Gaisberg Nature Experience
Hiking, cycling, paragliding or simply enjoying the peace: on the Gaisberg – one of Salzburg’s local mountains – there’s a place for every kind of break. The Gersberg Alm lies exactly halfway: closer to the sky than the city, closer to the city than the summit.
Here, too, the year has 365 days, and yet each one feels a little different – perhaps because every season reveals its own character and, in doing so, time seems to stand still for a moment. How you explore the Gaisberg is entirely up to you: on foot, by road bike or e-bike, by car or at a leisurely pace by bus. Once you reach the top, a slice of Salzburg’s history awaits you, along with a panoramic view that shows why this city has always enjoyed such a special reputation.
Good to know
- Gaisberg peak: 1,287 m above sea level
- Gersberg Alm: 800 m above sea level
- Bus route 151 (15-20 minutes to Salzburg city)
- Walking routes – from leisurely to challenging
- Cosy places to stop for refreshments at the summit
A walk on and around the Gaisberg can be tailored to suit your mood: a brisk climb for those seeking exercise and wanting to be active, or a leisurely stroll with breaks for those who simply want to get out and about and make the journey itself the destination. The Gaisberg is also ideal for a walk with your dog in the Salzburg region.
Two of the City of Salzburg’s signposted hiking routes pass right by the Gersberg Alm – from here, it’s about an hour and a half to the summit, where the same sweeping view over Salzburg opens up once again. On and around the Gaisberg, cosy huts invite you to take a break.
Gaisberg Walking Routes
Everything at a glance
Walking route 12
- Easy walk
- Duration: approx. 2¾ hours
- Distance: approx. 6 km
- The trail leads past the forest track at the Gersberg Alm. You then walk along the wooded mountainside to the Zistelalm and from there continue towards the summit.
Walking route 13
- Moderate hike
- Duration: approx. 1½ hours
- Distance: approx. 6 km
- The trail also passes along the forest track near the Gersberg Alm. It then continues via some steeper sections directly up to the summit.
Gaisberg Circular Walk 13a
- Easy walk
- Duration: approx. 1 to 1½ hours
- Length: approx. 5.9 km
- Accessible all year round
- From the Zistelalm, a wide path – which is also suitable for pushchairs – leads around the Gaisberg.
Summit Circular Walk 13c
- Easy walk
- Duration: approx. 15 minutes
- Length: approx. 1 km
- A short circular walk directly around the summit of the Gaisberg with views of Salzburg
The climb up 'Gaisbergstraße' has long since ceased to be a well-kept secret amongst road cyclists, yet it loses none of its appeal: a steady gradient and repeated views even before you reach the summit. Forested sections alternate with open meadows until, at the top, the panorama opens up – a view that is just as impressive on foot.
Those who prefer to take it at a more leisurely pace can tackle the route just as easily on an e-bike – the route remains the same, only the pace changes. Back at the Gersberg Alm, a spot in the outdoor dining area or by the boutique hotel’s panoramic pool awaits, where you can round off the day’s exertions in equally delightful style.
The Gaisberg has always been more than just a vantage point. In 1929, the legendary Gaisberg Race was held here for the first time on a challenging 12-kilometre course with an elevation gain of over 800 metres. Since 2003, this tradition has lived on as the Gaisberg Race for historic cars: once a year, the classic cars set off up the mountain once more, reviving the atmosphere of the hill climbs of yesteryear.
The Gaisberg has been linked to aviation for just as long: its favourable updrafts made it a sought-after gliding and paragliding spot in Austria from very early on. Anyone who walks or flies up there today is experiencing a piece of Salzburg’s sporting history.
