A Tale of 2 Towns: Tradition Meets Innovation in the Austrian Alps

In these Austrian small towns, restaurants serve products direct from local producers, hotels are family-run businesses, and outdoor adventure is plentiful

The Saalfelden Leogang has more than 250 miles of trails with fantastic views. Janna Graber

I’m on an e-bike cruising along the quiet streets of Leogang, a village of 3,200 in the shadow of the Austrian Alps. Tidy Alpine homes with flower boxes and stacks of firewood line the winding village path that leads into the countryside, where cattle graze in lush green pastures.

In the winter, skiers descend on this region. The nearby Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is one of the largest ski areas in Austria, with more than 70 lifts and 167 miles of ski runs.