5 Days in Austria -Salzburg, Hallstatt & Innsbruck (Also: A Mountain Lover’s Dream Trip)

Austria is one of Europe’s most underrated countries in my opinion! It’s filled with mountains, lakes, fairytale towns, charming Christmas markets & comfort food. While Ausria is also home to posh Vienna, this itinerary focuses on three stunning mountain towns in central Austria – Innsbruck, Salzburg & Hallstatt. Another amazing thing about Austria is it’s stunning in most seasons, and this itinerary works in any season as well.

I preferred these 3 towns personally – hello epic mountain views & post card towns (+ cute outdoorsy men lol) For my 7 day itinerary with a stop in Vienna as well head here.

Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!

Day 1: Innsbruck

I passed through Innsbruck on a train from Munich to Venice and knew I needed to come back to visit. The views from the train were absolutely unreal. I visited Innsbruck twice after that in the same year and it was genuinely a place that made me think I could live there, or at least buy a vacation home there (in my fantasy salary dreams)

Colorful Innsbruck is nestled in Tyrol in the Austrian Alps and is the perfect mix of nature, history, & architecture – it’s a great place to kick off your Austrian adventure.

Getting to Innsbruck

By Train

Innsbruck is connected by train to other major Austrian cities, and larger cities in Germany to the North or Italy to the South.

• Vienna –> Innsbruck – 4 hours 15 minutes
• Salzburg –> Innsbruck – 2 hours
• Munich –> Innsbruck – 1 hour 30 minutes
• Bolzano (Dolomites) –> Innsbruck – 2 hours

Find train tickets here!

By Plane

Innsbruck has an international airport, it’s conveniently located 2.5 miles from Innsbruck city center, so it’s easy to fly directly to Innsbruck, making this a good spot to start your trip!

Where to Stay in Innsbruck

Innsbruck is pretty small & easy to navigate, making it convenient to stay pretty much anywhere in the main city center area. Most areas of the city are within a 15 minute or so walk from the station. I visited Innsbruck twice last year and stayed at 2 different hotels, I loved them both. Details below:

The Penz Hotel

I absolutely loved The Penz Hotel right in downtown Innsbruck. It’s right off Maria-Theresien-Straße and easily walkable to Old Town and Marktplatz. The hotel is stunning and has a rooftop bar with some of the best views in Innsbruck.

Check prices here!

AC Hotel Innsbruck

I stayed at the AC Hotel on my most recent stay & loved it. They upgraded me to suite with the view above – so stunning! It’s close to the train station and about a 10-15 minute walk to the Old Town area. They had an amazing breakfast, and a nice bar/restaurant located in the lobby that was a great place for a nightcap!

Check prices here!

How to Spend Day 1 in Innsbruck

Morning: Explore Old Town (Aldstadt)

Start your day exploring Innsbruck’s small, but charming Old Town. This shoud take about 1-2 hours. Some of the highlights of Old Town include

• The Golden Roof – or Goldenes Dachl. This is the most famous symbol of the city of Innsbruck. It was built to celebrate the wedding of Emporer Maximilian to his wife Bianca Maria.
• Stadtturn – right next to the Golden roof this historical viewing tower is a popular landmark of Innsbruck – admission is included with the Innsbruck card!
• Hofburg Innsbruck – Baroque & Renaissance Palace in Old Town Innsbruck
•  Dom St. Jakob Cathedral – Innsbruck’s Baroque Cathedral featuring a popular painting of the Virgin Mary – admission is free!

You can easily explore the Old Town on your own, but if you’re interested in learning more about the history of Innsbruck, try a guided tour like this one!

I also recommend stopping for a drink at the popular Stiftskeller restaurant & beer garden. It’s an Innsbruck clsasic and a great place for a quick drink or lunch (a classic Tyrolean meal.)

Right next to the Old Town (and easily visited at the same time) Maria-Theresien-Strasse is one of the main streets of Innsbruck, and home to all of Innsbrcuk’s best shopping. Maria-Theresien-Strasse is one of the prettiest streets in Innsbruck to visit during your trip.

Afternoon: Take the Nordkette to the Top of Innsbruck

This is an absolute can’t miss experience in any season! The Nordkette is a series of funiculars & cable cars that take you up into the mountains above Innsbruck.

To funicular leaves from downtown Innsbruck and has multiple stops on the way up. The first stop is the zoo (which I skipped)

The second stop is the picturesque town of Hungerburg, and it’s worth exploring. I recommend taking the next 2 cable cars all the way the top. The third stop is where you can get the ski lifts and the fourth stop is the very top of Innsbruck!

 Tickets can be found here it’s $52 round trip to the very top! You can also buy them in person, but there can be lines!

Views from Hungerburg & the top are unreal (see above)

Evening: Wander the Inn River & Marktplatz

One of the prettiest areas of Innsbruck to visit in the late afternoon as the sun begins to set is the path along the Inn River & one of the main squares of the city, Marktplatz. This area is filled with lively bars/restaurants that have tons of outdoor seating (and are busy in all seasons) It’s a great spot for a late afternoon drink after exploring to enjoy some of Innsrbruck’s best views. My favorite spot was, Marktbar am Inn patio!

Night Rooftop Dinner & Drinks

Innsbruck has a few great options for rooftop drinks as the sun sets over the stunning Tyrolean Alps. I highly recomment the 5th Floor Rooftop bar at Penz Hotel – they have some of the best sunset views.

Other options include

• Cloud One Bar Innsbruck (Motel One Rooftop)
• Adlers Hotel Rooftop

Dinner had some great food options. I’ve compiled my 10 favorite restaurants in Innsbruck list here! But my top recommendations are:

Tyrolean Classic Cuisines

• Die Wilderin
• Stiftskeller

Italian

• Trattoria-Pizzeria Due Sicilie
• Die Pizzerei

Day 2: Innsbruck – Choose Your Adventure

For day 2 choose whether to hang for a second day in Innsbruck, depending on the season there’s tons to do. Innsbruck has some of the best skiing/snowboarding in Europe if you’re visiting in the winter. There is also some unreal hiking if you’re visiting in non-snowy months. You could also opt to take a day trip., my top recommendation would be to take a day trip to the stunning Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.

Hiking or Skiing in Innsbruck

For more detiails on skiing or hiking in Innsbruck head to their official website. I visited right at the end of ski season once and right before it opened the second time, so the conditions were too cold/wet for hiking, but not enough snow for skiing. I’m determined to make it back there for a ski trip. Innsbruck has 13 ski resorts and they offer free ski busses that travel between the city center and all 13 resorts.

Day Trip to Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is iconic, and stunning in any season. It’s in Germany, but is easily doable as a day trip from Innsbruck. It’s most famous for being the supposed inspiration for Disney’s iconic castle logo.

You can visit the inside or just admire the views from the outside (my recommendation) I found the outside way more impressive than the inside, and the outisde is free! The best views are from Marienbrücke, a bridge that offers panoramic views. The bridge is not open in the winter unfortunately, as a heads up!

From Innsbruck you can rent a car and drive (it takes about 2 hours) I did this, but in retrospect I think a guided tour would have been easier, renting cars is time consuming and can be a hassle, it also started snowing, making the drive more complex!

This guided tour is a good option if you don’t want to rent a car! Check availability here.

Day 3: Salzburg

For day 3 of your trip catch the train to stunning Salzburg – home of Mozart & the Sound of Music’s Von Trapp family – Salzburg is so picturesque it almost feels fake.

Getting to Salzburg from Innsbruck

From Innsbruck the train to Salzburg is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Trains run regularly throughout the day. View Train Times

Where to Stay in Salzburg

IMLAUER Hotel Pitter Salzburg

I stayed at IMLAUER Hotel Pitter Salzburg on my most recent trip and highly recommend! It was walking distance to the train (less than ten min) and also walking distance to the Old Town (20ish minutes)

The hotel itself was really nice, my absolute favorite part was the rooftop restaurant and bar. The views were stunning

How to Spend Day 3 in Salzburg

Late Morning: Explore Scenic Old Town

After getting to Salzburg and checking into your hotel spend the rest of the morning/early afternoon exploring the small, but picturesque Old Town. Start by wandering along the Salzach river for the absolute best views of the pastel hued houses that are customary in Salzburg. Then cross the river to see the highlights of Old Town.

There are 3 main squares that make up the Old Town – they’re all right near each other and easily found.

• Residenzplatz
• Domplatz
• Mozartplatz

Some of the prettiest streets to explore in this area. These streets are filled with shops, bars and restaurants and I recommend coming back later, more on that below!

• Getreidegasse (you’ll pass Mozart’s birthplace here)
• Griesgasse

Afternoon: Get the Best Panormamic Views of Salzburg from Hohensalzburg Fortress

Do not skip this! Take the funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress. The FestungsBahn can be found right in Old Town Salzburg near Domplatz. It’s only 12euro for a round trip with access to the scenic panoramas of the fortress. The ride was only a few minutes. Details here.

There’s a few restaurants/bars at the top, so it’s the perfect stop for a late lunch or drinks with a view!

Night: Rooftop Dinner & Drinks at IMLAUER Sky Bar & Restaurant 

This spot was so unreal for sunset and I cannot recommend it enough. My recommendation would be to head to the bar for sunset if it’s nice out there’s a stunning patio, and if it’s winter, like it was when I visited, you can still get amazing views from inside. Then make a reservation for dinner, the food was delicious. Or you could just head there for sunset and get dinner elswhere!

Day 4: Day in Salzburg, Evening in Hallstatt

For day 4 in Austria spend a slow morning and early afternoon exploring more of Salzburg before heading to charming Hallstatt in the evening (after the day tripper crowds) this will allow you to spend the night in Hallstatt and spend your 5th day exploring the stunning lake town in the morning before the overhwelming hordes of day trippers arrive!

Day 4 Itinerary

Morning: Wander the Mirabell Gardens

Enjoy a slow morning in stunning Salzburg. Wander the peaceful Mirabell Gardens. he garden may look familiar to Sound of Music fans as it’s where Maria and the children dance around the fountain singing Do-Re-Mi. It’s free to enter & explore so there’s no need to purchsae tickets in advance!

Early Afternoon: Visit One of Salzburg’s Best Breweries/Beer Gardens

Enjoy some more time in Salzburg, the streets of Old Town are so stunnning and could easily be explored a second day, but I do recommend stopping by one of Salzburg’s most famous breweries (Augustiner Bräu Mülln) or it’s most charming beer garden Sternbräu – I visited both, but probably preferred the latter it was so picturesque!

Late Afternoon: Take the Train to Hallstatt

Later in the afternoon/early evening I recommend heading to Hallstatt. Hallstatt is tiny, and a can’t miss stop in my opinion. It can easily be explored in a few hours or half day. The benefit of spending a night there in my opinion is that you get to explore at the best times (late evening and early morning) away from the crowds. Hallstatt is so stunning, but the crowds really impact the experience.

It’s a little over 2 hours from Salzburg to Hallstatt, then you’ll need to take the ferry across the lake (the train is on the other side of the lake from Hallstatt.)

It’s not super easy to get to Hallstatt by train, but this is the best route From Salzburg HB take the train 45 minutes to Attnang-Puchheim, from Attnang-Puchheim it’s 1 hour 30 minutes to Hallstatt.

From the Hallstatt station you need to take the ferry (it’s timed witht the train times) across the lake to Hallstatt, it only takes about 10 minutes, although boarding the boat takes time!

The ferry is cash only, tickets can be bought on board. It was less than 5euro when I visited!

Find train tickets here!

Night: Explore Hallstatt & Enjoy Dinner with a View

Hallstatt is tiny and adorable at night as the sun begins to set. There is not a lot going on at night in Hallstatt, so definitely make dinner reservations in advance, I saw the restaurant at my hotel turning away many people. Here are some spots I recommend:

Heritage Hotel Restaurant Seeauer

I stayed at the Heritage Hotel and ate at this restaurant twice. The food was delicious both meals, I loved the schnitzel! I’m surpried the reviews are so low, although I guess that’s because of how many people they had to turn away when I was there!

Details here.

Zum Bader Gastwirtschaft

One of the most popular spots in Hallstatt, this is a classic Austrian restaurants and one of the best places to grab dinner in Hallstatt.

Seehotel Grüner Baum

For a meal with a view closer to Old Town Hallstatt, I highly recommend the terrace at Seehotel Grüner Baum. Their terrace has some of the best views in Hallstatt. Their menu features fresh fish, pastas and more!

Details here.

Where to Stay in Hallstatt

Heritage Hotel

I absolutely loved this cozy hotel. It’s locatef right next to the ferry station with stunning views over the lake and Hallstatt. They also had a delicious on-site restaurant, which was easy to get a table at as a guest (food options at night in Hallstatt winter were limited!)

Check prices here!

Boutiquehotel Strand Hallstatt – Adults only

This boutique hotel is modern, upscale, has a private beach, parking & more. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the most popular sites in Hallstatt, making it convenient, but also a bit removed from the crowds.

Check prices here!

Day 5: Hallstatt

Spend your last day exploring the postcard town of Hallstatt. I really, really recommend getting out early, it’s so much more stunning before it gets crowded.

Morning: Head to the Iconic Hallstatt Viewpoint

If you’ve seen pictures of Hallstatt before they’re from this iconic spot. You’ll find it here on the map, or you can just follow the crowds.

Try to be quiet, clean and respectful – the viewpoint is right in front of a few residences, and the people who live there are very vocal about the overtourism and how it’s impacting their life in Hallstatt!

Late Morning: Explore the Charming Downtown

From the iconic viewpoint, head down the main road to the main town square. Hallstatt is tiny, so exploring the cute Marktplatz area doesn’t take long, but it’s a can’t miss and a perfect place for casual exploring. This area is also better in the morning, as it can get very congested.

Early Afternoon: Take the Funicular to Hallstatt Skywalk

As the town starts to get more crowded head to one of the best spots for panoramic views awat from downtown. I recommend taking the funicular up to thr Hallstatt skywalk (or hike, which takes about an hour) From the top you’ll have views of the lake and mountains surrounding Hallstatt

The funicular is quick and costs about $25 per person round trip.

While you’re up at the Skywalk try Rudolfsturm. Rudolfsturm has some of the best panoramic views over Hallstatt, the lake and the mountains beyond. This spot has decent food but is worth it for the views alone!

Late Afternoon: See the Hallstätter Wasserfall & Visit the Panoramic Viewspoint at Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt (Maria am Berg Church)

After you make your way back down the funicular check out the Hallstätter Wasserfall. Visbile from most of Old Town Hallstatt, check out the picturesque Hallstätter Wasserfall (waterfall) this epic cascade just adds to the overall fairytale vibe in Hallstatt.

For another great view of Hallstatt head to the Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt (Maria am Berg Church) this was one of my favorite views, and it’s only about a 5 minute walk from Hallstatt Old Town

5 Day Austria Itinerary Map: Innsbruck, Salzburg, Hallstatt

Other Places to Visit Near Austria:

If you’re in Austria you may want to combine your trip with other nearby places, Budapest is not far from Vienna and a fun city break, Munich is a good option from Innsbruck/Salzburg or if you want to go south into Italy the Dolomites are easily accessible from Innsbruck!

• 3 Day Budapest Itinerary
• 2 Day Munich Itinerary
• 3- 4 Day Dolomites Itinerary