We are planning a three week trip in Sept to include southern germany, then onto land salzburg for just a couple of days (the grossglockner drive has caught our eye), then to cesky krumov and prague. We are trying to figure out our 2 days in austria. We are traveling by car from Garmish and want to drive the Grossglockner Road. We have tentatively planned to spend two nights in Heilgenblut, but in looking on the map, that would have us driving the same routes at least twice, it seems to make more sense to drive the Grossglockner (north v. south routes?- not sure which is better plan) and then spend the night in that area. We could then drive east or north and see a new area, staying our second night somewhere else on our way to cesky krumlov. I cant find info on what is interesting (the towns seem to be Loeben, Bruck an der Mur )to the east or north of the grossglockner. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

Hi cathygreen,

Here's a thought...
Drive from Garmich through Innsbruck over the Brenner Pass (really a multi-lane highway) and into the Italian Dolomites. Stay the night in, say, Alta Badia. By the way, we LOVE staying in La Villa, Alta Badia. The next day drive to Heiligenblut and over the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse and stay in Zell am See.

You could also stay the night in Heiligenblut and then drive the Grossglockner and continue on.

Garmisch to Alta Badia is about 3 hours or so.
Alta Badia to Zell am See (via the Grossglockner) is about 4 or 5 hour drive.

Not only will you get to drive the Grossglockner, you'll also be driving the stunning (maybe even more spectacular than the Grossglockner) Gardena and Falzarego Passes in the Dolomites.

We've done similar trips recently:
We drove from Ramsau (by Berchtesgaden/Salzburg) over the Grossglockner and spent the night in Heiligenblut in Oct. 2006.
We drove from Alta Badia to Zell am See last Sept. (2009).
Actually, we've done 4 driving trips that included Bavaria, Austria and the Dolomites recently.

If interested, we have photo's at:

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/travel15.html

Paul

I am also planning a trip to Austria. What are these drives you are speaking of?

The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse:

www.grossglockner.at

The Dolomites are easy to visit from Austria's Tirol and Bavaria. What are you're plans?

Paul

Paul, I hate to highjack this thread, but I had to look at your pictures of Alta Badia (never heard of it) and I think I'm sold! We seem to like similar places (since I often post about Berchtesgaden and the surrounds as well) and we are considering a slightly different region next year and the Dolomites are high on our list. Gorgeous pics!!

Tracy

Hi Tracy,

Thanks so much! We love the Berchtesgaden area ourselves. Our favorite spot is Ramsau. The Dolomites are.. spectacular. Very unique, like nothing else in the Alps. Not only are they close to Bavaria and Austria's Tirol, the towns and villages are very "Austrian" in atmosphere and German is typically the first language spoken, as much of the Dolomite region was a part of Austria until the end of WW1.

If you're considering the Dolomites, these websites will give you some ideas:

www.altabadia.com

www.val-gardena.com

To get some info (and photo's) on the Dolomite Passes:

www.alpineroads.com/dolomites.php

Paul

Paul,

Thank you for the links! We enjoy biking on our trips so I have been browsing the Alpine Roads website. I will be bookingmarking the sites for further review as it gets closer. As it gets closer I'll probably start looking through posts and will probably be asking some questions so I'll be looking for you! I don't know much about the Dolomites but your pictures were amazing and now I so want to go!

Thanks much!!
Tracy

The loop from Garmisch via Innsbruck, Brenner, Brixen, Lienz, Heiligenblut to Salzburg is a nice one.

An alternative could be to go from Garmisch via Lake Sylvenstein and Achen to Zillertal (B2/B307/B181/B169). Then East on B165 on the Gerlos pass road to the Krimml falls.
http://www.gerlosstrasse.at/

Then South thru Felberntauern road and tunnel to Lienz.
You get a loop ticket for both the Felbertauern tunnel and Großglockner road for just €4 surcharge compared to the standard cost of the Großglockner road.

From Lienz you go to Heiligenblut and from there via Großglockner road to Salzburg.

Some people find it more comfortable to drive mountains roads going North/South in the northbound direction since you won't always get the sun in your face. But you won't be able to avoid it altogether due to the many hairpin curves and changing direction every few hundred yards.

Another vote for Zell-am-See - photos of Hallstatt, Zell, Grossglockner and Krimml here: http://bit.ly/aHnXR8