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Flachgau
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Explore Flachgau in Austria for lake swimming, riverside history, rural cycling, market towns and easy access to Salzburg’s northern countryside.

Flachgau is the informal name for Salzburg-Umgebung district, the broad lowland region surrounding Salzburg city to the north and east. It stretches from the Salzach River and the German border towards gently wooded hills, farming country and the foothills of the Alps. Although Salzburg city is outside Flachgau, its railway station, airport and cultural institutions provide the region’s principal international gateways. Beyond the urban edge, the landscape quickly becomes more rural, with market towns, village churches, cycle paths and a chain of accessible lakes.
Read more about Flachgau
Water is central to Flachgau’s identity. The Wallersee, one of the largest lakes in the district, is bordered by settlements including Seekirchen and Neumarkt, while the smaller Trumer Seen—Obertrumer See, Mattsee and Grabensee—form a particularly attractive area for swimming, sailing, walking and cycling. The lakes are used by residents as well as visitors, and their shores combine reed beds, meadows, woodland and modest holiday infrastructure rather than heavily developed resort strips. In the west, the Salzach corridor links towns such as Oberndorf and Bürmoos with Salzburg and Bavaria.
The region’s historic character is most evident in its churches, former monastic foundations, old market centres and river settlements. Mattsee grew around its collegiate monastery and retains a strong ecclesiastical and architectural identity. Oberndorf is associated with the first performance of “Silent Night” in 1818, while the neighbouring Bavarian town of Laufen, across the Salzach and outside Austria, forms part of the same historic river landscape. At the southern edge of the district, the Salzburg Open-Air Museum in Großgmain presents rural buildings and working traditions from Salzburg and neighbouring Alpine areas.
Flachgau is also a living commuter and agricultural region rather than a preserved museum landscape. Villages east of Salzburg combine modern housing with farms, inns and parish churches, while places such as Eugendorf and Seekirchen have developed strong links to regional commerce and transport. Local food reflects northern Salzburg and the wider Alpine tradition: freshwater fish, dairy products, bread, seasonal produce and hearty dishes are common in inns and farm shops. Cycling around the lakes, swimming in designated bathing areas, walking through the low hills and visiting small museums offer a quieter counterpoint to Salzburg’s major attractions. The region is best understood as a northern Salzburg landscape with its own lake districts, riverside history and everyday rural culture.

When is the best time to visit Flachgau?

Best: June–August · 22–24°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January250
February340
March850
April1360
May1870
June (best)2290
July (best)24100
August (best)2390
September2070
October1460
November760
December350

Getting to and around Flachgau

How to get there

Flachgau is most easily reached through Salzburg, whose main railway station and Salzburg Airport are outside the district but provide its principal gateways. Salzburg has domestic and international rail connections, and regional trains continue northwards towards Seekirchen, Neumarkt and Oberndorf. The A1 motorway serves the eastern part of the district, with road links towards Eugendorf, Seekirchen and the lake country. From Germany, the Salzach corridor and crossings near Oberndorf provide access to the western side. Check current rail, bus and flight arrangements before travelling, as services and routes can change.

Transportation

Regional trains are practical for Salzburg, Seekirchen, Neumarkt and Oberndorf, while buses connect Salzburg with many surrounding towns and villages. A car offers greater flexibility for visiting the Trumer Seen, smaller lakeside communities, rural museums and dispersed walking routes, although traffic can be busy on roads serving Salzburg and the motorway. Cycling is well suited to the lowland terrain and lake corridors, but routes may include roads shared with vehicles. Taxis are available in larger settlements, while rural evening transport can be limited, so plan the return journey in advance.

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Best attractions in Flachgau

Flachgau’s attractions are spread across a lowland landscape of lakes, river settlements, market towns and working countryside. The Wallersee and the Trumer Seen provide opportunities for swimming, boating, walking and cycling, with lakeside paths and meadow landscapes that are especially appealing in warmer months. Historic interest centres on places such as Mattsee, whose collegiate monastery and museums reflect the region’s ecclesiastical past, and Oberndorf, associated with the first performance of “Silent Night”. In Großgmain, the Salzburg Open-Air Museum presents historic rural buildings relocated from across the Salzburg region, giving visitors an accessible introduction to traditional construction, farming and village life. Bürmoos offers a different perspective through its industrial and peat-mining history. Churches, farmsteads, local museums and small town centres fill out the cultural landscape, while the Salzach provides riverside walking and cycling opportunities. Flachgau is less about a single headline attraction than about the contrast between accessible lakes, agricultural settlements, historic institutions and the expanding communities around Salzburg.

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Best landmarks in Flachgau

Mattsee Collegiate Church and its associated monastic complex are among Flachgau’s most important historic landmarks, expressing the long influence of Salzburg’s ecclesiastical institutions on the northern lowlands. In Oberndorf, the Silent Night Chapel marks the site associated with the first performance of the carol in 1818 and has become the district’s best-known international cultural symbol. The Salzach itself is a major geographical landmark, particularly around Oberndorf, where the river’s historic relationship with the neighbouring Bavarian town of Laufen is visible in the settlement pattern and bridges; Laufen is outside Austria and should be treated as a nearby cross-border place rather than part of Flachgau. The lakes form a second group of defining landmarks: Wallersee, Obertrumer See, Mattsee and Grabensee shape the region’s identity through open water, reed beds and wooded shores. In Großgmain, the historic rural buildings assembled at the Salzburg Open-Air Museum offer an architectural record of the wider Salzburg countryside within the district.

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Best restaurants in Flachgau

Dining in Flachgau reflects northern Salzburg’s blend of Alpine, lakeside and agricultural traditions. Country inns and village restaurants commonly serve Austrian staples such as schnitzel, dumplings, roast dishes, soups and seasonal vegetables, alongside regional bread and pastries. Dairy products are important in the surrounding farming economy, and freshwater fish may appear on menus around the lakes, although availability is seasonal and varies by establishment. Farm shops and local markets are useful for cheese, meat, eggs, baked goods, preserves and other produce to enjoy on a walk or picnic. Around Mattsee, Seekirchen, Oberndorf and the larger communities, visitors will find cafés and contemporary restaurants as well as traditional inns. Salzburg city, outside Flachgau, offers the broadest choice of international and fine dining, but the district itself rewards travellers who seek informal meals, local ingredients and the slower rhythm of a rural Austrian dining room.

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Best bars in Flachgau

Evening life in Flachgau is generally modest and local rather than organised around a large club scene. Traditional inns, village cafés and bars provide the main settings for a drink or a meal, with the strongest choice in larger towns such as Seekirchen, Neumarkt and Oberndorf. Lakeside communities can feel more active during the summer bathing season, although nightlife remains dependent on local events and individual businesses. Bürmoos and other northern settlements have a community-oriented evening culture, while younger visitors and those seeking theatres, concert venues, cocktail bars or nightclubs usually travel into Salzburg city, which lies outside the district. Regional breweries and Austrian drinks may feature on menus, but alcohol is not central to every evening; a lakeside walk, a village restaurant or a cultural visit can be equally characteristic ways to spend the night.

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Best nightclubs in Flachgau

Evening life in Flachgau is generally modest and local rather than organised around a large club scene. Traditional inns, village cafés and bars provide the main settings for a drink or a meal, with the strongest choice in larger towns such as Seekirchen, Neumarkt and Oberndorf. Lakeside communities can feel more active during the summer bathing season, although nightlife remains dependent on local events and individual businesses. Bürmoos and other northern settlements have a community-oriented evening culture, while younger visitors and those seeking theatres, concert venues, cocktail bars or nightclubs usually travel into Salzburg city, which lies outside the district. Regional breweries and Austrian drinks may feature on menus, but alcohol is not central to every evening; a lakeside walk, a village restaurant or a cultural visit can be equally characteristic ways to spend the night.

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Best shops in Flachgau

Shopping in Flachgau is centred on practical town centres, local services, independent retailers and food rather than extensive luxury or designer districts. Seekirchen, Neumarkt, Oberndorf and other larger settlements have everyday high-street shops, cafés and markets, while Salzburg city outside the district provides the most extensive regional retail choice. Farm shops are particularly worthwhile for Salzburg-area dairy products, bread, smoked or cured foods, preserves and seasonal produce, although opening arrangements vary. Around the lakes, small businesses may sell outdoor goods, locally made items and simple holiday supplies. Mattsee and other historic centres are suitable for browsing craft, gift and gallery-style shops when available, while museums and cultural sites can provide books and regionally themed souvenirs. Visitors looking for durable souvenirs should consider food products, traditional craftwork or locally designed items rather than generic Alpine merchandise, and should carry cash for some smaller producers and market stalls.

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Flachgau essentials

Currency and Payment
Flachgau uses the euro (EUR), as does the rest of Austria. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, larger shops, transport machines and established restaurants, but smaller rural businesses, market stalls and some farm shops may prefer cash or have a minimum card payment. Carry a modest amount of euros, particularly when visiting lakeside facilities or villages away from the main transport corridors. ATMs are more common in towns than in small settlements.
Safety
Flachgau is generally straightforward for visitors, but ordinary precautions remain appropriate in busy transport areas, car parks and popular lakeside locations. Take care on roads used for cycling and walking, especially in poor visibility or during winter. Lakes can be cold, and weather may change quickly; use marked access points and follow local swimming notices. When walking in wooded or hilly country, wear suitable footwear and carry a charged phone. Drivers should expect cyclists, agricultural vehicles and congestion near Salzburg during commuting periods.
Emergency Situations
The European emergency number 112 can be used throughout Austria. The national numbers are 133 for police, 122 for the fire service and 144 for ambulance services; mountain rescue is reached on 140. For a serious incident on or near the Salzach, follow instructions from emergency services regarding the appropriate rescue authority. Give a precise location, nearby road or settlement and, where relevant, the name of a lake or marked trail. Pharmacies display information about out-of-hours arrangements, which vary by locality.
Do's and Don'ts
Keep to marked paths, close gates and respect cultivated fields, private land and lakeside nature areas. At churches, chapels and monasteries, dress and behave respectfully, and check whether photography is permitted. Queueing and keeping voices low on public transport are expected throughout Austria. Tipping is customary for good service in restaurants and cafés, usually by rounding up or adding a modest amount rather than following a compulsory fixed percentage. Do not assume that every lake shore is public bathing land, and avoid parking across farm entrances or village access roads.
Local Tips
The lake districts are most enjoyable outside the busiest warm-weather periods, when early mornings and late afternoons offer quieter paths and better light. Consider combining a train journey with a walk rather than attempting to reach every rural attraction by car. Mattsee is particularly useful for combining historic sights, lake scenery and museum visits, while Oberndorf provides a focused riverside history stop. Salzburg’s city centre can serve as an evening base, but returning to smaller Flachgau villages may require checking the final regional connection.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloGrüß Gott[Groos Got]
GoodbyeAuf Wiedersehen[Owf Veederzayn]
YesJa[Yah]
NoNein[Nayn]
Please/You're welcomeBitte[Bitt-eh]
Thank youDanke[Dahn-keh]
Excuse me/SorryEntschuldigung[Ent-shool-dee-goong]
How are you?Wie geht's?[Vee gates?]
Fine. And you?Gut. Und dir?[Goot. Oond deer?]
Do you speak English?Sprechen Sie Englisch?[Shprecken Zee English?]
I don't understandIch verstehe nicht[Ikh fershteh nikht]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseIch hätte gerne die Speisekarte, bitte[Ikh hetta gern-eh dee Shpyze-kart-eh, bitt-eh]
I don't eat meatIch esse kein Fleisch[Ikh ess-eh kyan Flesh]
Cheers!Prost![Prohst!]
I would like to pay, pleaseIch möchte bezahlen, bitte[Ikh moechte beh-zahlen, bitt-eh]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Hilfe![Hil-feh!]
Go away!Geh weg![Gay vek!]
Call the Police!Rufen Sie die Polizei![Roofen Zee dee Polizei!]
Call a doctor!Rufen Sie einen Arzt![Roofen Zee eye-nen Artzt!]
I'm lostIch habe mich verlaufen[Ikh hab-eh mikh fer-lau-fen]
I'm illIch bin krank[Ikh bin krank]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ich möchte kaufen...[Ikh moechte kau-fen...]
I'm just lookingIch schaue nur[Ikh shau-eh noor]
How much is it?Wie viel kostet es?[Vee feel kost-et es?]
That's too expensiveDas ist zu teuer[Das ist tsoo toy-er]
Can you lower the price?Könnten Sie den Preis senken?[Kern-ten Zee den Price senken?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Wie spät ist es?[Vee shpayt ist es?]
It's one o'clockEs ist ein Uhr[Es ist ine Oor]
Half past (10)Halb (10)[Halb (10)]
MorningMorgen[Mor-gen]
AfternoonNachmittag[Nahkh-mit-tahg]
EveningAbend[Ah-bent]
YesterdayGestern[Gest-ern]
TodayHeute[Hoy-teh]
TomorrowMorgen[Mor-gen]
1Eins[Eyns]
2Zwei[Zvy]
3Drei[Dry]
4Vier[Veer]
5Fünf[Fünf]
6Sechs[Zex]
7Sieben[Zee-ben]
8Acht[Aht]
9Neun[Noyn]
10Zehn[Tsehn]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Wo ist ein/das...?[Vo ist ine/das...?]
What's the address?Was ist die Adresse?[Vas ist dee Adresse?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Könnten Sie mir (auf der Karte) zeigen?[Kern-ten Zee meer (owf der Kart-eh) zay-gen?]
When's the next (bus)?Wann fährt der nächste (Bus)?[Vann fer-t der naych-stuh (Boos)?]
A ticket (to ....)Ein Ticket (nach ....)[Ine Ticket (nahkh ....)]

History of Flachgau

Celtic and Roman Settlement

The lowlands north of Salzburg formed part of a long-settled landscape before the modern region existed. Celtic communities occupied the Salzach basin and surrounding lake country, and Roman rule later brought the area into the province of Noricum. Juvavum, the Roman settlement that developed into Salzburg city just south of Flachgau, was an important regional centre connected to roads, agriculture and river transport. Although many traces are archaeological rather than monumental, the Roman period established patterns of settlement and communication that continued to influence the northern Salzburg landscape.

Christianisation and the Salzburg Church

From late antiquity onwards, Christian institutions shaped the region’s political and cultural development. Salzburg’s archbishops and monasteries administered land, encouraged settlement and established parish networks across the northern lowlands. Mattsee became particularly important through its collegiate monastery, whose origins reach back to the early medieval period. Churches and ecclesiastical estates remained prominent features of Flachgau for centuries, and the distribution of villages, farms and parish centres still reflects this period of religious and territorial organisation.

Medieval Market and River Settlements

During the Middle Ages, the Salzach was both a transport route and a political boundary. Oberndorf and Laufen, now divided between Austria and Germany, developed as a connected river settlement with commercial importance. Market towns elsewhere in Flachgau served farming communities and linked the lake districts with Salzburg. Trade in agricultural goods, timber and other regional products supported local growth, while roads and river crossings helped bind the district to the archiepiscopal capital.

The Archiepiscopal State and Its End

For many centuries, Flachgau belonged to the ecclesiastical principality governed by the archbishops of Salzburg. Their authority extended beyond religious matters to taxation, landholding, law and fortified or representative buildings. The end of the archbishopric during the Napoleonic era brought rapid political change, with Salzburg passing through different administrations before becoming part of the Austrian Empire. These changes altered the region’s governing framework but left its churches, estates and settlement pattern largely intact.

Salzburg’s Incorporation into Austria, 1816

Salzburg became part of the Austrian Empire in 1816 after the territorial rearrangements that followed the Napoleonic Wars. This marked the beginning of the region’s long-term integration into the Austrian state, although local identity continued to be shaped by Salzburg’s distinctive history and dialect. New administrative arrangements, improved roads and later railways strengthened links between Flachgau’s villages, market towns and the city of Salzburg, encouraging trade and greater movement of people.

Silent Night and Oberndorf, 1818

The Christmas carol “Silent Night” was first performed in Oberndorf in 1818. It was written by the local priest Joseph Mohr, with music by Franz Xaver Gruber, who worked as a teacher and organist in nearby Arnsdorf. The original parish church was later damaged by flooding and demolished, and the Silent Night Chapel now commemorates the event. The carol subsequently spread internationally, giving Oberndorf a cultural significance far beyond its size and linking the Salzach town with a global Christmas tradition.

Industry, Peat and Railway Connections

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought industrial change to parts of Flachgau. Bürmoos developed around glassmaking and peat extraction, industries that used local resources and created employment beyond traditional farming. Railway construction connected the northern district more closely with Salzburg and the wider Austrian network, supporting commuting, trade and the movement of goods. Some industrial traces survive in local museums and town histories, providing a counterpoint to the region’s better-known lakes, churches and rural landscapes.

Suburban Growth and a Regional Landscape

After the Second World War, Flachgau experienced strong population growth as Salzburg expanded beyond its municipal boundary. Towns such as Eugendorf, Seekirchen and Hallwang became increasingly connected to the city through commuting, housing and commerce, while farming continued in the surrounding countryside. This mixture of suburban development, active agriculture, lake recreation and historic villages defines much of contemporary Flachgau. The district is therefore not simply a rural retreat but a changing part of the Salzburg metropolitan area.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Flachgau, Austria

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