I live very near the Gaisberg, the most well-known local mountain towering over Salzburg and yet, in my two and a half years of living in this city, I have hiked it just once before during the first winter I moved here and the trail was covered in snow.
The Gaisberg is a popular mountain for all sorts of outdoor activities, namely hiking, biking and especially paragliding, being one of the best spots for the sport in the entire country. Most days you can look up from the city and see the paragliders floating around the summit.
You can also reach the summit, the Gaisbergspitze, by bus or by car if you just want to enjoy the view from the top and treat yourself to some hut food from one of the alms on the Gaisberg.
GAISBERG HIKE DETAILS
When: year-round
Where: Salzburg
Difficulty: intermediate
Length: it's hard to say because I tracked longer than the actual hike, but the 10km roundtrip trail took me under three hours return, plus time for photos and hanging out on the summit. In total I was on the go for four and a half hours.
Directions: I walked from the city, which added on a few extra kilometres. Officially, I started my hike from the parking lot where the Jugendbergweg Trail starts and followed the yellow signs to Gaisbergspitze up. Note that this trail crosses the road a few times; watch for cars, bikes and buses. Check out my Strava activity for my exact route.
Bathrooms: yes, in the restaurants at the top
Public Transit: you can take bus 151 all the way to the top if you just want the views and the alm food!
