Austria: The Alps, The Sound of Music and Mozart. Classic and Modern side by side with a large dollop of Nature thrown in.
Intro
Austria is quite a small country but once had one of the wealthiest empires the world has known. The Riches of the Empire are visible around the country, but it is in Vienna that opulent palaces are found around almost every corner. In the rest of the country, the Alps rule supreme.
Travel Style
The public transport is very good in Austria for the most part but the problem is that getting into the valleys isn’t as easy. Therefore I recommend hiring a car for most of the trip. Outside the cities staying in posh resort hotels is possible as the ski resorts have a lot of accommodation options, but to get to know the locals staying in a ‘Pension’, a local guesthouse is a better idea.
10 Day Austria itinerary
10 days is a good starting point for a trip to Austria. I would recommend a few extra days to see a bit more and maybe take a few trips to neighbouring countries. Even though Austria is a small country getting around does take some time on the mountain roads.
Arrival in Vienna
As you have most likely been traveling overnight, there isn’t much need for a full day of activity. Just check in to your accommodation and recover from the flight. Vienna is small and compact, and you will be doing a lot of walking over the next two days.
If your arrival is early, maybe go to one of the classic artists’ cafés from the late 1800s, such as Café Sperl or Café Hawelka. Mix with the memories of Kafka, Klimt, Mahler, and the like, and ponder what Sigmund Freud would have thought about your trip.
Vienna old town and Imperial Palace (Hofburg)
There is a lot to see and visit in Vienna. It is the Architecture that will really stand out as a symbol of the city. A trip along the Ringstrasse, the street that surrounds the old town. The route follows the outer fortification of the Medieval City and was rebuilt in the 1800s when the thick walls became obsolete with modern canon. The Buildings along the street include the Opera, The Art History Museum, the National History Museum, the National Parliament, the Town Hall and more.
You can do this on one of the regular city trams or get a hop-on hop-off busses if you want a commentary to learn more. From here, you can just head into the Hofburg, the old Imperial Palace. The palace is home to the apartments of the Kaiser, which you can visit, and the Spanish Riding School. The inner courtyards are fabulous for a stroll, and the Capuchin Church and its crypt are worth a quick stop to see the imperial family’s tombs.
Moving towards the oldest part of town, you reach Stefan’s Dom, the cathedral of Vienna. Not too far away is the House Mozart lived in, but his birth house in Salzburg is a better option unless you are a massive fan. There is a lot of history hidden away in the streets around this area; most of it is not apparent unless you are with a tour guide, as the Austrians do value their privacy.
In the evening there is always a concert of Mozart and Strauss music somewhere. If you prefer the Opera, it is also an option but is seasonal. While some classical concerts insist on black tie most are accessible to travellers and take place in beautiful surroundings. The Kursalon and Haus der Industrie are two beautiful Baroque concert halls.
Schönbrunn Palace
Like all Royals, the Viennese found that living in the city wasn’t as much fun as having a summer palace outside of town. To this end, Maria Theresia, the Empress of the late 1700s, built Schönbrunn Palace for her summer home. The nearly 1500-room palace is spectacular and has gardens to rival those of Versailles. I recommend a guided tour, as a guide really helps to understand the story behind the people who built the palace and lived there.
The Palace is in Vienna today, but back when it was built, it was still outside the city limits. It is only a short metro ride from the city center. The gardens are special if the weather is good and the time of year is right. If not, there is also the old coach house to check out. Today, a museum is dedicated to the royal coaches. One of them is even the bejeweled coach belonging to Napoleon. There are a number of connections between the French Empire and the Hapsburg Empire of Vienna.
In the afternoon there are many art museums to visit. Belvedere Palace, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Museums Quartier are among the best. If Art isn’t your thing, then maybe head to the Donau Insel, the Island in the Danube that is quite a nice park for relaxing during the summer. Many other museums in town are dedicated to almost everything you can think of – art, literature, history. Maybe the Jewish Museum would suit you? After all, this is the city where the Monster who tried to destroy the Jewish people spent his youth. The Jews have a long history in Vienna. The old ferris wheel in Prater is a place to get a great view of the city.
Salzkammergut and Hallstatt.
If you want to save some money on your trip, don’t bother hiring a car until this morning. Finding parking in Vienna isn’t easy and can be costly. Anyway, you will probably prefer to use public transport or an Uber or taxi to get around the city, so holding off until you leave is not a bad idea.
It is time to head to the mountains. Driving westward from Vienna, it takes no time until the road undulates through the hills. However, Austrians will not call these Mountains. The Wienerwald area outside of Vienna is a beautiful forested region and a weekend escape for the Viennese.
Three hours along the motorway from Vienna, you arrive toward Linz, and from here, head south into the mountains. The area of Salzkammergut is well known for its beautiful lakes and villages. One of the most famous is Hallstatt, but it can be overrun with tourists. The village is taking measures to reduce the number who arrive. Equally beautiful is Wolfgangsee and the town of St Wolfgang.
Relax on the shores of the lake, take a dip if it is warm in summer, take a boat trip along the lake, and go for a short hike.
An excellent place to stay is Bad Ischl, which was also the summer resort of Emperor Franz Josef and his famous wife Sisi. Empress Sisi was the Princess Diana of the late 19th Century, and many stories have been told about her tumultuous life. The Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl was a wedding present for her and the Emperor.
The mountains and lakes in this area are a gentle introduction to the steeper Alps of the next couple of days.
Zell am See and Krimml
One of the reasons for traveling by car in Austria is the ease with which you can visit the mountains. Taking a train to Innsbruck is easy, but you travel along the wide-open valleys and avoid the spectacular mountain passes. One could drive to Innsbruck in two and a half hours. It is better to take all day.
From Bad Ischl, head towards Bischofshofen and Zell am See. It’s a couple of hours on twisty roads. Zell am See is a popular ski resort on a pretty lake and an excellent place to stop for a stroll and a coffee. Nearby is the Glacier resort of Kitzsteinhorn, a slight detour up to 3000 m. The cable car brings you to heights that are unthinkable in most of Europe. You are standing on a glacier almost at eye level with the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain. After lunch, continue westward towards Innsbruck, the main city in Tirol.
As you head west, you pass through the farmland in the valley until you arrive at Krimml Waterfalls. They are Austria’s most powerful, and during the spring, snowmelt is truly spectacular. You don’t have to walk up to them. If you want to, fine. It is your trip. I prefer the view from the other side of the valley. As you drive up the hill toward Gerlos (a toll road over the pass), there are a few pullouts where you get a great view of the falls. However, the power of the water is much better experienced from close up. There is a small entry fee to walk up to the falls.
From the Gerlos Pass, you come down into Zillertal, home to multiple ski resorts. If you want to stay in the countryside, I would suggest overnighting here and visiting Innsbruck on a day trip. Otherwise, continue the drive to the City. Be aware, though, that locals call it a village! Innsbruck, with about 100,000 inhabitants, is a university town and quite international because of the Uni and the tourism. Being relatively compact and hemmed in by mountains, it really has the feel of a village. Despite the population, Nature is never far away.
Visiting Innsbruck – The Olympic City
The two-time Olympic city is nestled in the mountinas along the Inn River. This river, which is pretty much the same size as the Danube (Western Europe’s longest) when they join, is swollen in the summer by the snowmelt from the surrounding mountains. The city was founded on the Inn Brücke, the one bridge that crossed the river in medieval times. During the 1500s, it was home to the Hapsburg emperor, and Maximillian built his palace here. The Hofburg on the edge of the old town is a good place to start your visit. It was rebuilt by Maria Theresia, who built Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace as she used Innsbruck as a secondary residence.
Next door is the old town and the famous golden roof. This ‘Roof’ is just an overhang on a balcony but made of gilded copper. It isn’t as valuable as a pure gold roof. It has drawn tourists for hundreds of years though. For a great view over the standard roofs of the old town, you can climb the tower of the old town hall. For a view over the whole city you can climb with the aid of a funicular to Hungerburg. This is just a suburb of the city on the north side, but has great views. You can still go higher. The Nordkettenbahn is a cable car that will take you up to the top of the Nordkette range, the ridge of mountains that blockade Innsbruck to the North. From here, you can see the border with Italy to the South, and with a bit of a hike (10 minutes), you can see Zugspitze in the north, the tallest mountain in Germany, though it is well down the list in Austria. Even though Tirol is rather narrow from North to South, the mountains are a formidable border and Tirol has a very unique culture.
The view over the city beneath shows much more to explore, but as I said, it really is a bit of a village. The main parts of interest are around the old town in the center. Most of the rest is residential. To the south of the city, there is one notable sight, visible from 1800 m above the city.
That is Bergisel, the ski jump stadium, built in its current form in 2003 by the architect Zaha Hadid. You might have also noted her style in the funicular on the way up the mountain. The ski lift can be visited and has a good view of the city as well.
If you like hiking, then you can easily take a trek along the mountain path from the top of the cable cars to a mountain hut, or if you prefer, there are many areas for a more sedate walk in the hills on the south side of town. In the winter, skiing is never too far away, and Innsbruck is known as a ski center. However, the better skiing is about an hour out of town.
Berchtesgaden and the Eagles Nest
Innsbruck is as far west as a ten-day itinerary will permit. At least if you include time to enjoy the places you visit. Time to head back East, towards Salzburg. I suggest taking the long way to Salzburg via Berchtesgaden. The name is probably familiar from the Sound of Music, where the movie was filmed.
Berchtesgaden is actually in Germany. There is a corner of Germany that juts into Austria right next to Salzburg. Pay attention to the road signs; they are a bit different. The local range of mountains, the Berchtesgadener Alpen,is divided between the two countries.
The town of Berchtesgaden is quite nice, but the famous draw to the area is the Eagles Nest. This hilltop fortress was Hitler’s mountain retreat and is fascinating to visit. The rest of the area is quite beautiful and has plenty of short and long hikes as well. Königsee is great for a boat ride if you haven’t already managed one on one of the Austrian lakes in the Salzkammergut.
When you descend from the mountains, continue on to Salzburg.
Salzburg – The Home of Mozart
You should have learned by now, after a week in Austria, that Salzburg is the home to Mozart. It is where he was born, and he is intertwined with the story of the city. However, there is a lot more to the city than just Mozart.
The old town on the Salzach River is charming, and the city is dominated by the Hohensalzburg fortress towering above the river. The fortress used to be the home of the bishops of Salzburg. The city made its wealth from the salt in the area. There is a massive Saltmine not too far away in the mountains. The prince-bishops of Salzburg controlled this trade during the Middle Ages when salt was the only way to preserve food, and it made them immensely wealthy.
The city’s heyday might be past, but Salzburg remembers its history and displays it proudly. The Getreidegasse is one of the main streets of the old town and almost retains the atmosphere of the busy, cramped medieval city. In 1756, Mozart was born here. Do visit one or both of his houses. The one he was born in – Mozartsgeburtshaus, or the one he lived in later – Motzartswohnhaus. I think the former is more interesting.
If you missed out on a concert in Vienna, then don’t worry. Mozart is just as popular here. There are concerts with dinner or even during the summer concerts in the Fortress on the hill.
Return to Vienna
There are a few options for your return to Vienna. Getting to see more mountains along the way is possible, but it does involve significantly more driving. Even if the distance of the detour is not that much, the mountain roads are not so fast.
Heading to Vienna via Schladming and Bruck an der Mur will show you nature, farmland and isolated communities. The mountains are on either side, but they are less dramatic than the ones you have already seen. I include this just as an option.
The other option, one I recommend to see a different part of Austria, is to drive via the more populated areas along the Danube River. From Salzburg, head towards Melk. Melk is known for its Baroque abbey sitting on a hill above the Danube. The Danube has always been a major trade route and has played an essential part in holding the Austro-Hungarian Empire together. After visiting the abbey, continue along the river towards Krems. The expressway takes a quicker route to Vienna, but it is not as pretty.
Driving along the river, you reach Durnstein and Krems. The surrounding hillsides are covered in vines. Wine is not something often associated with Austria by foreigners, but the wines that grow here are as good as anywhere. Stop for a tasting (not the driver) and discover for yourself this lesser-known face of Austria.
When you reach Vienna, why not head to the Grinzing neighborhood for dinner? This area just to the north of the city is full of Heurigers. The Heuriger is effectively just a vineyard that serves food. Of course, they have their own wines to serve with it. If you get a taxi, then whoever was driving earlier won’t miss out on the wine this time round.
Departure from Vienna
Depending on your flight time, you can explore more of Vienna, go shopping along Graben, or even check out Bratislava, the nearby capital of Slovakia, if you have a late flight. The airport is between the two cities.
Conclusion
As this itinerary indicates, there is a massive contrast in Austria between the opulent palaces of Vienna and the wild nature of the Alps. In between lies a relaxed countryside full of nature lovers.
To get the most out of Austria, it is necessary to see both extremes. If you are more of a mountain person, then take a day less in Vienna and spend it in Innsbruck. Or take an extra day along the lakes in the Slazkammergut region.
As always, my itineraries are just a suggestion, a starting point for creating your own rewarding trip to Austria.
If you want to combine Austria with Germany there is no need to return to Vienna from Salzburg. Just head to Munich and follow my Germany itinerary to Berlin.
