The best things to do in Kitzbühel in summer are riding up the Kitzbüheler Horn to its Alpine Flower Garden, swimming in the Schwarzsee, walking the Streif race course on the Hahnenkamm, hiking from the lifts, e-biking and golf. If you only have one day, ride the Horn: the paths at the top are gentle and the views are wide. The lifts and the lake lido are seasonal, so check their dates before you go, then use the three-day plan below.
This page ranks what’s worth your time in Kitzbühel between June and September, says who each thing suits, and gives you a plan for one day, three days and a wet afternoon. The detail for each activity lives on its own guide, linked from each section.
Two things shape any summer trip here. The lifts run on fixed seasons, and the weather in the Alps changes fast. So pick your mountain day first and build the rest around it.
What summer in Kitzbühel is like
Summer here is green, quieter than winter and built around two lift-served mountains, the Kitzbüheler Horn on one side of town and the Hahnenkamm on the other. The ski pistes turn into walking paths and flow trails, the huts open their terraces, and the moor lake on the Reith side becomes the town’s swimming spot.
It suits walkers, families, cyclists and golfers. It suits people who want a pretty old town to come back to in the evening. It doesn’t suit anyone looking for glaciers, high Alpine climbing or a lively night scene: the après-ski crowd is a winter thing, and summer evenings are mostly dinner and an early night.
If you’re still choosing dates, our page on when to go compares the months. For the full picture beyond summer, see the best things to do in town on our homepage.
If you only have one day: the Kitzbüheler Horn
Ride the Horn. It’s the best single summer day here because the hard part (the climb) is done by lift, and what’s left at the top is gentle. The Hornbahn gondolas take you from the valley to the Alpenhaus, and the Horngipfelbahn goes on to the summit at 1,996 m. The Alpine Flower Garden sits just below the top, with around 400 species and free entry, according to KitzSki’s Alpine Summer 2026 brochure (as of November 2026).
Grandparents can walk the paved path through the garden while the rest of the group climbs to the viewing tower. Our guide to riding up the Horn covers the lifts, the huts and whether to walk down.
Swim in the Schwarzsee
The Schwarzsee is a small moor lake on the edge of town towards Reith, and it’s where Kitzbühel swims. The dark water warms up quickly, and the municipal lido has slides, a diving board and a baby pool (Tirol tourism board, as of November 2026). You can walk there from the centre in about 25 minutes, or take the train to its own stop.
It’s best for families and for the hottest afternoon of your trip. It’s not for anyone who wants clear Alpine water or an empty shore in August. Read our guide to swimming in the Schwarzsee for the lido, the walk round the lake and the best times to go.
Walk the Streif on the Hahnenkamm
The Hahnenkamm is the race mountain, and in summer you can walk down the Streif course yourself. The KitzTrail Streif-live runs from the top station of the Hahnenkammbahn back to the valley: 7.1 km and 907 m of descent, about three hours, per kitzbuehel.com (as of November 2026).
It’s steep and almost all downhill, which is hard on knees. Race fans should do it; everyone else can walk the easy panoramic trail at the top and ride down. Our page on walking the Streif in summer explains both options.
Hiking: from easy loops to full days
Most good hikes here start from a lift: ride up, walk across, then walk or ride down. Three examples by level, all from the tourist board’s route sheets:
- Easy: the 2.5 km Schwarzsee Loop, flat enough for small children.
- Moderate: the Alpenblumen Panorama on the Horn, 8.5 km and about four hours from the summit lifts down to the Bichlalm.
- Hard: the Gamsroas, a nine-summit day of 17.7 km and 1,447 m of ascent, for experienced hikers only.
There are plenty more between those three. Our guide to hiking trails around town ranks seven, with start points and which lift to use. If you’d rather not navigate yourself, you can book a guided outing (affiliate link), though in summer 2026 KitzSki’s own guided hikes were free with a valid lift ticket (as of November 2026).
E-bikes and mountain biking
Our view: most visitors are better off on a rented e-bike than on a lift-served trail. An e-bike gets a mixed group up the forest roads to a hut lunch without anyone suffering, and several rental shops in town have them. Some huts, such as the Pengelstein mountain restaurant, have charging points.
Keen riders do have proper trails. KitzSki’s 360° Flow Trails network covers over 40 km across the Hahnenkamm, Fleckalm and Gaisberg, from easy to difficult (KitzSki, as of November 2026). Our page on e-bike routes covers rental, bikes on lifts and which trail suits which rider.
Golf
Kitzbühel has four golf courses with 54 holes between them, according to kitzbuehel.com (as of November 2026): two 18-hole courses at the Schwarzsee and at Eichenheim, and two 9-hole courses at Kaps and at the foot of the Hahnenkamm.
If you play, book the 18-hole round first and fit the rest of the trip around it. If you don’t, the courses won’t matter to you. Our comparison of where to play a round of golf says which course suits which golfer.
Summer events
Summer has a few big fixtures, and they fill hotels. The Generali Open, an ATP tennis tournament, takes place in July (kitzbuehel.com). The Kitzbüheler Alpenrallye, a classic-car rally, comes through in June (kitzbuehel.com). Concerts and smaller events change every year, so check the official event calendar for your dates and book rooms early if you overlap with the tennis.
What to do when it rains
Rain in summer usually comes as afternoon storms rather than whole wet days, so a lot of rainy-day planning is about timing. Go up early and be down by mid-afternoon.
When it does set in, walk the old town between showers and visit Museum Kitzbühel in the Hinterstadt, which has a large collection of paintings by Alfons Walde and covers the town’s history from Bronze Age mining onwards (kitzbuehel.com). The Aquarena has an indoor pool, and many hotels have spas. Our guide to Kitzbühel without skiing has more indoor ideas, most of which work in summer too.
A grey day is also a good day for a train ride. Salzburg and Innsbruck both make easy trips further afield.
A three-day summer plan
This is our suggested order for a first visit. Swap days around the forecast: put the Horn on the clearest morning.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hornbahn up, summit and Alpine Flower Garden | Lunch at a hut, walk part of the way down | Old town stroll and dinner |
| Day 2 | Hahnenkammbahn up, Streif start house | Walk the KitzTrail Streif-live down, or the panoramic trail and ride down | Rest your legs |
| Day 3 | E-bike or a round of golf | Swim at the Schwarzsee | Walk the lake loop at sunset |
With a fourth day, add a longer hike or a day trip. If the lifts aren’t running yet, swap day 1 and 2 for lake walks and an e-bike tour.
Getting here and where to stay
Kitzbühel has a railway station in town, and the two nearest major airports are Munich and Salzburg. Our guides to flying into Munich and travelling from Salzburg compare trains, buses and transfers. For the bigger picture, our travel logistics page puts it all in one place.
In summer, stay central. You can walk to the Hahnenkammbahn and the old town, and the Horn is a short ride away. Families who want quiet and the lake on the doorstep can look at the Schwarzsee side towards Reith. Our guide to choosing a base compares the areas.
Plan your trip
Where to stay
Compare hotels and apartments in the town centre, near the Hahnenkamm lift or in quieter Reith and Kirchberg.
Tours and activities
Book guided hikes, lessons or a day trip to Salzburg before the busy weeks fill up.
Airport transfer
Shared and private transfers from Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck airports, door to door.
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Coming back in winter?
Kitzbühel in winter is a different town, busier and built around the slopes. See more winter ideas for the season, or our guide to the slopes if you’ll ski.
Where to start
Decide your mountain day first, because it’s the one thing tied to lift seasons and clear weather. For most people that’s the Horn. Once it’s in the diary, the lake, a hike and an e-bike ride fill the gaps easily. Read the Horn guide first, then book somewhere central.
