Where trees heal and adventures grow

Updated on 30.05.2025

Forests are medicine - in East Tyrol, the green lungs cover 31 per cent of the total area. Those who immerse themselves in it are doing something for their mental and physical health. This place of power strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure and has been proven to combat stress - in Japan, doctors even prescribe forest bathing as a recognised form of therapy. At the same time, the plants bind CO₂, produce oxygen, prevent erosion, protect against mudslides and slow down avalanches. For children, not only do trees grow there, but also their imagination and awareness of this valuable environmental resource. www.osttirol.com

The air in the forest contains 90 per cent fewer dust particles than in the city. In East Tyrol, around 680 square kilometres are covered by this health-promoting recreational area. Those who immerse themselves in the silence while hiking, biking or forest bathing find inner peace and recharge their batteries. Scientists are convinced that the green surroundings can even protect against depression, mental stress, burnout and heart attacks and alleviate chronic pain. A walk through the Oberhauser stone pine forest in Defereggen Valley, the largest contiguous stand of stone pines in the Eastern Alps, or a visit to the Debanttal nature and culture trail invite you to experience the power of the trees surrounded by 266 three-thousand metre peaks. With attractions such as the new Waldwichtelweg trail in the Wichtelpark Sillian, nature becomes an adventure playground for young and old. At seven interactive stations, families search for a lost treasure and discover the secrets of the thicket. Courage, skill and team spirit are required when children climb into treetops, roam through labyrinths or dig for hidden coins in the "gold digger's tunnel".

Stand with bare feet on the warm, soft ground, bury your hands in the fragrant moss and soak up the silence. Deliberately immersing yourself in the forest atmosphere without the distraction of a phone or computer creates an intense connection with nature, allowing you to ground yourself, put down roots and change your perspective. The view up to the canopy of leaves and into the sky is particularly impressive and is often accompanied by a feeling of security and inner peace. In culinary terms, the forest enriches East Tyrolean cuisine with mushrooms, berries and specialities such as spruce top honey or Swiss stone pine schnapps. If you keep your eyes open while walking, you will also find numerous medicinal herbs from ribwort to St John's wort to arnica. Those interested can experience forest bathing: Sabine Buchberger and Lissi Totschnig offer group and individual tours around Lake Tristach for 38 euros/person (20 euros/person in winter).