To the north of Bad Aussee lies the Altausseer See, a three-kilometer-long by one-kilometer-wide lake found in a magnificent setting between the southwest faces of the Totes Gebirge.
Highlights include the small town of Altaussee, popular for its spa and winter sports activities and famous as the site of Austria's largest salt deposit, the Altaussee Salt Mine, home to a fascinating museum offering guided tours of the mines.
Of particular interest are the museum's fascinating exhibits dealing with the mine's wartime use as a hiding place for art treasures stolen by the Nazis.
