We found a hidden gem that Rick Steves didn't know about

Our last day in St Johann and we found a fantastic place to visit.  Eisreisenwelt or ice caves as we would say.  They are located about 10 miles from here near the town of Werfen.  They aren't easy to get to.  You drive five kilometers up the side of the mountain.  Then you hike 20 minutes to a gondola.

You ride the gondola for three minutes going up the mountain another 500 meters (1,640 feet).  Then you hike some more.

Once out of the gondola the real hiking starts.

Starting the final hike to the cave.

That's what's ahead for us.

The views were fantastic.

This hike is not for the faint of heart.

We reach the cave entrance and everyone is suiting up to go into the caves.  The temperature is below freezing in the cave (you would think since it's an ice cave). Well look, here I am, sitting on the bench with my orange backpack and steam is rolling off me because I'm so hot (like you see the NFL players on a cold day).

No electricity in the cave so every fourth person gets a hand held Davy lamp or miner's lamp.

We were not allowed to take photos but they said we could use ones from their web site.  These photos are not enhanced. The cave looks just like these photos.  Oh did I mention, your hike into the cave covers over 1,400 steps to negotiate and you climb over another thousand feet higher in the cave.

Here is a photo of what Cindy and I both thought about the tour (two thumbs up).

On our way hiking back from the cave we stopped at one of the mountain restaurants for lunch and we ordered what Cindy is pointing to to drink.  Any guesses what it was?  Now think, we just spent over an hour in a cave with temps below freezing.  If you guessed hot chocolate you were right.

After the caves we went to another castle of course.  I don't want to bore you with more castle photos but I have to show you the next two. In the walls surrounding the castle they have places where the Knights can shoot arrows at the attackers and if they get close enough they can dump boiling oil down on the attackers.

That handle is attached to a lid that they lift up to pour the oil down.  Well, after the wars were over they used them for toilets.

This is a photo with the lid off.  So if you live near a castle wall, watch out for falling objects. :-)