Overview
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Austria Road Trip itinerary
About this Austria itinerary
This complete Austrian road trip itinerary takes you along the most beautiful places in Austria. The route offers a nice variety of impressive mountain hikes, beautiful blue lakes, mysterious gorges, and picturesque villages and cities. It is a circular route with Salzburg as the starting point. Depending on where you arrive in Austria, it is of course also possible to start this route at any point of the itinerary and/or reverse it. If you arrive in Austria in Vienna, be sure to take a day or 2 to visit this beautiful city.
This route takes at least 12 days at a fairly high pace. That’s why we recommend you allow at least 14 days to fully enjoy everything this beautiful country has to offer. You can of course fully adapt the route to your wishes and the time you have to explore Austria.
Best Time for an Austrian road trip
Austria is the perfect destination in both summer and winter and offers a lot of activities for both seasons, such as hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. That is why you can visit Austria in all seasons, but depending on the activities you want to do there.
This Austria itinerary is best done between early summer and early spring. Keep in mind that it can get very busy during the peak summer months (July and August). That’s why we recommend you go in June or September.
If you would like to go to Austria in winter, keep in mind that there is a lot of snow, that many hiking trails are closed, and that driving can be difficult. This does not alter the fact that the white winter landscape is truly beautiful and that you can enjoy an awesome winter holiday.
Renting a car or campervan in Austria
This Austrian road trip itinerary is best done by car or campervan. You can’t really call a road trip a road trip without a vehicle. If you’re not going with your own vehicle, we recommend renting your car with Rentalcars.com or your campervan with Roadsurfers. We did this road trip with our own campervan and have some very useful tips for camping in Austria.
Driving in Austria
The roads in Austria are well maintained and, even though you drive frequently through the mountains, it is often easier than you’d expect.
To drive Austria’s highways and expressways, you need to purchase a vignette or toll sticker. It is possible to avoid these roads, but we highly recommend buying a vignette to access the highways. There are vignettes for 1 day, 10 days, 2 months and a year. You can purchase a vignette at many gas stations or you can buy a digital vignette online. Please note: vignettes for 1 day and 10 days are valid immediately, for 2 months and a year they are only valid from the 18th day. You will find more information and the current rates on the ASFINAG website.
Besides the highways, there are a few toll roads in Austria, that are not included in the vignette and therefore you still have to pay separately. If you pass one of these, you simply have to pay the toll at the toll gates.
The speed limit in towns is 50km/hr and 100km/hr on freeways and 130km/hr on highways.
Salzburg
This Austrian road trip itinerary starts in the lovely city of Salzburg.
This city is most famous as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but also from the classic film ‘The Sound of Music’. You can visit some famous attractions related to Mozart, including his birthplace and his residence. If you are a fan of ‘The Sound of Music, you can visit various filming locations, like the Mirabell Gardens, Leopoldskron Palace and the Nonnberg history. Other highlights in Salzburg are the Hellbrunn Palace and Hohensalzburg Fortress, one of the largest and best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe.
As you can see, there is a lot to do in Salzburg. Therefore, you can spend some time in the city both on the first day and on your return on the last day of this itinerary.
Where to stay in Salzburg
In Salzburg, you will find plenty of nice accommodations to stay for just about every budget. You will find hotels, B&Bs, resorts, and much more.
If you are traveling with a tent or camper, you can stay at Camping Nord-Sam, Salzburg Panorama Camping Stadtblick, Camping Kasern (only for campers), or the slightly further away Campingplatz Schloss Aigen.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Salzburg and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Salzburg
Salzburg
Salzburg
via Booking.com
Fuschlsee
Today, you can spend the whole day discovering the area of Fuschlsee.
This beautiful lake is located in the region of Salzkammergut and the state of Salzburg in Austria.
In the region, there are numerous hiking trails from which you can enjoy a scenic view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. On the lake itself, you can also enjoy countless activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, etc.
A hike we can really recommend is the hike up Schober and Frauenkopf. At the summit, you have a stunning view of Fuschlsee, Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, and the surrounding peaks.
Where to stay at Fuschlsee
Both around Fuschlsee and around the other lakes in Salzkammergut you will find numerous places to stay, such as hotels, apartments, resorts…
Unfortunately for campers: there are no campsites at Fuschlsee itself. The nearest campsites can be found at Mondsee and you will also find numerous campsites around Attersee and Wolfgangsee.
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Löser
On the third day of this road trip in Austria, you can go hiking in the area of Löser and Altausee. Löser is an 1837-meter-high mountain. There are a lot of great hiking trails, with panoramic views of the surrounding lakes and peaks.
The hike to Löser’s summit is one of the most popular hikes, has a relatively moderate difficulty, and will reward you with some stunning views of the Altsuasee and the surrounding peaks.
Where to stay at Löser
Next to Altausee and in the near surroundings you will find numerous accommodations like hotels, chalets, apartments, and a lot more.
With a campervan or tent, you can stay at Camping Temel at Altausee.
With a campervan, it is also possible to spend the night in the parking lot of the loser hut and enjoy the incredible view non-stop. To get here you have to take a toll road of €20 and the price to stay overnight is €15 and €3 tourist tax per person.
Austria
Hallstatt and Gosausee
Today you can explore the lovely village of Hallstatt. You can stroll through the charming streets, take a boat around the lake, but also visit the interesting salt mines. In the late afternoon you can enjoy a relaxing walk Gosausee and admire the most perfect reflections.
Are you a climber or do you like to do via ferratas? Then plan an extra day to climb the Donnerkogel via ferrata with the famous stairway to heaven.
Where to stay near Hallstatt and Gosausee
At Gosausee itself you can stay at Gasthof Gosausee, near the cable car. You will also find some nice accommodations to stay in the village of Gosau and on the road to Gosausee. Would you rather stay in Hallstatt? Here too you will find many nice and charming places to stay in this beautiful town.
In the village of Gosau, there are twoù parking spaces specifically for campers. If you are looking for a campsite, the nearest ones are in Hallstatt: Campingplatz Klausner-Höll and Camping am See.
Liechtensteinklamm and Sigmund Thun-Klamm
Today is Klamm day. Klamm is German worth for gorge, so you are going to explore two of Austria’s most impressive and gorgeous gorges (you see what we did there?).
The first gorge you pass is the Liechtensteinklamm or Liechtenstein Gorge. It is one of Austria’s deepest and most picturesque gorges in the Salzburg region of the Austrian Alps. This gorge has a total length of 4 kilometers and is up to 300 high. However, you can only visit around 1.5 kilometers via man-made pathways, including the famous spiral staircase.
After about an hour’s drive from the Liechtenstein Gorge, you reach the Sigmund Thun Gorge. This is another beautiful natural gorge shaped by the Kapruner Ache River. With its 350-meter length, it’s only a small gorge compared to the Liecthensteinklamm but at least equally unique. You can explore the gorge by a wooden walkway and follow the swirling water, making its way through the rugged cliffs. After a visit to this mysterious gorge, you can enjoy the surroundings of Kaprun and Zell am See.
Where to stay near Sigmund Thun-Klamm
In both Kaprun and Zell am See, you will find numerous accommodations to stay such as hotels, resorts, and lodges.
The nearest campsite, Camping Zur Mühle, is located just a few hundred meters from the entrance to the gorge, on the edge of Kaprun. More campsites can be found in and around Zell am See.
Krimml Waterfall
After spending a whole day visiting gorges yesterday, today it is time to visit the largest waterfall in Austria. The Krimml Waterfall is located in the Hohe Tauern National Park and is not only the largest but also a very powerful one. This 380-meter-high waterfall consists of 3 tiers and you can walk all the way to the top via a hiking trail. Keep in mind that this is a tough climb. That’s why there isn’t much else on the agenda today. If you don’t feel like doing this climb, you can of course also admire the powerful waterfall from below.
Note: The Passhöhe Gerlos Alpine Road after Krimml is a toll road. The price for a car and a campervan under 3,5t is €12. You can find more information on the official website.
Where to stay
Because you still have some time left today and there is a very popular place planned for tomorrow, we recommend that you sleep nearby, namely in Mayrhofen. This way you can start the day early tomorrow and spend the rest of the day exploring the charming town. You have a wide choice of many different accommodations for every budget.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Mayrofen and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen
via Booking.com
Schlegeisspeicher
It’s hiking day again! On day 7, you can go for a hike to the most famous view of Austria. You can hike up to the Olpererhütte, from where you can enjoy an amazing view over the lake and the valley and walk over the Kebema Panoramabrücke.
It is a tough but not super long hike. The view from above is truly phenomenal. It can get very busy, so try to go as early as possible to avoid having to queue at the bridge for a photo. Is there already a long queue? Then you can also take beautiful photos of other places near the bridge.
Note: To get to Schlegeisspeicher and the start of the hike, you have to take the Schlegeis Alpenstrasse toll road (€17). Note that the toll road is only open from May to October from 7:00 am (6:00 am in July and August) to 6:00 pm. You can not drive to Schlegeisspeicher outside these hours.
Unfortunately, there’s a driving ban for mobile homes, caravans, as well as minibusses, and cars converted into gaming vehicles. If you would like to hike to the Kebema Panoramabrücke, you can park your camper in Mayrhofen and take the bus from there.
You can find all current information on the official website of Verbund.
Where to stay near Schlegeisspeicher
The best place to stay near Schlegeisspeicer is in Mayrhofen. You will find a wide range of accommodations to stay here.
Are you traveling by campervan or with a tent, then you will also find a campsite to spend the night in Mayrhofen. Alternatively, you find several campsites in the villages of Zell am Ziller, Aufenfeld, and Kaltenbach, that you pass on your way to Mayrhofen.
Plansee
Today, you can enjoy a relaxing or active day at Plansee. This is a stunning alpine lake, located in the Tyrolean Alps in Austria. Here, you can enjoy a day of rest by the water, a refreshing dip, or many other more active activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, windsurfing, and sailing. Would you like to go for a hike here too? Then we can recommend the walk to the most beautiful viewpoint on Plansee.
Where to stay near Plansee
If you are looking for a hotel to stay, you have two options at Plansee: Hotel Forelle, or Hotel Seespitze. The closest village to Plansee is Reutte where you have even more choice of accommodation.
If you would like to stay a night with your camper or tent at Plansee, you can choose between 2 campsites: Camping Sennalpe and Camping Seespitz. Wild camping is strictly prohibited and there are frequent checks.
Seebensee and Drachensee
On the ninth day of this road trip through Austria, you can hike to Seebensee and Drachensee, two beautiful mountain lakes in the Tyrol region in Austria. You can make this hike as easy or as difficult as you want. Either you start hiking from the valley, or you can skip the hardest part to Seebensee by taking the cable car. If you would also like to see the Drachensee, you will have to climb one short, tough bit, but the view over the Seebensee and the Zugspitze in the background makes up for everything.
Where to stay near Seebensee
In Ehrwald and the surrounding villages of Lermoos and Biberwier, you will find some good places to stay the night, like hotels and apartments.
There are a few campsites in the area of Ehrwald, Lermoos, and Biberwier if you are looking for a place to stay with your camper or tent.
Innsbruck
In Innsbruck, you can recover from all the hiking of the past few days. This city is the capital of the Tyrol region in Austria and is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. You can stroll through the Old Town, and visit Hofburg Imperial Palace and the Ambras Castle. You can also visit various museums, take the Nordkette cable car for the most impressive views of the city, relax in the Hofgarten and so much more! It’s the perfect city to take a break from all the hiking.
Where to stay in Innsbruck
In Innsbruck, you will find a wide choice of accommodations for every budget, both in the heart of the city and outside.
In Innsbruck itself, there are no campsites where you can stay with your tent or camper. The nearest campsites are Ferienparadies Natterer See, Camping Innsbruck/Völs, Camping Kranebitterhof, and Judenstein Campground in the neighboring villages.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Innsbruck and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Innsbruck
Innsbruck
Innsbruck
via Booking.com
Achensee
On the penultimate day of this Austrian road trip, you can discover the surroundings of Achensee, the largest lake in Tyrol. The area around Achensee in Austria offers plenty of beautiful hiking trails. From tough hikes to the top of a mountain to quiet walks along the lake. All these hikes offer some stunning views of the lake.
An easy hike that we can recommend is the one to the Gaisalm along the Gaisalm Steig. If you are looking for a more challenging hike with a beautiful panoramic view of Achensee, then check out the hike to Bärenkopf.
Where to stay near Achensee
There are a total of 5 villages located on Achensee where you will find many nice accommodations to stay such as hotels, resorts, chalets, and apartments.
Spread around Achensee you will find multiple campsites where you can stay with your camper or tent.
Austria
Hochkönig
You can spend your last day of this Austrian road trip in the area of Hochkönig. This is one of the most iconic peaks in the Austrian Alps. With its 2,941 meters, it is the highest point in the Berchtesgaden Alps and is often referred to as the “King of the Alps,” hence its name.
The area is home to approximately 340 kilometers of hiking trails, more than 50 summits to conquer, and countless kilometers of bike routes. The perfect place to actively conclude this Austria itinerary.
Here we can recommend hiking to the top of Hochkeil and the mirror lake, to enjoy some stunning views of Mandlwand, the southeast flank of Hochkönig.
Where to stay near Hochkönig
If you are looking for accommodation, you can spend the night in Berghotel Arthurhaus, where many hikes in the area start. Also next to Berghotel Arthurhaus, on the road from Mühlbach am Hochkönig to Arthurhaus and in Mühlbach am Hochkönig itself, you find numerous places to stay such as hotels, lodges, and apartments.
As far as we know, there aren’t any campsites near Hochkönig. However, it is allowed to stay the night in the parking lot of Arthurhaus, where many hikes in the area start. The nearest campsite is located in Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer.
We are sure that you will have an unforgettable time during this Austrian road trip itinerary. If you have any questions about the route or any adjustments you want to make, don’t hesitate to contact us and we’re more than happy to help you.
Enjoy your trip and drive safely!
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Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
