Hello Everyone,
DH and I dipped into Austria on our family trip last summer and are returning for 16 nights this May. I am posting our tentative itinerary here in hopes that seasoned Austria travellers will post their feedback, tips, insight, etc. A quick note about us - I am 28, DH will be 35 and we will have a rental car. Thank you in advance for 1. reading this long post, and 2. any insight or feedback!

May 8 - arrive Vienna mid-afternoon and check into apartment (http://www.netland.at/wien/phillips/), load up on groceries, explore our neighborhood near Stephansdom.

May 9 - Hofburg (imperial apartments and treasury), ??? in the afternoon, hopefully see Vienna Mozart Orchestra (the one in historical costumes) in the evening

May 10 - Kunsthistorisches, and if there is time in the afternoon, also the 3 small museums at Neue Burg

May 11 - Schonbrunn in the morning and ??? in the late afternoon. We'd like to attend a concert or show in the evening

May 12 - One last morning in Vienna (recommendations?) before we pick up rental car mid-day and go see Stift Klosterneuburg in the afternoon before heading to our hotel (Stockingerhof) near Durnstein.

May 13 - if the weather is good, we'd like to rent a bicycle and ride along the Danube River. Suggestions for special things to see? I'd like to see Spitz, Weissenkirchen, Krems, and Burg Aggstein but realize that is a pretty ambitious day of biking. We might split some of those towns off onto May 14. Agree?

May 14 - Tour Melk Abbey in the morning. Afternoon??

May 15 - visit some of the wine estates in the region. Again, suggestions would be great!

May 16 - drive to Hallstatt. We are thinking of staying at Pension-Sarstein. Interesting places to stop along the way? We spent an afternoon in Hallstatt last summer and vowed to return for a longer stay.

May 17 - We'd like to do the half-day prehistoric tour in Hallstatt. We saw an advertisement for it when we did the Salt Mine Tour last summer but haven't been able to track down info on the prehistoric tour. The rest of the day, we plan to hike around the area. Suggestions for nice half-day hikes?

May 18 - Explore more of the Salzkammergut or just relax in Hallstatt. I've heard lovely things about the Wolfgangsee and St. Gilgen. It looks like a feasible daytrip.

May 19 - Drive to Reutte in the Tirol. We stayed at Pension-Waldrast for 2 nights last summer and loved the quiet valley of Ehenbichl. Tips for sights to see on the way from Hallstatt to Reutte? Looks like Hall-in-Tirol is kind of on the way.

May 20 - weather permitting, hike to the ruined Ehrenberg castle and beyond to the ruined Roman fort (Fort Claudia). See the museum at the base of Ehrenberg (I saw this last year but DH did not).

May 21 - ??? We have seen the Ludwig castles and Ettal Monastery across the border. Perhaps do some more hiking (or biking if we can rent a bike) and explore the Plansee lake area? Any tips for a daytrip that is less than an hour away? Fussen, perhaps?

May 22 - drive to Salzburg and stop and see Herrenchiemsee along the way. We spent 3 nights in Salzburg last year, hence the short visit this time. We'd love to attend a classical music performance this evening if anyone has any suggestions?

May 23 - Schloss Hellbrunn, the Residenz, wandering the pretty streets of Salzburg. We visited the castle, Dom, SoM sights last trip.

May 24 - fly back home

Nice trip--what is not to like? Where do you depart? If Munich do not forget a drop charge---if Salzburg, not a problem. Do stop in St. Gilgen and have a pastry at Nannerals in the heart of town. I pray you have good weather. This region is spectacular. You have done your homework.

Hi Bob,

I have to confess. You are one of the posters that I was REALLY hoping would reply!

We do depart from Salzburg and connect in FRA on our return home.
Thank you for the tip on St. Gilgen and the pastry place. With all the hiking and biking, I'm looking forward to many pastries on this trip This is a slower itinerary than we have done in the past but coming off busy season (we're both accountants), we thought the r&r would be especially nice.

Agree that this sounds like a wonderful itinerary. Many of my favorite places.

On your last morning in Vienna, if the weather is nice, go up to the top of Stephansdom for a wonderful view of Vienna. You can also go down into the Catacombs inside the church. Of course, you could also do this on your arrival day in Vienna since you are staying near St. Stephan's.

http://info.wien.at/article.asp?IDArticle=3108

Otherwise, look into visiting the Imperial Burial Vault below the Capuchin Church. It's very interesting.

http://info.wien.at/article.asp?IDArticle=3014

For hiking in Hallstatt:

http://www.hallstatt.net/publisher/a...ry/frmCatID/1/
The Cultural Heritage museum is extremely interesting. We really enjoyed it and it helped us to understand the importance of the area over the ages.

http://www.hallstatt.net/publisher/a...mArticleID/16/

You may find some ideas or tips in my trip report here (Swaying on the Rhythm of the Danube)

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34857818

We went to Graz, Vienna and Salzburg.

Belvedere Palace near the South Station in Vienna, is a beautiful place.

Thanks for the tips, y'all!

bettyk, I have scrolled through many of your posts in planning this trip

Looks like a very nice, well-planned trip.

On your first evening in Vienna, I suggest taking the tram around the Ring.

Toward the end of your trip, I suggest rerouting slightly. Since you've been to the Reutte area before, you might consider driving south from Innsbruck to Lienz (Osttirol). Stay overnight in this very charming untouristy town surrounded by Alps to the north and Dolomites to the south. The next morning, drive over the Grossglocknerstrasse to Salzburg. Spectacular. It should be open in May.

Just want to add that I stayed in Pension Sarstein in early June 2007 and really love the place and the view of the lake from the balcony. Although it is located at the other side from the town centre, I think it is a blessing in disguise cos we found out when walking from the pension early morning to the town centre or bus terminal that the classic photography spot of Hallstatt is actually close to the pension! And the best time to get a great shot is early morning when the sun is shining on the town, casting reflections onto the lake.

You can take a look at our photos from the apartment and Hallstatt at flikr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwaluca...7603652174855/