Based in Berchtesgaden 4 days - would like to visit Hallstatt, Zell am See .... help planning please.
 

Hello all, will be spending 5 nights (4 full days) in Berchtesgaden in late June. Would like to visit Eagles Nest (been once before, have son with us so will go again with him), Konigsee, Salzburg, Zell am See and Hallstatt all not visited before.

Is this doable? Would love suggestions for the most sensible combinations for this agenda please?

Where would the Grossglockner route fit in - does one go back and forwards on the this road or include in a loop somehow?

I have read threads here and have consulted a map but appreciate that areas showing no roads represent mountains(!) and just trying to work out what would be reasonable time wise to fit in each day.

Also, son and his travel companion are quite keen to hike - would there be obvious spots to drop them off and come back for them or places where we could sit and drink hot chocolate (or wine?!) whilst they do their thing?

Thanks in advance.

Hi O,

You can do what you have planned.

However, have you considered 2 nights in Hallstatt and a motor tour through the Salzkammergut?

Good hiking there, too.

See my trip report for details.
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35014078

((I))

Thank you Ira. I had read your trip report ages ago but will re read now that we have longer in this area.
We have confirmed accommodation in Berchtesgaden so can't spend two nights in Hallstatt unfortunately.
We will have GPS for the first time, should I still purchase a map for this area?
Any other comments/ suggestions anyone?

Two things: if you have to cut from your list one of the places you listed, I would leave out Zell am See. It's pretty and nice, but we didn't find it truly special.

Second, have alternate plans in case the weather doesn't cooperate. I took my mother to Salzburg for several days in early June 2007 and it rained all day, every day. We had a great time anyway, but the day we went to Zell am See, it was very cloudy with poor visibility (we even drove through a couple of snow flurries on the bus from Salzburg). We dumped Eagles Nest from our plans, there was simply no point to it...went to Bad Reichenhall instead. In late June, you should have much better weather, but even so, have some backup plans for bad weather days.

Hi ozgirl,
What accommodation have you booked in Berchtesgaden? I am gathering suggestions for next year.

Thanks

Hello Maudie,
we are staying in an apartment:
www.gleixner-berchtesgaden.de
corresponsdence has been very helpful thus far.

Hi ozgirl,
Is this doable in 4 full days? Absolutely. Hallstatt and Zell am See are the furthest and they are each only 1:30 drive each way. Our two trip reports include this area as we were there in Oct. '06 and Oct. '07.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35089110

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34893886

Paul

Hi O,

>We will have GPS for the first time, should I still purchase a map for this area?

I still prefer maps, but I don't put my full weight down on airplanes. :)

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

Thank you Paul (and BTilke earlier for the tips about the weather!)
Paul your photos are partly the reason for my "must sees" on this trip!
You drove the Grossglockner one way though didn't you? What would you suggest as a loop and would Hallstatt and Zell am See be better done on separate days do you think?

Sorry Ira, didn't see your post - lol!
Will look into maps as well perhaps once we are in France/germany, the pickings are slim here.

Great, I will check it out. Thanks so much.

ozgirl,
Yes, we drove the Grossglockner one way, but could be done as a long day trip also. You'd be going through Zell am See on the way if you wanted to.

I really think Zell am See and Hallstatt are two seperate days. We spent the day in Hallstatt (from Ramsau/Berchtesgaden) and were back early enough to have dinner in Salzburg around 5 or 6pm.


Paul

I'm interested in BT's criticism of Zell am See. We will be in Salzburg in December and I am honing in a day trip to Zell am See via train. If that choice is unwise, please comment, all within the original query by ozgirl. Thanks. Gradyghost

I'm wondering also. We thought it was one of the best, most picturesque places we went to last year.

Paul

We thought it was pretty, it just wasn't a trip highlight. Plus, as I had noted above, with low clouds and rain mixed with snow flurries, we certainly didn't see the town and its surroundings at their best.

We visited Berchtesgaden in Sept for 3 nights and really wished we had stayed another day.

The weather wasn't good our second day so we decided to visit the Documentation Center in Obersalzburg, thinking it wouldn't be worth doing the Eagles Nest. Fortunately, at Obersalzburg we talked to someone who had just come down from the Eagles Nest and he said the weather was clear up above. So don't dismis the Eagles Nest just because the weather down below doesn't seem optimum.

We also did the boat tour on Koenigsee in less than great weather and it was OK. You are inside the boat and when we stopped at St. Bartholomew it was just a short walk to the restaurant where we really enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate! The darkened sky actually looked great in our photos!

If you'd like to see our photos:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/561038806XxDcvw

Betty, loved your photos! Also had a peek at Gracie - we have two golden retrievers, Rosie and Daisy who are currently on a mission to tunnel to China from our backyard!

Thanks ozgirl. Aren't Goldens just the best!! Ours is 14 yrs old now but everyday we have with her is a joy!

Hi O,

>would Hallstatt and Zell am See be better done on separate days do you think?

Yes, absolutely, definitely.

You don't have to spend the whole day in Hallstatt.

We very much enjoyed driving up to the Toplitzsee, just beyond Gosl, passing through Obertraun, Bad Aussee and Grundlsee along the way.

There is a very pleasant resto on the lake, which is about 1 mi from the parking lot - easy walk through the woods.

((I))

Thanks Ira - I really need a decent map (!) but I have googled your route and duly printed off.

That is just the sort of suggestion that I am looking for (and I really wanted to go through Bad Aussee anyway!)

Would you then suggest returning on the more northern route through Lupitsch?