A weekend break in Salzburg offers fresh mountain air, stunning views, hearty Austrian cuisine, and complete relaxation. If you love outdoor adventures but also want to relax in a sauna or infinity pool with views of the Austrian Alps after a long hike, the state of Salzburg is the perfect place for you. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to the charming town of St. Johann im Pongau, just 60 km south of the city of Salzburg. It’s home to some of the best spa and hiking hotels we’ve experienced in Austria. So make sure to keep reading to get introduced to a fantastic outdoorsy and recharging weekend travel guide.
For transparency: In this post about a weekend break in Salzburg we use advertising links, so-called “affiliate links”. These links redirect you to products or services that we recommend. If you make a booking via one of these links, we receive a small commission. This support helps us very much to continue providing our blog articles, photos, and videos free of charge. You will not incur any additional costs by doing so.
table of contents
Weekend Break in Salzburg
To help you decide if the new Pilger Getaway is the perfect weekend break in Salzburg for you, we’ll share details about our favorite hikes, the different wellness areas, and other outdoorsy activities you can enjoy on your days off from hiking.
1. Hike to Hochgründeck
- Starting & Ending Point: Hiking parking lot at Steinbauer. As part of the Pilger Getaway, there’s a free shuttle service to the starting point.
- Parking Fees: free
- Distance: 12,5 km
- Duration: 5-6 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
- Elevation Gain: 800 m
We’ll kick off with one of the absolute highlights of our vacation in Salzburger Land: the hike to Hochgründeck. Hochgründeck is one of the highest forested mountains in Europe and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful viewpoints we’ve seen in Austria. The trail is challenging yet varied, taking you through enchanting forests all the way to the Heinrich-Kiener-Haus. From there, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of around 300 mountain peaks—and with that view, Kaiserschmarrn tastes twice as good. It’s also worth making a short detour to the Friedenskapelle.
2. Day Spa at the Höllwart Hotels
Is there anything better than relaxing in a pool and admiring the mountain peaks from afar after a long day of hiking? At the district Alpendorf in St. Johann, you have plenty of options for which active hotel to choose. We had the chance to experience the Day Spas at three out of the four Höllwart Hotels.
Let’s start with the Cocoon Spa at the Adults Only Sonnhof Hotel. The Cocoon Spa truly lives up to its name, offering plenty of cozy retreats and relaxation areas, all in warm earth tones. Patrik was immediately drawn to the sauna area, where he settled into the Finnish sauna. Meanwhile, I enjoyed a session in the herbal sauna and then relaxed in the garden. On a nice day, you can swim laps in the outdoor pool and then find a quiet spot to unwind.
- Speichere Dir den Post auf Deinem Pinterest Board

If you’re traveling with your family or your dog, the Alpina Alpendorf is a great choice. Here, you’ll find a heated infinity pool, a sauna area, and a large indoor pool waiting for you. We were particularly impressed by the well-equipped hotel gym. Honestly, it couldn’t get any better! Our legs were too sore for an extensive workout, but we definitely had to take a peek inside.
The Haven Mountain Retreat is the design option for those who enjoy a minimalist yet cozy atmosphere. The spa area features infrared loungers and an adults-only sauna, complete with a steam room. However, we were particularly drawn to the sun deck and the heated infinity pool. The mountain backdrop is simply too beautiful not to admire for as long as possible.
We also stayed at the Haven. The cozy apartment hotels are decorated in warm wood tones, featuring modern yet minimalist and incredibly comfortable furnishings.
Every morning, we indulged in a generous breakfast buffet filled with fresh fruits, local dairy products, and egg dishes. In the evenings, as part of the half-board option, we enjoyed a three-course meal. The menu offers Austrian classics like Backhendl with potato salad, as well as a weekly Asia Night, juicy burgers, and creative pizza creations.
We especially want to highlight the ambiance in all four hotels. It’s rare to experience such a warm and welcoming atmosphere, where the staff are genuinely friendly and eager to help. The vibe is calm and relaxed, the staff are always approachable, and the spa areas are clean and tastefully designed.
3. Alpaka Walk
Alpacas are just adorable. After a walk with these fluffy South American creatures, you’ll see what we mean. And the best part? You don’t even have to leave St. Johann. The Hotel Oberforsthof has a small barn in its garden, so if you stay there, you can cuddle with goats, pigs, bunnies, or even alpacas right after your sauna session and a dip in the outdoor pool. If you choose one of the other three Höllwart Hotels, you can still sign up for an alpaca walk at your hotel’s reception.
4. Hike to Karseggalm
- Starting & Ending Point: Hiking Parking Lot at Breitenebenalm. As part of the Höllwart Hotels Pilger Getaway there’s a free shuttle service to the starting point.
- Parking Fees: Free
- Distance: 5,5 km
- Duration: 3 hours
- Difficulty: moderate
- Elevation Gain: 350 m
This hike is relatively short and includes two mountain huts that are definitely worth a stop. You’ll start off steeply through the forest, reaching Breitenebenalm first. If you’re feeling hungry, you can try what’s said to be the best Kaiserschmarrn in the region here. It’s served in large cast-iron pans, flat and caramelized, with apple sauce and cranberry jam—perfect for sharing, given the generous portions.
Next, you’ll continue on to Karseggalm, the oldest operated mountain hut in Großarltal, with a history of over 400 years. Be sure to explore the hut. They prepare meals in large copper kettles over an open fire, and, as the name suggests, cheese is made here. A special delicacy is the kneaded cheese, but they also offer sausages, quark spreads, and homemade bread. If you climb up to the hay loft, you can watch your lunch being cooked—and maybe spot a few cats along the way.
More Activities for Your Weekend Break in Salzburg
Another hike that promises fantastic views and can be part of the Pilger Getaway, weather permitting, is the hike to Draugsteinalm.
- Starting & Ending Point: Hiking parking lot at Hallmoosalm. As part of the Pilger Getaway, there’s a free shuttle service to the starting point.
- Parking Fees: Free
- Distance: 11.5 km
- Duration: 6 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
- Elevation Gain: 910 m
If you’re looking for activities on your non-hiking days, we recommend visiting the Eisriesenwelt in Werfen, just 45 minutes from St. Johann. This is the largest ice cave in the world, with a labyrinth of caverns stretching over 42 km. A cable car will take you to the entrance, and then you can marvel at the show cave during a 75-minute guided tour.
If you’re planning your stay for next spring, be sure to visit Liechtensteinklamm. It’s one of the deepest and most impressive gorges in the Alps. Highlights include a roaring waterfall and the “Helix,” an impressive staircase that spirals 30 meters upward, offering a fascinating view of the gorge. Unfortunately, due to severe weather this past summer, Liechtensteinklamm is currently only partially accessible, but it is expected to be fully restored by spring.
Getting to Your Weekend Break in Salzburg
- The closest airport to St. Johann im Pongau is Salzburg. From there, it’s about an hour by car or just under two hours by train.
If you’re still looking for the perfect flight, check out Skyscanner.
- If you’re traveling by car, all the hotels offer parking right at the property.
We wish you a fantastic time on your next weekend break in Salzburg and hope to inspire you to spend a weekend in St. Johann. We will definitely be back, as we still have a few hikes left to hit the 45 km mark and successfully complete the Pilger Getaway. Let’s see if we can snag our surprise then!
If you’d like to give us feedback on this post or if it inspired you to plan a trip to the Salzburger Land, we would love to hear from you on Instagram.
And if you’d like to read more of our blog posts, check out our post on a beautiful hike in the Bavarian Forest or discover what the Spreewald has to offer with the 6 best experiences for your short getaway to the Spreewald.