Bischofshofen: Hiking, the Ore Trail and Culture

Bischofshofen offers several specific highlights to consider when planning a trip. For hiking, there are different types of routes, including an easy walk to Buchberg Church and the approximately 60-kilometre Ore Trail, which connects four towns. Other attractions include an exhibition on ore mining, a waterfall, an adventure pool and the Sepp (Buwi) Bradl Stadium. There are also several ways to get here.

Hiking and the Geopark

An easy hike starts at the tennis court right in the centre of Bischofshofen, passes the St. Rupert Mission House and continues to Buchberg Church. The route therefore has a named starting point, a stop and a destination. Buchberg Church is a late-medieval branch church built above the Salzach Valley; the destination connects the hike with a specific historic building.

The Ore Trail offers a different kind of route: it is approximately 60 kilometres long and connects Hüttau, Bischofshofen, Mühlbach am Hochkönig and St. Veit im Pongau. Along the slope of Buchberg, it leads to Bischofshofen and the Geopark visitor centre, located in the area of the Paul Außerleitner ski jump. This means there are two distinct options to consider: an explicitly easy hike with a church as its destination, and a roughly 60-kilometre route connecting four towns.

Culture, sport and water

Admission to the visitor centre of the Erz der Alpen UNESCO Global Geopark is free. Hüttau, Bischofshofen, Mühlbach am Hochkönig and St. Veit im Pongau jointly present an exhibition there on prehistoric and historical ore mining. The theme complements the Ore Trail, which leads to the visitor centre, adding a specific cultural stop to the hiking options.

The Gainfeld Waterfall plunges 50 metres and is just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. This adds a nature destination to the hiking and cultural attractions.

The Sepp (Buwi) Bradl Stadium is known for hosting the annual final of the Four Hills Tournament. The Bischofshofen adventure pool has an adventure pool with a water slide, a current channel and a mushroom fountain, as well as a swimming and diving pool and a toddler area. Alongside hiking and culture, the town’s attractions therefore include a sporting connection and an outdoor pool with different pool areas.

Getting to Bischofshofen

Bischofshofen is around 50 kilometres south of Salzburg and is easy to reach by plane, car, train, bus or bicycle. These options offer different ways to travel, depending on which mode of transport you would like to use.

Bischofshofen railway station offers regular train connections to Salzburg, Innsbruck, Vienna and Graz. As timetables may change, check the current schedule before your journey.

The international Alpe-Adria Cycle Path runs through Bischofshofen and connects Salzburg with Grado on the Italian Adriatic coast. For planning purposes, the train connections and cycle path serve different needs: the train connections list specific cities, while the cycle path places Bischofshofen on a route between Salzburg and Grado.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Werfen, Werfenweng, Niedernfritz, Sonnberg, Wimm, Eben Im Pongau, Pfarrwerfen, Filzmoos

Go to the main travel overview: Sankt Johann Im Pongau.