Walk through one of Austria’s oldest garden parks, then up a tall hill in the Vienna Woods.

Statistics

2 - 3

hrs

282

m

282

m

7

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Moderate

Description

This hiking trail finds tranquility in the Vienna Woods just beyond the edge of the city.

Ride Tram 43 to Neuwaldegg, and a brisk walk from there will have you surrounded by greenery in no time.

Another perk is that you can begin or end your hike at one of the delicious restaurants near the tram stop. After leaving the city street, a long and straight path leads through Schwarzenbergpark, a landscaped recreation area of historical importance.

It’s tempting to spend time at the picnic areas, gardens, or ponds of this park, but if you seek the woodland experience, you need only walk a little farther.

The path soon ascends the forested hill called Hameau, which is within the Vienna Woods.

It’s here that you’ll lose all sounds of the city to chirping birds and rustling leaves. The ascent is on a dirt trail, and though it’s not too strenuous, it does gain considerable elevation to reach the top of the Hameau.

When you arrive, you’ll discover a two-story refuge house–all that’s left of a forest retreat which was popular with the Viennese more than half a century ago.

There’s also a grassy field with picnic tables and limited views from the hilltop through the trees.

In winter you can sometimes see quite far, when leaves are fallen and the air is most clear. From there, the path stays in the forest for a while and descends a gently sloping ridgeline.

It eventually crosses Höhenstrasse and comes to the edge of Neustift municipality.

Though the trail is now back in the urban area, it feels somewhat distant by remaining in a corridor of forest, removed from most buildings.

You’ll enjoy more natural greenery as you complete the walk on a dirt path toward Neuwaldegg. Sources: https://www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/wald/freizeit/wandern/wege/wanderweg3.html https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hameau_(Wien)