therme Amadé in Altenmarkt – about 20 minutes by bike along the Enns Cycle Path (totally traffic free). It’s part adventure, part relaxation. The kids loved the wave pool and looping water slide, while we found ourselves relaxing in the thermally heated outdoor pool and enjoying the whirlpool. There’s also a water climbing wall, saunas, and various other types of salt water pool along with massage benches and massage jets.
The Alm Frühstück: breakfast with a view
Our favourite morning was the Alm Frühstück, a traditional mountain breakfast (held weekly by the farm in July and August), served at the highest farm in Eben im Pongau. Many guests drove their own car to the trailhead, while we got a lift with the farmer, and then took the leisurely 20-minute walk to the alpine hut, which was a great way to work up an appetite.
The spread was fantastic and almost entirely made from the farm’s own produce. Fresh bread, homemade cheeses, local ham, delicious scrambled eggs and even Kaiserschamarrn – which is fluffy, shredded pancake; a classic Austrian treat. There was also plenty of steaming coffee. Enjoying such a delicious breakfast outdoors, with the mountains all around us, was an absolute highlight!
Family hike on the children’s trail (KiTiWapf)
The KITIWAPF is a family-friendly hiking trail designed for kids, but don’t let that fool you as it’s a brilliant trail for adults too. It winds its way up the local mountain with stamping stations and wooden animal sculptures.
There are two different options, one shorter, less uphill option to the Moosalm restaurant, and one longer option with 445 metres of altitude gain to the Reitlehenalm restaurant, which makes for a pretty decent hike. We took the longer option, which took us about 2 and a half hours up to the Reitlehenalm (including stops), and about half that to go back down!
The kids loved spotting the carved animals and enjoying the woodland play areas dotted along the path. The promise of lunch at the mountain hut at the top kept us all motivated, and when we got there there was even a trampoline and playground, to the kids’ delight!
Night hike in July and August
Once a week the farm hosts an evening hike up the hill. You hike as a group together with the other guests, and after a 45 minute hike, a hearty alpine dinner awaits you. Kids can look forward to a great playground and a breath taking starry sky once night has fallen. The journey back is an adventure in itself, made by head torch or flashlight back down to the farm.
🌟 Book your stay at the Ortnergut Holiday Farm here! 🌟
Ready for an active family adventure? Book a farm stay holiday to Austria!
If you’re looking for a holiday that’s relaxing, active, and a bit different, I can’t recommend a working farm holiday in Austria enough.
You get a real glimpse of farm life and how closely it’s tied to nature, the weather, and the seasons. Chat with the farmers and find out how local produce is made – from fresh milk turned into creamy yoghurt to berries from the garden transformed into homemade jam.
It’s a wonderful mix of outdoor adventure and downtime, with plenty to keep everyone happy. Animals, horse riding, real local experiences, all the space to explore, with fresh mountain air and some seriously stunning scenery.
Four more working farm holidays in Austria
If Ortnergut is fully booked, don’t worry – there are plenty of other fantastic options in Austria. Here are a few farms that come highly recommended. I haven’t personally stayed at these, but they offer a similar experience with great reviews and plenty of activities for families.
Urlaub am Moarbauerhof
Located in Mühlen in the Styria region, Moarbauerhof is a family-friendly farm offering a mix of outdoor adventure and relaxation. With stunning alpine views, a petting zoo, and plenty of activities for kids—like pony rides, a large playground, and seasonal farm experiences—it’s perfect for an active family holiday in Austria.
Bauernhof Unterbichl
Set in the picturesque Salzburg region in Flachau, Unterbichl is a traditional organic farm that combines nature, comfort, and hands-on experiences. Families can explore the nearby hiking trails. The cosy apartments are surrounded by green meadows, and kids will love the farm animals and wide-open spaces for running around and playing.
Bio Bauernhof Schweizerhof
Nestled in a quiet spot in the Gastein valley in the Salzburgerland, the Schweizerhof is an organic farm offering a peaceful retreat. Guests can enjoy fresh organic produce, spacious family apartments, and the chance to experience farm life up close. Pony rides are a highlight. The nearby Alpentherme Gastein is great for a relaxing spa day.
Ferien Bauernhof Maurachhof
This organic farm near St. Johann im Pongau in the Salzburgerland offers campfires, horseback riding, and the chance for kids to “foster” an animal while they’re staying. There’s hiking trails right on the doorstep. The cosy farm accommodation and friendly atmosphere make it an unforgettable family experience.
