An hour's peaceful drive from Vienna, or 4-6 hours from southern Poland. That's all that separates you from getting to know these three monstrous knights, knights who for millennia have occupied the northeastern edge of the Alps. Knights silently observing Austria's turbulent fate. Their rocky armor, adorned with numerous trails, has for centuries created a refuge for those thirsting for silence and closeness to nature. They are also dotted with mountain huts where tired bodies can relax. If you don't know these knights yet, why not try to meet them? Wiener Hausberge, or in free translation "Vienna's home mountains," is the place where the Alps begin from the eastern side, and it's here that their peaks rise above 2000 meters above sea level for the first time. They have always attracted Vienna's residents who thirst for silence and contact with nature. Mountain tourism has a rich and excellently documented history in these areas. Along the trails we will soon discover together, many years ago wandered Sigmund Freud, among others, as well as entire generations of Austro-Hungarian Empire emperors. 

The Three Knights The so-called "Wiener Hausberge" includes 3 massifs - Hohe Wand (highest point - Plackles, 1132m above sea level), Rax (Heukuppe - 2007 m above sea level) and Schneeberg (Klosterwappen). This is not a correct geographical definition, as Rax and Schneeberg belong to the Rax-Schneeberg-Gruppe range, while Hohe Wand belongs to Gutensteiner Alpen. But who cares :) It's become customary to call them this because they are the 3 high mountains closest to Vienna, and therefore also the favorite 1-day mountain destinations for the city's residents. Each of these mountains has a wealth of trails in the entire palette of difficulties. From peaceful, family hikes, through via ferratas, to difficult climbing routes. Something nice for everyone! The information below is a modest introduction to getting to know these three noble knights. A closer acquaintance will come in some time, as I will explore each massif in more detail for you.   

Währinger Steig on Hohe Wand. A short but exciting via ferrata.[/caption] At 1132 m above sea level, Hohe Wand is the lowest knight of our trio, and also the most accessible knight. You can climb up its armor by car in a few moments (on weekends, entry is paid - about 10 euros per car). The plateau offers a network of paved roads, and you can get close to most interesting spots on wheels. However, I'm most interested in the sporty side of Hohe Wand, which is exceptionally rich. The wealth of rock formations and short approach to the walls has made this knight a gracious playground for mountain sports enthusiasts. Everyone will find something for themselves here - just mention the 700 bolted climbing routes or 11 via ferratas. With such a variety of rock entertainment, numerous hiking trails remain slightly in the shadow, not enjoying great popularity. For me, this is a huge advantage of this place and of the Alps in general (of course, excluding typical tourist hot-spots). As for my mountain plans related to Hohe Wand, for the first warm spring days I'm planning to test Hanselsteig and Frauenluckensteig.   

Here's my definite leader of this trio. Its highest point reaches 2007 meters. It's very extensive and has many independent summits worth visiting. A beautiful place, exuding silence and where you can fully feel the Alpine atmosphere. If you don't want to or can't climb up on your own, you can always use the cable car and quickly get to an altitude of almost 1600m above sea level. You can find current prices HERE This is where I fell in love with the mountains and saw my first chamois. No wonder Sigmund Freud found himself so well on the local trails. During the summer season, he was on Rax 3 times a week, and it was here that he shaped his groundbreaking theory of psychoanalysis. A rich network of trails, mountain huts dripping with Alpine atmosphere, and in addition many via ferratas at every level and plenty of climbing routes. Rax has a really rich offer, and thanks to its expansiveness, there are no crowds here. I recommend discovering the atmosphere of Rax together. I will write about it many times here, but if you need help now, or if you have any questions - speak up in the comments!   

The highest knight, the only one clearly visible from Vienna (in favorable conditions :)). Its visor reaches 2074m above sea level, assisted by the Fischerhütte hut. If you lack the ability, you can use the rack railway departing from the town of Puchberg am Schneeberg, which will take you up to a proud 1796m above sea level. As a side note, it's worth adding that this railway has been running tirelessly since 1897. At its final station, you'll find the Hochschneeberg mountain hotel. An interesting place to spend the night, but not quite my style. Due to the nature of the massif, there aren't too many ferratas here; regarding climbing routes, I'm not well-versed - I'll try to catch up. However, there are plenty of trails of every difficulty level, no one will leave dissatisfied. Little birds chirp that the most interesting ascent is Herminensteig, which I haven't had the opportunity to verify yet. Maybe this season will provide the chance?   Wiener Hausberge - seemingly unremarkable and so close. Sometimes even hackneyed. Yet they hide a wealth of fascinating adventures. Together with me, you can discover many of them, but the overwhelming majority undiscovered by me are waiting for you!