For a break from the Eurpoean city scene, spend an unconventional afternoon with nature visiting an ice cave. About 30 miles south of Salzburg are the largest know ice caves in the world. You need to be quite fit to visit the ice caves and I do not recommend it for small children or elderly travelers. Make sure to wear warm clothes and appropriate shoes for hiking.
On the drive up the mountain to get to the ice cave you pass Castle Hohenwerfen which was founded in the 11th century. From the parking lot you will hike about fifteen minutes and find the lower station. A gondola will take you up the mountain to the outpost where you pay your fee and can get a bite of food while enjoying the spectacular view. Hike up to the entrance of the caves whenever you are ready. For us, this was at least a thirty minute walk. The guide books say it should be fifteen minutes, but it is a really tough climb. I was chatting during the walk and I kept getting out of breath. It took me a while to figure out that I can not walk and talk at the same time in that high altitude. I wonder why my boyfriend thought that was so funny?
The ice caves were created by the gusty winds of the Alps. In the winter, cold air blows into the caves, freezing the water from melting snow that has dripped into the cave during the warmer months. In summer, a cold breeze flows toward the entrance from deep within the caverns and prevents the ice from melting.
Eisriesenwelt means "World of Giants" so that may give you a clue about what you’re in for. In the beginning of the tour the guide lights and hands out several lamps. These were not given to everyone but to every third person in the line. I would have preferred to have my own light since it is very dark inside the cave and there are many steps. During the tour, you'll climb 440 feet up and down sturdy, well-maintained steps. But the lights bounce all over the place and I got a bit clausterphobic a few times.
Once inside, you are rewarded with smooth walls, stalactites, stalagmites, domes, frozen waterfalls, and other ice formations which have shaped this crystal world. Several times during the tour, the guide disappeared behind an ice sculpture or formation and set off a flare. The effect of the intense bluish-white light is stunning, and it highlights every unique detail of the ice shape.
The Eisriesenwelt is open to tourists from May 1 until late October. I suggest you do not venture on this trip on a stormy day since there is a good deal of outside hiking. The guided tour lasts about two hours, but you should allow about 5 hours for your entire trip.