For my first trip overseas in two and a half years, and my first trip overseas with my partner who I met during that time, it felt tough choosing where to go.

I was desperate to visit a new country, but in March 2022 we were still nervous about travel due to Covid. We both enjoy the outdoors so we were looking for somewhere to mix a city break with with some hikes.

We settled on Austria as we could fly from our closest airport to Salzburg with a budget airline. Years ago I read a National Geographic Traveller insert about Salzburgerland and was inspired by the beautiful scenery. It seemed perfect – and it was!

Here’s my itinerary for a week in Salzburgerland.

Itinerary for a week in Salzburgerland

Days 1-3 Spend 3 days in Salzburg

Salzburg is a beautiful small city set against a backdrop of mountains. The Castle oversees pretty streets and a large river.

It’s a pleasant spot to spend a few days exploring the castle, walking up the surrounding hills for views of the city, and sampling the traditional and modern eateries that Salzburg has to offer.

We spent three nights in Salzburg which was enough to explore and get a good feel for the place.

For more detailed information on things to do in Salzburg read my post: A Weekend in Salzburg, Austria – Things To Do

Day 4 Travel to Bad Ischl

We hired a car to travel between locations for our week in Salzburgerland. This was a fairly expensive option but worth it to explore places a little off the beaten track.

We found Europcar to be the least expensive and the prices are cheaper the further in advance you book the car. Though not in the centre of the city, it was a short bus ride from Mirabell to pick up the car.

We chose to stay in Bad Ischl for our second stop because it’s about a 30 minute drive from Hallstatt, which was firmly on our bucket list. Bad Ischl is a cute town with a small river running through it and a view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains.

The drive from Europcar in Salzburg took about 1 hour.

Where to stay in Bad Ischl

The hotels in Bad Ischl are cheaper and have more availability than those in Hallstatt itself. We stayed at the Hotel Goldener Ochs, right beside the river. Our room was fairly basic but had a pleasant private courtyard attached. The location was good with a secure underground car park.

Salzkammergut Thermal Spa

On the day we arrived in Bad Ischl we visited the Salzkammergut Thermal Spa on a bit of a whim. We were glad we did as it was lovely. Lay back in the warm waters outside and relax with a view of the mountains. A single Adult ticket for up to 4 hours costs 19.50 EUR and is absolutely worth it.

The drawback of visiting Salzburgerland in off-season (winter) is that many restaurants are closed until April, so our choices for dinner were rather limited. We ate in the hotel on our first night and the food, whilst only basic Austrian fare, was nice enough for a schnitzel.

Day 5 Visit Hallstatt

Breakfast at Hotel Goldener Ochs was included and was a very good buffet with very pleasant staff. We were happy to eat here both mornings we stayed.

We drove the 30 minutes to Hallstatt along the winding mountain roads in our hire car. I found it tough driving here in our manual rental car on the opposite side of the road to the UK, but we made it ok.

We did get no less than three speeding tickets this day though! I’m a careful driver, however the speed limits are not very clearly marked on the way – so be careful, particularly in Bad Ischl itself. We never received the fines from the Austrian authority, but we did have to pay two 30 EUR admin charges to Europcar.

Still, Hallstatt was completely worth it and surpassed our high expectations. Hallstatt is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it is absolutely stunning. Wander the small town, and hike (or take the funicular) up to the viewing platform for spectacular views of the town, lake and mountains.

I loved Hallstatt so much that I’ve written a separate post about it. It was the highlight of our week in Salzburgerland. Read How to Spend a Day in Hallstatt.

For dinner we ate at Restaurant Weinhaus Attwenger in Bad Ischl once we had returned from Hallstatt. We had a steak and a burger, with beer and wine, and it was really very good. We had planned to eat here on the first night, but found it closed, so were pleased to see it open on day two.

Day 6 – Stop at Wolfgangsee and Travel to Bad Gestein

After breakfast at the hotel and a quick walk into the town to buy some lebkuchen for snacks and gifts (it was close to Mothers’ Day) we drove towards Wolfgangsee.

Ultimately heading to the larger mountains in Bad Gestein, Wolfgangsee was a 17 minute detour. We had driven through on the way from Salzburg to Bad Ischl and it looked so beautiful that we were compelled to go back to explore.

Wolfgangsee didn’t disappoint and it ended up being our favourite location on the trip. We stopped there for a couple of hours to walk around the stunning lake and grab a snack for lunch.

There is an easy hiking trail along the edge of a lake, which is partly boardwalk, and has a short woodland trail up a hill which makes for spectacular views.

The crystal clear water with mountains in the background was well worth the short detour on our journey. After this we drove on to Bad Gestein, marveling at the huge mountains on the way. This journey took about 1 hour 45 minutes – the longest of the trip.

Day 7 – A hike and a thermal spa in Bad Hofgastein

Where to stay in Bad Gastein

The last stop for our week in Salzburgerland was Bad Gastein. We stayed in an Airbnb, Haus Seidl, which was in a lovely quiet location close to a supermarket and a very good restaurant. The host was lovely and helpful, and gave us a discount card for activities in the area.

We hadn’t realised that she also lived in the apartment block and communication about how to let her know we had arrived wasn’t very clear. Nothing that couldn’t be solved by asking for clarity before you arrive.

Hike from Bad Hofgastein

We used Kamoot to find a hike in Bad Hofgastein. There are plenty to choose from with different lengths and difficulties. We chose a short hike (a couple of hours) starting in the town and heading up the mountain. There was a cafe at the top, but we sat at a nearby bench instead, taking in the view of the snowy peaks.

We chose a short hike this time as we were only in Bad Hofgastein for a couple of days, and we needed to allow time for lunch and the spa.

Have lunch at Hotel Blu

After our hike we went into Bad Hofgastein for lunch and found Hotel Blu. The food was great, staff were friendly, and it was a cool atmosphere to relax and recover either inside or out in the winter sun.

Visit Alpentherme, Bad Hofgastein

We went to Bad Hofgastein because I’d seen a picture of the outdoor thermal spa, Alpentherme, with the snow-capped mountains in the background.

We spent the afternoon here and it was a complex of indoor and outdoor thermal pools. Most of the walls were glass so, even when inside, there are beautiful views of the mountains. You can see a few ski slopes from here too.

From the website we had thought that the two large swimming lakes were heated. We were disappointed to discover that they are not, and are not open in the winter – so the outside area was a lot smaller than we had anticipated.

It was still worth a visit though!

Day 8 – Travel home

All good trips come to an end and on day 8 we ended our week in Salzburgerland and drove the 1 hour 15 minutes to Salzburg Airport. We had arranged to drop off the car at Europcar at the airport, so things were nice and easy.

Salzburg airport is quite small, with just one area to wait in for all gates with one cafe. Ideally not somewhere you’d want to be stuck for hours, but everything you need while you wait for your flight home.

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Day 1 – Arrive in Salzburg

We travelled from Stansted Airport, UK, to Salzburg Airport – a short flight of just two hours. Feeling lazy on arrival, we grabbed a taxi from the airport to our hotel which took about 20 minutes.

Where to stay

We had booked to stay at the Hotel Goldgasse for our weekend in Salzburg. However, the hotel contacted us a few days before to offer us a stay in their sister hotel as roadworks had left our original choice unable to open.

The sister hotel, Hotel Stein, was brilliant and they even upgraded our room to a suite when we arrived. Located right on the river, not far from the lovelock bridge, it was a perfect location.

Hotel Stein has a trendy rooftop bar, called Steinterrasse, which is run separately to the hotel and serves great food. It has wonderful views of the city and surrounding mountains.

Wander the pretty streets

We arrived in the afternoon so there was time for a self-guided (Google maps guided?) orientation walk in Salzburg. Salzburg is a small city so it’s easy to wander around and not get lost. You’ll stumble across multiple city squares and find Mozart’s birthplace.

Lock a love lock

If you’re on a romantic getaway, it can be fun to visit Makartsteg Bridge where many couples have attached a padlock to the railing.

I took a padlock with our names on and surprised my boyfriend with it when we ‘happened’ to find the bridge.

Eat at Innergebirg

On the first night we ate at Innergebirg – a small bar/restaurant serving a select few traditional meals.

The doorway and the sign outside is very small and we walked past it at first – so keep an eye on Google maps to find it.

From the street you have to walk through a long, thin unheated area of tables to get to the cosy bar area. We visited in March so this area was empty, which felt strange, but there are a few tables in the bar area for dinner and drinks.

A nice, cosy, comfort food option for a meal with friendly staff who make you feel at home. We stayed for an extra drink.

Day 2 – A lazy brunch and a short hike

Go for Brunch at Afro Cafe

Tired after travelling (we’re not used to it anymore!) we woke up late and felt like a chill day, so we started with a lazy brunch.

We went to Afro Cafe which serves delicious coffee and African-inspired meals.

On a warm day, sit at the brightly coloured bistro tables out front and watch the world go by.

Try a Wafflino at N.U.R Cafe

What’s a Wafflino? It’s a coffee in an ice cream cone from N.U.R Cafe! Very cool. Unfortunately when we went they had recently changed supplier of the cones, and the recipe wasn’t quite right. It would have leaked, so instead we got a coffee and a separate cone. I’m sure they’ve sorted it by now, so you should check it out.

Hike to the Kapuzinerberg Monastery

Take the steep steps up to the top of the hill from Steingasse (which is just behind hotel Stein, where we stayed) for beautiful views of the city and caste.

From here, you can follow the trail along the fortified wall to the monastery. It’s not a long walk, unless you stop for photos every few steps like I did. Perfect on a nice day for a different view of the city with a mountain backdrop.

Drink Scnapps outside at Sporer

What’s a weekend in Salzburg without some schnapps? We fancied a tipple before dinner and we saw a few people standing outside Sporer having a drink, so we thought we’d join in.

The bar inside is tiny but stocked with every flavour of schnapps you could imagine. We tried the blackberry and stood outside in the cold March evening to feel warm on the inside.

Eat Schnitzels at Restaurant Meissl

We saw a guy pounding schnitzels (sounds rude. Isn’t!) through the window of Restaurant Meissl and so we thought we’d try it here.

The schnitzels here are large, but good, and there are a few fairly basic options to choose from. They also serve other dishes, such as pasta.

If you’re brave enough (and I have to say I don’t recommend it) you can try a Salzburger Nockerl for dessert. This is a sweet soufflé with three peaks, representing the three mountains around Salzburg.

We ordered just one peak and it was absolutely huge. I didn’t enjoy and ended up attempting to smack the air out of it with my spoon, to make it look like I’d eaten more than I could actually force down.

Day 3 – Visit the Castle

Coffee and cake at My Mom’s

My Mom’s is a cute and very well-rated cafe not far from Hotel Stein. The coffee was great, the pistachio cookie was huge and delicious, and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Highly recommend for a caffeine hit and a snack!

Visit the Castle

The castle is one of the main attractions for a weekend in Salzburg. You can see the castle towering over the city from most places, so it’s easy to make your way there.

It’s a short, relatively steep walk up to the castle from the city centre, or there is a funicular if you’re feeling on the lazy side after brunch.

The castle itself is fun to look around and you can buy different levels of ticket to we various different areas. We went for the basic ticket, as we were happy to just wander the site, and we felt that was enough.

The basic ticket includes a ‘panoramic tour’ which tells you lots of interesting information about the history of Salzburg and the salt mines.

The highlight for me was climbing to the tower at the top of the castle where you can see for miles over the city, and the surrounding snow-capped mountains which aren’t visible from the ground.

Have lunch with a view at Steinterrasse

Steinterrasse is on the roof of Hotel Stein, where we stayed, so we reserved a table for lunch. This rooftop bar/restaurant has great views of the city, river and castle and is excellent on a sunny day.

The food is a bit on the expensive side, and maybe it’s a bit pretentious, but the fancy meatballs were tasty and it was worth it for the atmosphere.

Visit Mirabell Gardens

Mirabell Gardens is a public garden at Mirabell Palace. It’s a pleasant place to wander around on a nice day and features many different gardens to enjoy.

We found a quiet courtyard with evening sun, a stage and seating area, and a dwarf garden which we found quite… odd.

We visited in March so most of the plants weren’t in full bloom, but it was lovely nonetheless and worth a visit when you want to relax.

Have dinner at Barenwirt

Barenwirt is a bit further outside of the city centre which made for a nice evening stroll along the river.

Of the places we ate in Salzburg this was my favourite. A small cozy restaurant that felt a bit like being in someone’s home. I had the goulash and it was delicious.

Day 4 – Breakfast at Cafe Bazar

Before you say goodbye to your weekend in Salzburg, make sure you stop for breakfast at Cafe Bazar. Right on the river with plenty of tables outside in the morning sunshine, it’s a classy spot for your morning meal.

Perhaps it’s a bit ‘obvious’, but we enjoyed our granola and coffee watching people walk by from behind our sunglasses.

What about the Sound of Music?

You’ll note I haven’t mentioned the classic movie that was filmed in and around Salzburg… that’s because I’ve never seen it. I know, I know, you don’t understand, but it’s true!

If you’re looking to spend a day on a Sound of Music tour, check out these options on Viator. I’ve booked a number of day tours through Viator and it’s a company I like and trust.

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When to visit Hallstatt

We visited Hallstatt in ‘off season’ and I’m so glad we did. Hallstatt is a victim of overtourism and I was worried it would be super crowded, and less enjoyable because of it.

We visited Austria in late March – late for the ski season, and early for the summer season. This could have been a risk, as there is still a good chance of cold weather and snow. We were lucky to have clear weather and bright sunshine for the whole week.

We arrived for our day in Hallstatt about 10am and there were only a handful of other tourists all day long. No queues, no people in our photos, and no hassle. It was wonderful!

Yes, the weather could have been cloudy and wet, but even then I think I would prefer an empty town to one crawling with tourists. So I recommend March as a time to visit Hallstatt.

Getting to Hallstatt from Salzburg

By car

We rented a car for our trip as we had plans to explore more of Salzburgerland. Our car rental was from Europcar in the city, which was easy to get to via bus 21 from Mirabell.

From Salzburg we drove to Bad Ischl, a small pretty thermal spa town about 30 minutes drive from Hallstatt. If you have the time, a short stay in Bad Ischl is worthwhile – it’s a cute little town and you can see snow-capped mountains from the thermal baths.

The drive from Salzburg to Hallstatt takes about 1hr 15 if you’re driving straight from the city.

By public transport

It is possible to take public transport from Salzburg to Hallstatt, though you’ll need to take two trains and a bus and the journey time is around 2.5 – 3 hours.

Whilst this is the cheapest option, it’s probably only worth pursuing if you’re going to stay overnight for more than just a day in Hallstatt.

You can plan your journey using Google Maps.

Take a day tour

If you’d prefer not to hire a car, booking a day trip from Salzburg is a great low hassle option. This is ideal if you’re only in Salzburg for a short time. A half-day tour with Viator will take about 5 hours, giving you 2.5 hours to explore Hallstatt.

Getting ‘that shot’ of Hallstatt

So where do you need to stand to get the shot of Hallstatt that you’ve seen on Instagram? The spot is called ‘Aussichtspunkt Hallstatt’ and is marked on Google Maps as a scenic point.

There are only a few roads in Hallstatt so it’s easy to find. From the Central Square, face the lake and head to your left. Keep going and you’ll find it after perhaps a 5 minute walk. There’s nothing marked, but you’ll recognise the view.

Hike up to the viewpoint in Hallstatt

I like to include outdoor adventure wherever possible, so we took the hiking route up to the viewing platform in Hallstatt rather than taking the funicular.

To find the steps behind the town, take Mullerstiege (a small street off Oberer Marktplatz) and start to climb up among the houses. Half way up take the steps to the left (straight on ends up in a carpark) and you’ll soon find yourself on the small zigzag road up to the hiking trail.

It takes about an hour to hike to the top, depending on how often you stop to take photos of the beautiful view of the Hallstatt rooftops, lake and mountains. It’s an easy hike suitable for anyone with a moderate level of fitness.

The hiking trail is closed over the winter months and, if you do choose to ignore the signs, you won’t be able to call rescue. So use your best judgement.

Stand on the viewing platform

The viewing platform at the top sticks out from the ground and gives a great panoramic view of the lake and mountains. Many people want to take photos of them standing on the platform, so it can take a while if you want to do the same.

Honestly, if you’ve hiked from the town, you’ll have seen the amazing views by yourself all the way up!

Get the funicular back to Hallstatt

Your options for getting back down to the town are to either take the funicular, or hike back down (which takes about 30 minutes). We were hungry and didn’t fancy the big meals at the restaurant at the top, so we took the funicular.

The funicular costs 11 Euros for a one-way trip and you can buy tickets at the ticket gate. If it’s quiet you may have to wait around a while to find someone who works there to sell you a ticket. The funicular takes a couple of minutes to reach the bottom, arriving near the car parks.

Grab lunch at Die Gemischtwarenhandlung Am See

We had lunch at Die Gemischtwarenhandlung Am See which is a cute cafe in the centre of Hallstatt. One of the more modern places to grab a decent coffee and a delicious open sandwich.

I recommend grabbing one of the tables out front to watch the world go by as you eat.

Explore Hallstatt town

The best thing you can do in Hallstatt is to simply wander the narrow streets and take in the pretty houses and the lakeside scenery. It’s a maze of beautiful buildings, shops and cafes which is a pleasure to explore.

Buy a souvenir from your day in Hallstatt

If you’re looking for a unique souvenir from Hallstatt, find Schnapps & Holz. This woodwork shop has a lathe in the corner and they carve toys and kitchenware. We picked up a small spinning top and a Christmas decoration.

As the name suggests, they also sell Schnapps if you like a tipple.

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