Church “Pfarrkirche” St. Sigmund, Sellraintal, Tyrol, Austria

About a 30-minute drive from Innsbruck, the Valley of Sellrain is an unspoiled landscape dotted with mountain villages that have managed to preserve their authentic, rural character. Untouched by commercialism, clusters of traditional Tyrolean chalets are tucked between alpine meadows and rugged mountain slopes. In St. Sigmund-Praxmar (population: 170), there isn’t a single shop, bank, or post office. The area is part of a “quiet zone” that for the last 30 years has been protected by the Austrian Alpine Club’s strong sense of environmental awareness and motto: “Movement under your own steam.” Here mountains are still climbed in the traditional way, without lifts or cable cars. Hikers can follow an extensive network of hut-to-hut trails; or ski and snowshoe pristine, undeveloped areas.