Untersberg & Hellbrunn Palace – Part 1
Updated June 12th, 2019
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It’s hard to choose my favorite day from my Austrian getaway, but as I already said I loved Salzburg and especially look back fondly on hiking Untersberg mountain and touring Hellbrunn Palace. It works well to combine them in the same day and using the Salzburg card you save money as well as time.
Untersberg
Untersberg is a mountain in the Alps right outside of Salzburg. It forms a border between Germany and Austria. During our Sound of Music tour we learned that the Von Trapps crossed the mountain range to escape from Austria into Switzerland in the film. In reality they would have been escaping directly into Germany, the Nazis’ headquarters….so the film made a “little” geographical change.
Getting to Untersberg
We took the number 25 bus out of Salzburg all the way to the end of the line to arrive at the base of the mountain. When researching if hiking up the mountain was possible, I found many warnings on the dangers of the hike and the number of deaths that have occurred. Needless to say we went with the cable car. 
We were pretty packed into the cable car on the way up and the way down.
On the way up we snagged a spot on the side of the car with views of Salzburg and on the way down we had the opposite view of the mountain.
Hiking Untersberg
At the top the views of the snow-capped mountains are gorgeous. 
There is a small area of paved pathways for a bit of exploring. I heard mixed reviews about how much hiking was possible so I did not know what to expect. The further we went away from the paved paths the fewer people.
After not walking for too long we came to the first large snowy patch. One guy nearby said it was very slippery. I have had several painful falls on ice that have left me terrified of walking on snow or ice. But we didn’t come to the top of the Alps to turn around so fast!
We ventured on and soon got to another gravel path. At each new snow section we re-assessed if we should carry on or not. Like so many adventures, I just wanted to go one more section to see what was ahead. Finally I realized there was a summit that some people were climbing up to and that turned into our goal as well.
Following every snow filled section I thought we would be at the top, but there was always more to go. Most people would not consider this a physically demanding hike or even a difficult hike. My mom was able to go at a much faster pace than I was. For me it was the most difficult hike I have done, not because I was physically tired, but because I was so unsure of my footing and so scared of slipping. This wasn’t America either, with guardrails along the side and regulations to stop you from getting hurt. You had to pay attention to your footing, stay in the center and avoid slipping close to the edge.
It was the right amount of fear, the kind that makes you live in the moment and feel exhilarated. It’s moments like this that remind me of the importance of having travel insurance! When we made it to the top I felt a great sense of pride that despite my fears I made it through the snowy climbs!
After we took in the view I had to face reality to remember that we had to get back down the same way we came up. The only thing harder than walking uphill in snow, is well…going downhill. I admit I did a few crab walks down some of the steeper rocky and snowy sections.
Lunch on Top of Untersberg
I have been holding out on writing about our culinary delights in Austria, but eating on top of the mountain was such a peaceful experience that I needed to include it here.
There are two different restaurants at the top near the exit of the cable car. The one that is slightly further has a little more mountainous look with outdoor seating so we choose that one after our hike. We sat down for a nice meal of Austrian specialities with the best view.
Visiting Information
How to get there
Bus 25 from several stops in the new or old part of Salzburg.
Review
Climbing Untersberg was an awesome experience. Many people appeared to have a much easier time with the climb than me, including my mom. Other people got to the first couple snowy sections and just turned back around.
Recommendations
I would start as early as you are able to visit Untersberg in the morning and then do any or all of places at Hellbrunn palace (in part 2).
If you are doing these activities definitely buy the Salzburg card. The cost of just the bus rides and the Untersberg cable car is about the same amount as a 24 hour card.
Wear suitable clothing, including something warmer because it is chiller at the top of the mountain. Also wear waterproof hiking shoes or boots if you want to hike through the snowy and rocky areas (most of the actual hiking). I overheard one guy saying that he didn’t go hiking because he didn’t want to get his shoes dirty.
FYI
You can hike in many directions after you get going and there are some options to visit other places such as an ice cave if you are a more experienced hiker.
There are free toilets at the stations at the bottom and at the top of the mountain. Also toilets at the restaurant.
More about Austria
- A full Austria Itinerary
- Which Cities & Towns to Visit and What to Do
- Gmunden (in the Salzburg Lakes District)
- Salzburg: Sound of Music Bicycle Tour, Hellbrunn Palace, Salzburg Christmas Museum
- Seefeld (in Tyrol)
- Vienna: Sisi Museum & Schönbrunn Palace
- What and Where to Eat in Austria
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