Austria is a beautiful country in central Europe known for the impressive Austrian Alps, beautiful cities, and rich history. We spent 9 nights and 10 days exploring three different parts of Austria. Sometimes when planning a trip the hardest part is deciding how long to spend in a place. So here is our 10 day Austria itinerary including where we went and how long we spent in each place!
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There are obviously so many places we skipped while planning our Austria itinerary. We’ve seen tons of beautiful pictures of Hallstatt all over lately. We always try to remember that just because we don’t see a place this time doesn’t mean we’ll never be back!
One thing that’s important to know about Austria is that almost everything is closed on Sundays. If you need to go to the grocery store definitely plan ahead on both Saturdays and Sundays. Grocery stores will often close early on Saturdays and some are completely closed on Sundays. We learned this the hard way by running around to a bunch of grocery stores in Innsbruck that Google said were open but actually weren’t.
One thing that’s important to know about Austria is that almost everything is closed on Sundays. If you need to go to the grocery store definitely plan ahead on both Saturdays and Sundays. Grocery stores will often close early on Saturdays and some are completely closed on Sundays. In Innsbruck we learned this the hard way by running around to a bunch of grocery stores in Innsbruck that Google said were open but actually weren’t.
We took trains throughout all of Austria and found it to be so convenient! We love traveling with our Kelty 40L and Kelty 44L backpacks so we can get on and off trains easily.
Days 1-4: Innsbruck
Innsbruck is located in western Austria nestled in the Austrian Alps. Because of its location in the mountains it’s a beautiful area! If you’re interested in hiking, skiing or just admiring the mountains then you are bound to love Innsbruck.
We took the train from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Innsbruck using our Eurail Global Passes. It took just over 6 hours but it was so easy to navigate using the Rail Planner App. It’s completely free and we used it every time we traveled by train in Europe.
If you’re flying in from somewhere farther away the closest airport is Innsbruck Airport. The Innsbruck Airport is only about 3 miles from the center of Innsbruck so it’s really quick to get to wherever you’re staying!
What to do in Innsbruck
There is plenty to keep you busy during your time in this beautiful city. We expected Innsbruck to be a small town but it’s much more of a city with lots of shops and restaurants and the bright blue Inn river.
Ride the Nordkette Cable Car
The Nordkette Cable Car takes you up to the Hafelekar which sits at over 2,000 meters in elevation. Known as the top of Innsbruck you get spectacular views looking over the city. The ticket cost depends on which stop you are looking to go to. A round trip adult ticket to Hafelekar costs 38 Euros or $42 USD .
- It’s very pricey which is why we didn’t end up doing it but all the pictures we’ve seen look stunning! If your budget allows this is definitely something to consider!
Walk around the Old Town
The old town of Innsbruck has classic Austrian architecture with so many restaurants and shops. We walked around a little before dinner time and it was bustling with people sitting down to eat or grabbing a drink. Definitely make sure to walk through at least once during your time in Innsbruck!
- It’s very close to the river so if you’re walking or running along the Inn River it’s easy to go in a few streets and be right in the middle of it all!
Natter See Hike
There are so many nearby hikes because you’re in an incredibly mountainous region. We did a lot of research before getting to Innsbruck trying to find a hike that started in Innsbruck. A lot of the ones we did find started in nearby towns that required driving or taking a couple different buses.
The Natter See Hike is a beautiful hike that starts from Innsbruck which makes it really convenient. Depending on where you are staying you can walk to the start or you can take the bus to the Peterbrünnl bus stop.
The Natter See hike takes you through lush greenery, a forest with incredible trees and beautiful pastures. It’s one of our favorite hikes ever! You are completely immersed in nature making it so peaceful. We passed only a few other people on the trail and maybe a few more at the lake itself.
Complete Guide to the Natter See Hike- Everything you need to know to do this hike!
See the Colourful Houses
The colourful houses along the Inn River in Innsbruck are an icon for the city and something you have to see! The different colors of the houses mixed with the bright blue of the river make it a beautiful photo spot. You can find the colorful houses at Mariahilfstraße, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
- Because of where the houses are it’s best to view (and photograph) them from the other side of the river so you can get both the houses and the river in a picture!
Days 4-7: Salzburg
Salzburg is located in northern Austria very close to the border of Germany. It has a lot of history and because of it’s location, it’s really easy to visit from Germany!
We took the train from Innsbruck to Salzburg in under 2 hours. There is at least one train leaving every hour so you really have your pick of times depending on how early or late you want to leave.
If you’re flying the closest airport to Salzburg is Salzburg Airport. You can get from the airport to the center of Salzburg by taking the bus either the Obergnigl line (O-Bus-2) or Sam line (O-Bus-10).
- The cost of bus tickets depend on the type of ticket you’re buying as well as if you buy it ahead of time or on the bus.
We stayed near the Salzburg train station on the east side of the Salzach River and liked that it was close to the train station but also walking distance to the historic center of the city. It was also much more affordable than staying right in the heart so it’s a good option if you’re looking to stay on a budget.
What To Do in Salzburg
Visit Fortress Hohensalzburg
Fortress Hohensalzburg is a large fortress that sits overlooking the city of Salzburg on Festungsberg. The fortress dates back over 900 years ago when construction began for Archbishop Gebhard. It can now be accessed by hiking up as well as by taking the Fortress Funicular.
From the Makartsteg Bridge it should take about 15 minutes. Tickets to Fortress Hohensalzburg depend on if you’re walking or taking the funicular one or both ways.
Read More: Day Trip to Lake Bled, Slovenia
Cross the Makartsteg Bridge
The Makartsteg Bridge crosses the Salzach River connecting the northeast part of Salzburg (including the train station) to the southwest part where you’ll find the Salzburg Cathedral and Fortress Hohensalzburg. It’s a beautiful spot for a picture as you can get buildings from the city as well as the towering fortress in the background!
From far away it looks almost a little red or pink. But as you get closer you will realize it’s the hundreds and hundreds of small locks that have been put on the bridge.
Travel Truth: We walked across around 3:30 PM in the afternoon and it was really crowded! Later at night it was significantly less crowded so take that into account if you’re trying to take pictures on the bridge.
See Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart’s Birthplace)
One of the top things to do in Salzburg is to see Mozart’s birthplace on Getreidegasse, No. 9 in Salzburg. Don’t worry you will find the house and then see a huge crowd of people standing in front of it taking pictures. You can tour the inside to see the rooms of the house for 12 Euros or $13 USD.
- We didn’t go inside but it’s kind of underwhelming from the outside. There were a huge group of people taking pictures of the outside of the house. If you’re not planning to tour the inside we wouldn’t say to go out of your way just to see the outside.
You can also visit the Mozart Residence where the family lived after moving out of the Getreidegasse, No. 9 house in 1773. Tickets to tour the residence cost 12 Euros or $13 USD.
- If you’re interested in both Mozart’s Birthplace and the Mozart Residence it’s cheaper to buy the combined ticket for both for 18.50 Euros or $20 USD.
See Locations from The Sound of Music
As an avid Sound of Music fan I was so excited to go to Salzburg and see some of the places that were used in the movie. You can actually go on a Sound of Music tour similar to the Game of Thrones tours in Dubrovnik. Or you can simply do some googling beforehand and try to see a few while exploring the city.
The fountain in Mirabell Garden was featured during the song do-re-mi. The Salzburg Residence was featured in multiple scenes including when Maria first arrives at the von Trapp family house.
Read More: 3 Places to Visit in Bavaria, Germany
Days 7-10: Vienna
Vienna is in eastern Austria very close to the border of Slovakia. Vienna has some incredibly intricate and stately architecture. You could easily spend hours just walking through the streets of Vienna taking pictures of all the fancy buildings.
From Salzburg we took the train to Vienna in 2 and a half hours. It was one quick train ride and then we were there! There are quite a few train stations in Vienna so make sure to check which stop is closest to where you are staying.
If you’re flying the Vienna International Airport is about 20 kms southeast from Vienna. There is a train stop at the Vienna Airport to the center of Vienna in about 20 minutes.
What To Do in Vienna
If you keep seeing Wien everywhere and are getting confused don’t worry it means Vienna. Similar to Firenze and Florence in Italy sometimes the English translation is slightly different.
Eat Wiener schnitzel
Wiener schnitzel is so delicious! You can find schnitzel in Germany, Switzerland and all over Austria. But Wiener schnitzel is veal that is specifically from Vienna, Austria. So you can’t find true Wiener schnitzel anywhere else besides Vienna although Wiener schnitzel and schnitzel are often used as synonyms.
Schnitzel is often times pork so Wiener schnitzel is slightly different from other schnitzel you might have had. Wiener schnitzel is slightly more expensive because its unique to the city of Vienna but its still affordable.
We went to Cafe-Restaurant Carmen und Ich and got both Wiener schnitzel and schnitzel to try side by side. Honestly I preferred schnitzel because it tastes amazing and so close to the Wiener schnitzel for slightly less money.
Marvel at Votivkirche
Votivkirche is a neo-gothic style church that was built in the late 1800’s. It’s in the city center so you might even by staying close by to it. You can’t miss it because it stands over 300 feet tall! The style of the building reminded us a lot of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
- There’s a small park on one side of the church with benches to sit and enjoy. It’s just a really impressive building so it’s worth at least walking by.
Wander through the Museums Quarter
The Museums Quarter is a large area where you will find numerous museums and art exhibits as well as restaurants and cafes.
We weren’t going into any of the museums so we just wandered through this area. If you do want to go into any of the museums there are quite a few to choose from! It’s nice that they’re all close together and close to so much more in the city.
Walk through the Naschmarkt
Naschmarkt is a really cool market in Vienna that you should definitely walk through. It has everything from all different kinds of olives and spices, fresh cheese, local dishes and a few sit down restaurants. It’s a colorful and lively market that was really interesting to walk through.
The market is quite large so we spent about 40 minutes walking down the aisles. We got apple strudel which was really delicious for about 2 Euros. Then we also tried nusszelten which is a pastry filled with nuts. We actually thought it was going to be meat filled similar to an empanada but it was a sweet hazelnut filling.
You could easily add days to any of these three places to explore even more. Or if you have even more time go ahead and add in another area of Austria!
