If you are looking for some cool fresh mountain air on hot summer days, Aflenz Bürgeralm is a great family friendly place for gentle hikes. Also for the adventurous with much longer hikes into the Hochschwab mountain range, plus mountain biking paths too. The views really are stunning here with not too much effort!

It’s about an hour 15 mins from Graz to the chairlift which then takes you up the mountain (runs all summer). The alternative is to take a dusty but beautiful 7 km gravel road up to the top with your car. It is a private toll road and is €7 (payable with cash or card).

Once you’ve driven up or taken the chairlift you’ll arrive at the Almrauschhütte which has warm meals and a nice sun patio. Next door is a great kids playground all made of natural wood with a water play area, sand construction site, zip line and lots more.

From here you can hike up to the Schönleiten hütte which is about a hour and is gentle climb of about 300 m elevation along a gravel path, suitable for kids too. The views are amazing and the air is a good deal cooler than Graz. At Schönleiten you can get soup, sausages and ham & cheese on bread. They are family friendly and have some board games inside for kids. There is a lovely sun terrace outside with deckchairs with beautiful views. And just behind the restaurant is a stunning panoramic view over the Hochschwab mountains. Just be careful with small kids as it’s a HUGE drop down!