At the upper end of Lake Traunsee lies Gmunden. Its ceramic history, a museum arranged chronologically and cultural traditions give the town a distinctive cultural profile; the lake and GrĂĽnberg add a range of activities. These highlights are easy to distinguish when planning your visit: you can focus on crafts and history, include a cultural event, or consider a boat trip and trails on the mountain.
Ceramics: history, techniques and a route through the town
In the Middle Ages, the salt trade fostered a ceramics scene in Gmunden. Gmundner Keramik was founded in 1492. The flambeau technique of ceramic decoration is part of Austria’s intangible cultural heritage; the Gmundner Keramik Manufaktur continues to practise it. This brings out different aspects of the subject: its role in the town’s history, the founding of Gmundner Keramik, and a decorative technique still practised today.
The ceramics trail leads through Gmunden and draws attention to large and small ceramic treasures in public spaces. This extends the subject of ceramics beyond history and craftsmanship to objects highlighted along the route through the town.
Town history and works of art
The K-Hof, Kammerhof Museum Gmunden, presents a chronological overview of the history of the town and the Lake Traunsee region in five sections. It spans the period from the beginnings of geological history to the 21st century. This broad timespan offers a distinct way to explore the region: rather than focusing on a single date or building, the museum places its history in context across many eras.
The Seeschloss Ort and the Capuchin Church offer further specific points of interest. Seeschloss Ort is one of the oldest buildings in the Salzkammergut. The Capuchin Church houses works of art from the 17th century, including the statue “Christ in Prison.” Alongside the museum’s chronological overview, individual buildings and works of art thus provide different starting points for exploring the area’s culture.
Cultural traditions and events
Liebstatt Sunday is celebrated in Gmunden on the fourth Sunday of Lent; the tradition has been observed there since 1641. The Salzkammergut Festwochen Gmunden offer a cross-disciplinary cultural programme. It includes music projects, innovative formats, and theatre and drama. This range makes the programme appealing to visitors interested in exploring different art forms.
The Austrian Pottery Market also connects Gmunden with ceramics: held every year on the last weekend in August, it showcases contemporary ceramics in a variety of forms from different workshops. If this is the focus of your trip, it is worth checking the dates for your chosen year. “La Communication” offers a different, permanent focal point: the installation has been located in the centre of Gmunden’s Rathausplatz since summer 2025.
Lake Traunsee and GrĂĽnberg: a boat trip or trails
A trip on Lake Traunsee aboard a historic paddle steamer dating from 1871 offers views of the mountain panorama. GrĂĽnberg, above Gmunden, has 20 kilometres of well-maintained hiking trails, as well as signposted cycling routes. There are different ways to get active: take a boat trip, hike or cycle on GrĂĽnberg. The landscape experiences therefore differ not only by location, but also by whether you enjoy the lake from a boat or choose to explore the trails on foot or by bike.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Altmünster am Traunsee, Bad Ischl, Ebensee, Gmunden, Neukirchen, Obertraun, Traunkirchen, Hallstatt, Bad Goisern Am Hallstättersee, Gosau, Grünau Im Almtal, Sankt Wolfgang Im Salzkammergut, Rußbach, Scharnstein, Gschwandt, Pinsdorf, Vorchdorf, Moosham, Sankt Konrad, Kogl, Rindbach, Laakirchen, Kirchham Bei Vorchdorf, Ohlsdorf, Roitham.
Go to the main travel overview: Upper Austria.
