Europe > Austria > Werfen Travel Guide
Werfen, Austria:
Settled In: Around 1050 when the castle was started; current village name mentioned in 1140.
Officially Founded: Founded with a market in 1242; full market rights in 1425.
Village Name: Werfen (pronounced VeR-fin) means to throw or to cast.
Suggested Stay: 1-2 Full Days; 2 days needed to see the Ice Cave, High Castle, and Sound of Music Meadow.
Our Werfen Guides:
Here are our three most helpful guides for Werfen Austria.
1. Werfen Ice Caves Tour
2. Hohenwerfen Castle Tour
3. Sound of Music Meadow Trail
Overview Of Werfen:
Sitting along the Salzach River to the South of Salzburg, the beautiful village of Werfen was formed for defensive reasons. In 1050, Salzburg’s Prince-Archbishop started on the castle to protect his holdings from King Henry IV of Germany. At the time, the Prince-Archbishop was loyal to the Pope and a conflict arose on whether the Pope or the King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperors had ultimate power. This power struggle led to the village and the amazing High Castle.
Sitting in an Alpine river valley surrounded by huge mountain peaks, Werfen has been featured in many TV shows and movies. Films such as Clint Eastwood’s Where Eagles Dare to the Call of Duty video games and the Amazon series Man In The High Castle have all featured Werfen. The most famous movie scenes to happen here were from the 1965 film The Sound of Music. In the movie, the Von Trapp children and Maria have a picnic in the Gschwandtanger Meadow where they also begin the song Do Ri Me. This famous meadow and the trail that leads up to it have become a major tourist attraction along with the Castle and Ice Cave.
The Ice Cave is also well worth a visit while you are in Werfen as it is the largest ice cave in the world that you can tour. The views while you hike and take a series of gondolas up to the Ice Cave are magical.
