7 Day Austria Road Trip Itinerary
The hills are alive with the Sound of Music in Austria! Austria is sometimes overlooked as a European destination but it shouldn’t be. Austria is a great place for city and nature lovers alike-there is truly something for everyone. A 7-day Austria road trip will let you see the highlights of what this beautiful country has to offer by stopping in Vienna, the Salzkammergut (Lake District), and Salzburg. Here’s how to spend a fun-filled 7 days in Austria!
You can find all the recommended hotels and points of interest for this 7 day Austria road trip on the map below. Zoom in and out of the areas to get a better look at where everything is!
HOW MANY DAYS IN VIENNA?
Ideally, Vienna deserves 3 days in your Austria Itinerary. At the very least allocate 2 days in Vienna. You may want to add an extra day if you plan to day trip to Bratislava.
The Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria at night.
This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links are no extra charge to you, but I may earn a small commission if you chose to make a purchase. See disclosures for more details.
Day 1
Start out your time in Vienna by exploring all of Vienna’s beautiful architecture. Stop by St. Stephen’s Cathedral and marvel at the tiled roof, head to the Hofburg to see how royalty lived, stop by the Rathaus (where you can find ice-skating in the winter) and Parliament building to see where the government conducts its day to day business.
Vienna’s stunning Rathaus is just one example of the beautiful architecture to be found around the city.
There are so many gorgeous buildings to see that you could just wander around the city for days. When your feet are tired and you need a little pick me up, head to one of Vienna’s famous cafes for some sacher torte. Sacher torte is a cake that originated in Vienna and can be found all over the city (along with many other kinds of baked goods).
St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna with it’s colorfully tiled roof.
If you’re traveling with children, spend the afternoon at Haus des Meeres. It’s a small aquarium and reptile zoo just off of Maria Hilfe Strasse, a great shopping street. Little ones will love looking at all the different fish and critters. Don’t miss the terrace for a great view of the city!
The Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna.
Day 2
Head out to the Schonbrunn Palace. This is the Versailles of Austria and could easily take your entire day. There is the palace tour itself, a children’s museum, cafes, a zoo, expansive gardens, and even classes on how to make apple strudel. You can choose to spend your whole day here seeing all the property has to offer or spend the morning in the palace then head back downtown to finish your afternoon somewhere else.
You might be hungry after that day at the palace and if so, stop at the Nasch Market to eat your way through the various food stalls. Bring your appetite!
Riding the bumper cars at Prater Amusement Park in Vienna.
Day 3
Spend time at Prater Amusement Park! Even if you’re not traveling with kids, this is a great place to feel like a kid again. This amusement park is full of rides and entertainment. The park is free to enter and you pay by the ride. There is everything from tame kiddie rides to thrill rides, not for the faint of heart. We have been to Vienna with kids more than once, and this was by far their favorite thing that we did!
Belvedere Palace in Vienna.
Alternatively, if carnival rides aren’t your thing, you can see another palace in the heart of Vienna-the Belvedere Palace. The palace houses an art collection inside and has beautiful gardens to explore outside.
Where to Stay in Vienna
Vienna is a well-connected big city. For this reason, it is not critical that you are exactly in the city center. As long as you are close to a tram/metro/train stop you should be able to get anywhere you want to go easily. Bear in mind that parking in a big city like Vienna can be a challenge, so you will want to have a plan or discuss parking with the owner of the property you decide to stay at.
Frozen fountain at the Schonbrunn Palace gardens in Vienna.
I can personally recommend 7th Heaven Apartments. It was very close to many restaurants, walking distance to Haus des Meeres and several museums. The apartment host was extremely helpful and even left us a bottle of champagne to welcome us. Note, there is no elevator! We carried our stroller up and down the stairs each time we left. Even without the elevator, I would still recommend the apartment!
Other Properties that look like great finds in Vienna:
How to Get Around Vienna
This is a road trip post, but don’t plan to drive a car around Vienna. Park the car and use the excellent public transportation system of buses, trams, and the U-bahn. Vienna also has hop-on hop-off busses if that is something your family enjoys.
Bratislava city views from the castle. Bratislava is an easy day trip from Vienna.
Bratislava Day Trip
Have an extra day in your Austria travel itinerary and want to add on another country? Jump on the train for a quick ride to Bratislava, Slovakia. The train from Bratislava to Vienna only takes one hour. You could also drive one hour to Bratislava but it is easier to take the train.
When you get to Bratislava, enjoy walking around the quaint old town. Also, take a steep walk up to the castle. It is worth the climb! Up there is a playground for kids to burn some energy and a couple of cafes where you can enjoy the view.
Dachstein Glacier in the Salzkammergut Region of Austria.
2 DAYS IN THE SALZKAMMERGUT
From Vienna drive just over 3 hours to the Salzkammergut or Austrian Lake District. Here is where nature lovers will be happiest. This region is surrounded by mountains, lakes, and charming towns. It’s the perfect place to relax after spending a few days in Austria’s bustling capital.
Day 4-Hallstatt
Hallstatt is a town that can not be missed! It is postcard-perfect and picturesque no matter what time of year you visit. Hallstatt is very famous, so you will enjoy the lowest crowds in the winter. A picture of a Hallstatt winter day, covered in snow literally looks like a Christmas card-gorgeous!
Picturesque views of Hallstatt, Austria.
Even with the summer crowds, you can have an enjoyable visit if you stay the night and wait for the daytrippers to go home. f you’re visiting in the summer, rent a small motorboat and take to the lake. You can cruise around the lake for an hour for about 20 Euro. The views are worth it!
Hallstatt oozes charm and you will love simply wandering the town and enjoying your surroundings. Plenty of charming shops and restaurants around every corner. If you want to get a birds-eye-view, head up to the viewing platform above the town.
Cruising the Hallstatter See on a motor boat. Rent them by the hour and enjoy the views from the water.
Whether you choose to stay in Hallstatt or not, it is worth your time to go and see it. If you stay there, you will be able to enjoy the town when the day-tripping tourists have gone home and it is quieter. If you choose to stay elsewhere you will enjoy lower hotel rates!
How to Get to Hallstatt
If you are driving, there are a couple of parking lots near the town. They can fill up though. Another way to do it if you are staying in another town in the region is to take the train.
Flower boxes on lake houses in Hallstatt.
When you get off at the Hallstatt train station, you will then need to take the Hallstatt ferry. The train station is actually across the lake from the town. If you’re doing this, pay attention to when the last ferry back is! The ferry rides are timed up with the train, so as long as you make the last ferry back, you will catch the last train.
The ferry ride to Hallstatt is quite enjoyable. Seeing Hallstatt from the water is the best way to view it! Have your camera ready.
Hallstatt with kids.
Where to Stay in Hallstatt
Hallstatt is so charming but expect to be with a lot of other tourists during the day. Staying the night in Hallstatt should let you see the quieter side of the city. Remember to be respectful of the locals who live here as well. You will want to book your accommodation for Hallstatt very far in advance due to its popularity.
Luxury:
Budget:
Day 5-St. Wolfgang
If you choose not to stay in Hallstatt, another charming lakeside town is St. Wolfgang on Wolfgangsee. In the summer you can stay at a seehaus (lake house) and enjoy swimming in the pristine and refreshing water. You can also take a boat ride around the lake and get out at another town to explore.
St. Wolfgang, Austria in the summer time.
Also in this region, you can visit ice caves, salt caves, take a gondola to the top of a mountain, enjoy bike riding, skiing, and that’s just the start!
Playing in the waters of Wolfgangsee, Austria.
Where to Stay in the Salzkammergut
We LOVED Seehaus Family Leifer. It had its own private lake access, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, water toys, floats, inner tubes, fins, snorkels, you name it! The room was big, modern, and clean. The owner was very kind and helpful (even when I made a mistake with our booking). The yard of the house also has a couple of big trampolines, a swing, and room to run and play. It was an easy walk into St. Wolfgang from here and the hotel next door had a wonderful buffet breakfast.
Other options in the region:
Geitriedgasse shopping street in Salzburg.
2 DAYS IN SALZBURG
After you’ve had your fill of mountain air and vistas, drive 1 hour to Salzburg. Salzburg is home to Mozart and the Sound of Music. Fans of the movie will want to use one of their days to do a Sound of Music tour.
Day 6
Wander the old town, shop on Geitriedgasse, see Mozart’s birthplace and visit the castle that looms over the city. Add in the cathedral and Mirabell gardens and you have seen all the best places to visit in Salzburg in 1 day! Don’t forget to try some Mozart balls, a little chocolate ball filled with pistachio marzipan. You can find them all over the city.
Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Day 7
Take a Sound of Music tour and visit the Mirabell Gardens or take the kids to Haus der Natur-a science museum full of hands-on activities. Kids can be entertained all day here and it is a great option if the weather is bad. A visit to Salzburg with kids is not complete without Haus der Natur, it’s one of the best science museums we have been to!
The interior of the Salzburg Cathedral.
Best Place to stay in Salzburg
Salzburg is a very walkable city. You can also use trams or buses to get around. Check out these properties below for their central locations and ability to accommodate families.
Winter in Salzburg looks like a postcard!
Get Ready for Your Trip To Austria
Here’s some things you can find on Amazon to help prepare for your trip to Austria.
A children’s book about Mozart
My daughter loves the “Who Was” books and shows.
My favorite travel guides are by Rick Steves.
A travel journal for kids.
There it is, Austria in 7 days! Of course, this is just the start and there’s plenty more to do and see in the country. Vienna has the bigger airport, so it makes sense that you would fly in and out of there, but you could also make this trip work if you are going in and out of Salzburg or even flying in/out of Munich.
If you have more than a week, you can also extend your trip by continuing onto Munich, Garmisch, or Budapest. Any questions about visiting Austria? Have you been to Austria before? Tell me in the comments!
For more of our family’s travels follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Find all my favorite travel and photography gear in my Amazon Store.
