Experiences

Clouds, weather and phases of the moon determine what can be seen in the night sky – this cannot be guaranteed in the high mountains. However, if the conditions are right on a clear night, the location offers a view of the sky that can hardly be found in populated areas: Without street lighting and artificial light sources in the immediate vicinity, the night up here remains dark.

Sitting together outside on the terrace or the wooden benches and looking up at the sky is a simple but memorable experience for the whole group. As soon as your eyes have adjusted to the darkness, stars, shooting stars and contours emerge that disappear in the scattered light on the valley floor.

• Best conditions for the Milky Way (May to Sept): On clear nights around the new moon, the galactic centre is visible to the naked eye as a fine band of light over the peaks.
• No light pollution: The open location at 1,680 m and 2,200 m above sea level is far away from town centres and streetlights.
• Advantage of mountain air: Above the humid haze layers of the valleys, the atmosphere is much more transparent for stargazing.
• Crystal-clear winter sky: In the cold months, winter constellations like Orion sparkle with incomparable sharpness on frosty nights.

Holidaying with the most important people means one thing above all: no schedule pressure. You don’t have to achieve top sporting performances or storm peaks every day. Often the best days of a trip are exactly those when you just stay together at the hut, live in the day and hang out together.

Sit together, get a cold drink from the running water trough, warm up old stories and forget the time. Whether you sit in the sun together, play cards, listen to music or just enjoy the view of the mountains – here, informal togetherness without any rush is what counts.

• No pressure, no program: Everyone does exactly what they feel like doing – sleeping in, having a late breakfast together and letting the day pass without a schedule.
• Coming together outside: Chilling together in the private garden, cold drinks straight from the water trough and cozy get-togethers on the wooden benches.
• Sociable evenings: End the day together in the garden or in the weatherproof barbecue hut, cook together or relax in the private sauna.

The high mountains change continuously with the seasons, and behind almost every bend in the path, alpine nature holds new details and small wonders. What are deeply snow-covered slopes, glittering snow crystals and wide open spaces for the Grossglockner/Heiligenblut ski area in winter turn into blooming alpine pastures, polished primary rock and clear mountain streams in the snow-free months.

Whether on short walks through sparse mountain forests, walking marked paths or simply chilling with an unobstructed view of the valleys: The terrain can be explored completely without time pressure. From protected alpine flora such as edelweiss, gentian and alpine rose to moraines and rock formations shaped for thousands of years by glacial ice, to wild tracks in the snow, the surroundings offer space for your own discoveries all year round. Different daily rhythms in the group can be easily combined, as nature and vastness start right at the house.

• Alpine wonders in the terrain: New natural phenomena can be found behind almost every edge – from protected alpine flowers such as gentian to mountain streams carved during the ice age.
• Four seasons in the high mountains: In winter direct access to snow landscapes, in summer and autumn wide hiking routes through the national park.
• Chilling together with a panorama: Spacious outdoor areas to sit in the sun and let your gaze wander over the mountain ranges.
• Flexible schedule: Those who want to explore outside set off straight away, while others enjoy the peace at the house.

Being out in the mountains together doesn’t require a training plan or chasing records. The landscape around Heiligenblut offers space in every season to simply open the door and head off together as a group.

Whether doing rounds together across the alpine pastures, exploring the mountain forest or spending winter days in the snow: everyone finds the pace that suits them right now. It’s about simply being outside, the shared views and the time you spend together in the fresh mountain air.

• Diverse terrain: Easy paths, open alpine pastures and nature routes for different interests.
• No pressure to perform: Everyone moves at their own comfortable pace – the shared experience is what counts.
• In every season: Roaming through meadows in summer, through the snow in winter – exercise in the mountain air connects.

Heiligenblut is considered a legendary insider tip among freeriders and ski tourers: an extensive freeride arena opens up over 15 square kilometres of free, high-alpine terrain with countless gullies, wide powder slopes and untracked slopes above the tree line. Making the first tracks together in the freshly fallen snow and experiencing the vastness of the Hohe Tauern on skis conveys an incomparable feeling of alpine freedom that can hardly be found in classic large ski areas anymore.

• 15 km² high alpine freeride arena: One of the largest and most varied freeride areas in the Eastern Alps with wide deep snow slopes and demanding couloirs.
• Ski tours right from the house: Direct access without car transfers or lift support into untracked slopes and routes of the Goldberg group starting at 2,200 m above sea level.
• Safety awareness in the terrain: Weather-dependent terrain requires full avalanche equipment (avalanche transceiver, probe, shovel) as well as the use of avalanche transceiver checkpoints and avalanche warning systems at the stations.
• Sharing alpine freedom together: Experiencing wide slopes and untouched powder snow as a shared mountain experience – with mutual trust and respect for the mountain world.
• Flexible group dynamics: The sporty ones head out into the terrain while others enjoy the day on the piste or at the house; in the evening the group gets back together again informally.

Those who rent houses on the mountain are offered countless possibilities off the slopes to organize the winter in Heiligenblut and the Hohe Tauern completely freely. Instead of being on skis every day, a decelerated rest day could be taken at any time: the snowshoes could be strapped on right outside the front door to wander through deeply snow-covered mountain forests and wide slopes on designated winter hiking trails. The silence of nature, the crunching of the fresh snow and the unobstructed view of the mountain scenery would provide space to clear the mind and experience the high mountains at one’s own pace.

• Snowshoeing right from the front door: There would be the possibility of starting on designated winter hiking routes directly at the house without travel times and roaming through snow-covered mountain forests in the Hohe Tauern National Park.
• Private sauna in the house: After a day in the winter air, the in-house sauna could be used completely exclusively – soothing warmth and regeneration guaranteed without outside guests.
• Fresh experience in powder snow: From the sauna you could step directly into the untouched snow in front of the house and let the clear high mountain air take effect on you.
• Sociable hours by the fire: Whether extended rounds by the warm wood-burning stove in the house or sociable evenings by the crackling fire in the weatherproof barbecue hut – all possibilities for shared group time would be open.
• Freedom for every group member: Everyone would choose exactly the amount of activity or rest that suits them during the day, while the group would come together again completely informally and without a fixed schedule in the evening.

In late summer 1856, the young Emperor Franz Joseph I and his newlywed Empress Elisabeth travelled through the crown lands to present his young bride to the people. To show Sisi the most impressive sides of the empire, the journey also led directly to the foot of Austria’s highest mountain. The empress, who was only 18 at the time, was fascinated by the alpine nature: with remarkable stamina, she hiked for hours in the high mountains up to the Bretterboden to let the immense view of the Pasterze and the Glocknerspitze work its magic on her.

Today, right up here at the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (2,369 m), two worlds collide: imperial history and the trusting marmots. This is precisely what makes the place the ideal destination for mixed groups where everyone is looking for something different. While some walk in Sisi’s historical footsteps and explore the exhibitions, others look forward to observing the marmots up close as they sunbathe and graze – and those who care little for history or hiking simply sit down on the panoramic terrace with a cool beer or coffee and enjoy the spectacle of the three-thousand-metre peaks.

No compulsion for a uniform programme: you drive up together, everyone finds their exact niche on site, and in the end the whole group meets up at the table again.

• Sisi meets marmots at 2,369 m: Imperial history and Austria’s best-known, trusting marmot colonies right next to each other at one excursion destination.
• 1.4 km panorama trail to the Kaiserstein observation tower: Comfortable walk from the visitor centre with display boards about the imperial couple and clear views of the Pasterze and Glocknerspitze.
• The historic Elisabethruhe: The original resting place on the Bretterboden, where Sisi lingered for hours and marvelled at the glacier ice.
• “Summit meeting of Your Majesties” exhibition: Own historical show in the visitor centre about the 1856 Glockner journey, all without an admission fee.
• Relaxed for mixed groups: Culture and history for Sisi fans, wildlife watching for nature enthusiasts and scenic catering for anyone who simply wants to hang out together over a drink.
• Classic Kaiser hike from Heiligenblut: For the ambitious walkers in the group, the historic ascent route leads via the Briccius Chapel and the Glocknerhaus up to the Franz-Josefs-Höhe.

While the heat builds up from day to day in midsummer in cities and deep valley locations, the mountain climate in the Glockner area around Heiligenblut works quite differently: at 1,680 m (Anderles-Alm) and 2,200 m (Römerhütte), the surroundings don’t even heat up to extreme levels.

The reason for this is simple: as soon as the sun disappears behind the mountain peaks, a noticeably cool wind from the Hohe Tauern brings reliable freshness right down into the valley every evening. Because the nights cool down so consistently, the residual heat of the day is completely reset. The temperatures do not build up even over long periods of fine weather – during the day it remains pleasantly sunny without turning into oppressive mugginess.

This means genuine relaxation without heat stress: you sleep with the window wide open, letting the cold mountain air in, and wake up refreshed in the morning.

• No buildup of summer temperatures: Because the nights reliably cool down, each day starts from a fresh base level – daytime temperatures don’t rise into extreme ranges in the first place.
• Cooling evening wind: After sunset, fresh mountain air from the Hohe Tauern sweeps through the entire Glockner area, providing rapid cooling.
• Pleasant daytime climate: Warm, sunny days on the alpine pasture instead of stagnant heat and oppressive city air.
• Sleeping with the window open: Pure, cold night air instead of air conditioning – open the windows and sleep peacefully through the night.

When renting a house in the mountains, most people don’t want to get into their car or look for a parking space in the morning. On site, you have the option of simply lacing up your hiking boots right at the front door and stepping straight into the marked trail network of the Hohe Tauern National Park.

The terrain around the houses offers opportunities for tours of widely varying lengths: from short, shady forest and alpine pasture loops to half-day routes and extensive, high-alpine panoramic trails. This is exactly what would benefit the group dynamics: everyone could set off according to their own daily form – ambitious hikers would choose long high-altitude trails, while others would return earlier after a small loop. Since all paths connect at the same place, the group would get back together quite informally and without driving services in the afternoon.

• No travel times: Direct access to marked hiking trails right from the front door, without car keys or looking for a parking space.
• Routes of all lengths: From gentle forest edge paths and manageable alpine loops to challenging high-altitude trails above the tree line.
• Reliable orientation: Continuously signposted paths for safe and easy route finding throughout the terrain.
• Flexible together in the group: Different fitness levels and interests can casually split up during the day and easily come together again at the table in the house at any time.

Cycling on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road has a decades-long tradition: With ramps of up to 12% and an uninterrupted climb of over 1,500 vertical metres, the alpine ribbon of asphalt is a historical fixture in European cycling. The Glockner is regularly featured in the route profile of renowned cycling events such as the Tour of Austria or extreme endurance tests like the Race Across Austria. In addition to classic road bikes, the paved pass road also offers e-bikes the opportunity to tackle the high-alpine hairpin bends and enjoy the panorama with motor assistance at their own pace.

The traffic volume on the route is mainly concentrated in the middle hours of the day. In the early morning, as well as in the late afternoon and evening, the mountain pass hairpin bends offer significantly quieter conditions for riding on two wheels. The houses are located within easy reach of the road, enabling direct access without any logistical effort or car transfers. At the same time, the accommodation serves as a fixed framework for the group: different preferences and daytime activities naturally come together here, complemented by power connections for e-bike batteries and plenty of space for spending time together at the house.

• Cycling tradition & racing history: Legendary climbs with gradients of up to 12% and over 1,500 vertical metres, known from competitions such as the Tour of Austria or the extreme Race Across Austria.
• Low-traffic off-peak times: Outside peak times – in the early hours of the morning or late afternoon – traffic on the hairpin bends is at its lowest.
• E-biking on the High Alpine Road: Riding the pass route with electrical support as a moderate alternative to pure racing bike training.
• Accommodation as a shared framework: Direct departure from the house, charging facilities for batteries and spacious communal areas for uncomplicated group stays.

Heiligenblut is historically considered the cradle of Austrian alpinism. Towered over by Austria’s highest peak, the Grossglockner (3,798 m), the region offers first-class high-alpine destinations for demanding mountaineers. In addition to the Glockner itself, striking three-thousand-metre peaks such as the Spielmann (3,027 m), the Hohe Sonnblick (3,106 m) with the famous Zittelhaus or the Hocharn (3,254 m) as the highest point of the Goldberg group characterise the high-alpine backdrop.

For an ascent of the Grossglockner via the normal route or the Stüdlgrat, we recommend being accompanied by an experienced Heiligenblut mountain guide. A major advantage for the group dynamic: while some of the mountaineers set off on demanding ridge and glacier tours, the other group members can use the house as a comfortable base. In this way, high-alpine ambitions and relaxing days on the mountain can be effortlessly combined under one roof.

• Gradual approach & acclimatization: A location of up to 2,200 m above sea level supports altitude tolerance. Instead of aiming for the Grossglockner right away, it is advisable to start with more moderate tours to gradually get used to the altitude and alpine terrain.
• Striking three-thousanders in the region: Demanding summit tours to the Spielmann (3,027 m), the Hohe Sonnblick (3,106 m) or the highly visible Hocharn (3,254 m).
• Grossglockner (3,798 m) with Heiligenblut mountain guide: For the route via the normal path or Stüdlgrat, a local mountain guide provides the necessary rope team safety in the rock and ice terrain.
• The house on the mountain as a shared base: Summit climbers set off on their tours early in the morning, while the others linger at the house without any schedule pressure – in the evening, the entire group meets again at the same table.

The Hohe Tauern are considered the water tower of the Alps. Meltwater from the high altitudes and countless springs feed a dense network of wild streams, roaring waterfalls and secluded mountain lakes. The element characterises the landscape around Heiligenblut: from deeply cut gorges in the valley to still expanses of water on the high plateaus.

The region offers striking destinations right by the water: the cascades of the Gößnitz Falls, the over 130-metre-high Jungfernsprung in the Mölltal and the Tauernbach waterfall near the Römerhütte show the raw power of alpine torrents. Further up are quiet high-mountain lakes such as the Sandersee in the glacier foreland, the Pfandlschartensee, the Zirbensee and the Brettersee – free places away from the hustle and bustle where the group can spend time outside by the water.

• Striking waterfalls: The Gößnitzfall, the over 130-metre-high Jungfernsprung and the Tauernbach waterfall near the Römerhütte.
• Quiet high-mountain lakes: Sandersee, Pfandlschartensee, Zirbensee and Brettersee as striking destinations in open terrain.
• Wild streams and torrents: Omnipresent water in the terrain – from clear spring streams on alpine meadows to roaring outflows through the rocks.
• Free space on the shore: Wide rock and shore areas on streams and lakes with space to rest and sit together for the whole group.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road begins right on the doorstep of the houses. The panoramic road spans over 48 kilometres and 36 hairpin bends between Carinthia and Salzburg – and it is also a huge, freely accessible open-air museum. Along the entire route there are a multitude of exhibitions, museums, nature trails and viewing platforms.

The special thing: All exhibitions, info pavilions and showrooms along the pass road are already included in the normal road ticket and can be visited completely without separate admission. Depending on what the group is interested in – whether pioneering road building history, alpine botany, Roman trade routes or simply unobstructed views – the journey can be designed with any number of intermediate stops. Along the route you will also repeatedly encounter the legendary blue-and-yellow Wallack rotary snowploughs: unique technical monuments to builder Franz Wallack, which are still regarded worldwide today as a masterpiece of snow clearing.

• No separate entrance fee: All showrooms, museums, pavilions and nature trails along the entire 48 kilometres are included in the road ticket.
• Right on the doorstep: No long journey – the pass route and its 36 hairpin bends start directly at the house.
• Wallack rotary snow plows: The world-famous, historic snow plows of road builder Franz Wallack can be seen as impressive technical monuments at stopping points and hairpin bends.
• Piffkar (1,620 m): “Fascination Mountain” permanent exhibition on alpine history and nature trail through the larch meadows.
• Hochmais (1,850 m): Info point on alpine vegetation zones and display boards on the transformation of the high alpine flora.
• Haus Alpine Naturschau (2,260 m): Natural history museum with the “Mountain Giants” exhibition, its own marmot cinema and botanical circular trail.
• Edelweiß-Spitze (2,571 m): Highest accessible point of the road with a 360-degree panoramic view of over 30 three-thousanders and its own Bikers Point.
• Fuscher Törl (2,428 m): Monumental memorial by architect Clemens Holzmeister with the first unobstructed north-facing view of the Glockner massif.
• Bird of Prey Info Point (2,320 m): Observation point and display boards about golden eagles, griffon vultures and bearded vultures.
• Fuscher Lacke (2,262 m): Historic road mender’s house with the original exhibition “Building the Road” and circular walk around the mountain lake.
• Hochtor Pass (2,504 m): Highest apex at the provincial border with the “Pass Sanctuary Hochtor” exhibition (Celtic-Roman excavations) and the Celtic hiking trail.
• Schöneck (1,953 m): “Glocknerwiesen” botanical show with an educational trail on alpine plant diversity and a butterfly station.
• Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (2,369 m): Large visitor centre with exhibitions on car and motorcycle history, Glockner glaciers, Emperor Sisi history and the Wilhelm-Swarovski observation tower.

The world-famous image from Sound of Music – lush green slopes, the bright ringing of cowbells and snow-capped peaks on the horizon – still shapes the idea of the perfect mountain summer today. Around the Anderles-Alm (1,680 m) and the Römerhütte (2,200 m), this backdrop is a living reality: Wide, open alpine meadows stretch directly in front of the terraces and offer groups and families plenty of space in the green.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road runs at a distance of about 200 to 300 metres. This means a comfortable, direct approach without tedious gravel roads, but of course also brings the life of a famous pass road with it during the day in the high season. The advantage on site: The group is shielded by its own meadow area around the houses, and as soon as excursion traffic subsides in the late afternoon, pure high mountain peace returns.

Those seeking complete silence during the day can reach side valleys of the region after relatively short distances: In the Grosse and Kleine Fleiss, in the front Gössnitztal or on the meadow path over the Sattelalpe to the Briccius Chapel, there is no through traffic, but rather open alpine pastures, mountain streams and sparse mountain forests. The nearby Schareck (2,609 m) provides expansive views with a 360-degree panorama of over 40 three-thousand-metre peaks – the unadulterated feeling of alpine freedom right around the corner.

Exactly this feeling of alpine freedom unfolds in the shared experience: Wide slopes without boundaries, the unobstructed view over the valley and a backdrop shaped only by wind and cowbells. The expansive meadow terrain around the huts creates the natural framework for this – here the “Sound of Music” panorama is not an isolated photo stop, but a shared space with room for the entire group.

• Wide alpine meadows right by the house: Green mountain slopes, the scent of stone pine and the tinkling of pasture bells right outside the door – the real landscape feeling without artificial staging.
• Convenient connections & own free space: Around 200 to 300 metres from the panoramic road – easily accessible, but with spacious meadow areas for the whole group to sit together.
• Quiet evening hours: As soon as the pass traffic dries up in the afternoon, the alpine scenery once again belongs entirely to the guests at the hut.
• Große and Kleine Fleiß: Two pristine high valleys with an old mining tradition and wide pastures away from the main route.
• Vorderes Gößnitztal: Untouched entrance to the national park with clear wild streams, rugged rock faces and dense mountain forests without car traffic.
• Sattelalpe & Briccius Chapel: Unobstructed path over open alpine slopes to the historic pilgrimage chapel with a wide view of the valley.
• Schareck panoramic mountain (2,609 m): Sweeping 360-degree panorama of dozens of three-thousand-metre peaks as a quiet alternative to the viewpoints on the pass road.

Hiking doesn’t have to be a sporting competition against the stopwatch. “Chill & Hike” focuses on short, manageable trails and being out and about together: relaxed exercise in the mountain air, combined with extended breaks, good food and time for photo stops.

Instead of strenuous day tours, the focus is on short distances with moderate inclines to prominent viewpoints or catered alpine pastures in the immediate vicinity. Along the way, there is plenty of room to linger together and let the panorama work its magic on you without any rush.

• Short stages without performance pressure: Manageable walking times and moderate inclines so that the entire group can travel at the same pace without feeling rushed.
• Taking time together: Extended breaks at clear viewpoints – for photos, good conversation or simply to chill in the mountain sun.
• Regional refreshment stops nearby: Catered alpine pastures serving traditional Carinthian ‘Brettljause’ (cold platter), ‘Kasnudeln’ (cheese noodles) and warm hut dishes.
• Panorama without rushing: Experience sweeping views of valleys and peaks without having to keep to fixed intermediate times.

The Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (2,369 m) marks the end point of the glacier road and is the central vantage point directly opposite the Grossglockner (3,798 m) and the Johannisberg. Nowhere else can you get so close to the Glockner massif and the extensive glacier foreland at road level.

Here, the transformation of the high mountains can be impressively traced: the Pasterze has retreated far into the valley basin in recent decades. Instead of the former glacier tongue, the striking Pasterze Lake now lies in the exposed rock bed, steadily developing through the meltwater. In addition to the open viewing terraces, the multi-storey visitor centre houses a number of top-class permanent exhibitions, all of which are included in the pass road ticket without a separate admission charge.

• Frontal view of the Grossglockner: Unobstructed line of sight to Austria’s highest peak (3,798 m), the Glocknerwand and the alpine icefalls.
• Lake Pasterze & glacier retreat: Free deep view of the historical tongue basin of the Pasterze and the newly formed meltwater lakes in the valley floor.
• “Glacier Love” exhibition: Large interactive permanent exhibition on over 1,000 m² about the fascination of the eternal ice, the Pasterze in climate change and alpine research.
• “Summit Meeting of Your Majesties” exhibition: Historical documentation of the journey of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth to the foot of the Glockner in 1856.
• “Highest Automobile and Motorcycle Exhibition in the World”: Multi-storey vehicle show with historical vintage cars, racing legends and prototypes that were tested on the pass road.
• Glockner Cinema: Own cinema hall in the visitor centre with ongoing, large-format documentaries about the high alpine mountains.
• “Women on the Mountain” exhibition: Dedicated show on the historical role, first ascents and pioneering achievements of female alpinists, porters and hut landlords in the Hohe Tauern.
• Sepp Forcher commemorative exhibition: Tribute to the well-known TV presenter and promoter of folk culture, who had his alpine roots on the Glockner – in the 1950s as a young porter at the Pasterzenhaus and later as a hut landlord at the Oberwalderhütte.
• National Park Info Point: Comprehensive presentation of the Hohe Tauern National Park.
• “Glacier.Life” permanent exhibition: Shows the specialised survival artists in the eternal ice (from the glacier flea to pioneer plants) and presents as a highlight the original, approx. 6,000-year-old Pasterze stone pine – a tree find recovered from the melting ice, proving that stone pine forests grew here during prehistoric warm periods.
• Wilhelm-Swarovski Observation Tower: Modern glass building with high-performance optical spotting scopes for observing ibexes, chamois and climbers on the steep faces.
• Gamsgrubenweg with the themed tunnels: A paved path leads through six staged rock tunnels. Between the individual tunnel structures, spectacular rock balconies open up with breathtaking views down to the glacier bed.
• Important note on the Gamsgrubenweg: The secured route ends right at the exit of the tunnel system – the historical onward path towards Wasserfallwinkel is permanently closed due to the risk of falling rocks.
• Tame marmot colonies: The famous marmots, accustomed to visitors, right on the open spaces and walkways around the centre.
• Infrastructure included: Large multi-storey car park, terraces and all exhibitions are included in the regular road ticket.