From Hallein, hike along the Knappensteig up to Salzwelten Salzburg: Follow in the footsteps of Ancient Celts and miners!
Every year, countless people come to visit Salzwelten Salzburg, most arriving by car or bus. However, the Dürrnberg salt mine wasn't always so easily accessible. One silent witness to this fact is the "Knappensteig" (Miner’s Path). Miners from Hallein once ascended the mountain via this pathway to extract "white gold" from dark tunnels deep below ground. And who knows, perhaps even the Ancient Celts used this same path to clamber up the mountain as well? That said, we also opted to set out on foot, hiking up the Knappensteig to Salzwelten Salzburg and the Kelten.Erlebnis.Berg
Having decided to leave the car behind for this particular trip, we begin our hike from right outside our front door... taking the S-Bahn suburban railway from Salzburg to Hallein. Trains run from Salzburg to Hallein every half hour – whilst the Postbus would have been another option. No sooner have we boarded the train, than the 20-minute journey seems to have flown by.
From Hallein's train station, we stroll through the city park towards the Old Town, cross the River Salzach over the Kühbrücke bridge, continue across the Pernerinsel, and pass by Museum of the Celts Hallein via the Pfannhauser Steg.
Museum of the Celts Hallein: Celtic Artifacts & the Splendor of the Archbishops
Our tip: Be sure to allow plenty of time for your visit, not least because a stop at Museum of the Celts Hallein is a must for all Celtic enthusiasts and those interested in the history of salt mining! The museum houses original artifacts from 2600 years of settlement in the region. An absolute highlight of the collection is the famous beaked jug from the Dürrnberg, adorned with mysterious, mythical creatures. You also find intricate fibulae and elaborate everyday objects that reflect the wealth of the Celts amassed through their trade with salt. On the second floor, visitors can explore the magnificent princes’ chambers and gain fascinating insights into salt mining on the Dürrnberg. The exhibits tell of daily life in this salt town and the harsh conditions faced by salt workers.
Tip: With your Salzwelten Salzburg ticket, you will also receive a 20% discount on admission to Museum of the Celts Hallein!
TicketsAfter our detour into the mystical world of the Celts and the Baroque splendor of the Salzburg prince-archbishops, we continue through the Old Town of Hallein: across Kornsteinplatz, through the Lower and Upper Market squares, and up to Schöndorferplatz. We take a short break here and enjoy the view over the town of Hallein and its small, picturesque medieval houses.
Silent Night Museum Hallein: The Story of a Global Hit & Its Composer
Across from the parish church lies yet another gem: Silent Night Museum Hallein. It was here, in the former sacristan and choir director’s house, that no less a figure than Franz Xaver Gruber lived and worked for 28 years. Gruber, of course, was the composer of the world-famous Christmas carol "Silent Night! Holy Night!" In the beautifully restored building, which is also wheelchair accessible, visitors can learn about Gruber’s life and times as well as the creation and global spread of this truly beloved Christmas song. A visit during Advent is particular atmospheric, when special tours are offered, and you can round off your museum experience with hot mulled wine and chestnuts enjoyed in the heart of the historic district...
Walking to the Salt Mine in the Footsteps of the Hallein Miners of Old
But since we came to Hallein today to hike along historic paths, we continue on our merry way: past the elementary school, through Schützengasse. At the high school, we follow signs for the “Kreuzweg” and “Bad Dürrnberg über Knappensteig.” We cross the stream and enter the forest, following the Stations of the Cross along the narrow, paved Riesenschmiedstraße as it winds up the mountain. After a while, we reach the Wolf-Dietrich-Stollen (Wolf Dietrich Tunnel). From here, the Knappensteig leads steeply up the mountain via multiple concrete steps.
Historical Tidbit:
Next to the Wolf-Dietrich-Stollen once stood the Wolf-Dietrich-Berghaus, built in 1597. From 1956 onward, visitors to the salt mine were able to slide down the longest mine slide of its day, then walk the rest of the way back into town. Today, you can still slide on two exhilarating mine slides during a guided tour inside the Salzwelten!
The Knappensteig: For People and Brine
In the past, not only did the miners take this steep path to the salt mine. Brine pipelines were also laid along the same route – initially made of wood, later of cast iron. These pipes carried the brine (water used to leach salt from the rock) down from the mine to the boiling pans in Hallein's brine houses. There, the water was evaporated in large pans, leaving behind a residue of "white gold." Once dried and shaped into salt cones, the salt was transported via the waterways.
A few minutes later, the path flattens out, and we arrive at the Knappenkapelle, built in 1892. Locals also refer to it as the "Red Chapel" due to its striking color. We continue straight ahead to the hamlet of Fischpointleiten. Here, we pass the Jakobberg- and Untersteinbergstollen (two disused mine entrances) and follow the stairs and meadow path up to the Dürrnbergstraße. We cross this road and make a half-left onto Wallbrunnweg, which leads us to Salzwelten Salzburg.
Tip: Pre-purchase your ticket for Salzwelten Salzburg
so that you can plan your visit even better. The guided tour underground lasts about 90 minutes, and you should arrive at the ticket window 15 minutes before the tour starts.
Secret Places along the Knappensteig
These secret highlights await you along the Knappensteig:
- Wolf-Dietrich-Stollen
- The Red Chapel
- Johann-Jakob-Berg-Stollen
- Untersteinberg-Stollen & the Holy Tomb
- Hidden pools of water
- A stone well at the forest's edge
If you keep your eyes peeled and glance to your left and right along the way, you may well discover spots even some locals don't know about... Share a photo of the secret places you find on social media – and amaze us, too! :-)
Many Paths Lead to Hallein …
For your return journey back down to Hallein, you are spoiled for choices, with numerous options available to you:
- If you've had your fill of walking, also including a "hike" inside the mountain at Salzwelten Salzburg — an underground tour of roughly one kilometer which you will cover on foot — you can always ride the public Postbus back to Hallein.
- Though of course, you can also hike back down the same way you came up — via the Knappensteig.
- Or: Choose the path down through the wild and romantic Reingraben — an ancient pathway once used by the Celtics. From Kelten.Erlebnis.Berg, head up a short steep section to the pilgrimage church of Maria Dürrnberg, which dates back to the 16th century. Continue along Dr.-Martin-Hell-Straße, passing Kurhotel St. Josef, then turn left onto the Römersteig, a narrow path leading across a broad meadow. This trail takes you back to the Dürrnbergstraße, which you cross before turning left onto Glannerbergweg. Just a few meters ahead, you will make a right onto Grubenmühlweg and follow it to its end (a farmhouse). At the last curve, a meadow path branches off — this is the route into the Reingraben. Follow this trail until you emerge at Eggl-Riedel-Stollen (as described in the original climb up). From there, return to Hallein along the same, now familiar path.
Coffee & Cake with a View
However, after enjoying a guided tour of Salzwelten Salzburg, including the mine slides, mine train, and a boat ride across the subterranean salt lake, we decide to take a break at the "Salzblick" café and bistro. Refreshed and reenergized, we climb a few more steps to the top platform of Salzwelten Salzburg. On a clear day, the view from here over the Salzach Valley, the town of Hallein at the foot of the Dürrnberg, and as far as Salzburg City itself, is simply sensational! No wonder the Celts loved it here! As we take it all in, we begin to consider which route to take back down to Hallein…
Facts & Figures about the Hike
- Route: Hallein train station via the Knappensteig to Salzwelten Salzburg
- Distance: approx. 3.5 km
- Elevation Gain: 342 vertical meters
- Duration: approx. 1 hours
You can find complete details about the tour on the official Hallein Tourist Office website. Click here!
More details about the tour
