My family of 2 adults plus 2 teenaged boys will have 1-2 nights to visit a small town/village as we travel from Salzburg to Vienna. We will be driving, so train routing is not relevant. Both Durnstein and Hallstat look interesting, although quite different. Which one would you choose...or do you have another recommendation?

I'd have to vote for Hallstatt. Though Durnstein is a charming village and the views of the Danube are nice, there is almost nothing to compare with the splendor of the Halstattersee and the surrounding mountains. And the drive there isn't all that bad. You will, however, have to park outside the village in one of several car parking areas. You can't drive into the village without specific reasons, such as a hotel room.

There is parking down at the lake level in the "new" village. But I prefer the car park beside the tunnel at the upper level. From there, you'll have a bunch of stairs down to the village, but it's a pretty easy walk. Finding the upper level parking area is easy; you'll drive past it as you head southward on the highway that goes by the village. If you see it but not in time to stop, not to worry. Go on to the next turnaround spot, go back, and find it again. It's really pretty easy.

My favorite scenic route is to take the autobahn to the Gmunden exit, then go south along the west shore of the Traunsee. Maybe stop for a walk along the shore in Traunkirchen. Continue south to Bad Ischl, then on to Hallstatt. Leaving Hallstatt, continue around the south end of the lake toward Bad Aussee, the Bad Mitterndorf.

A bit farther south, you'll see signs for the autobahn north toward Linz, then you can continue on the autobahn toward Vienna, cutting over toward Amstetten, then Grein, and driving along the local highway that runs along the Danube.

Or for more mountain scenery, you can continue eastward on the highway toward Hieflau rather than turning north toward Linz. From Hieflau, follow signs north toward Gosling, then follow signs to Wildalpen and then Mariazell, then north to the autobahn at St. Polten. This is a very scenic route through lots of wonderful villages, any of which is worth a stop.

You'll have a great time and see some wonderful scenery. Good luck.

I forgot to mention that if you do spend a night or two between Salzburg and Vienna, I would recommend the Hotel Gruner Baum in Hallstatt. And with a hotel reservation, they will normally mail you a coded magnetic card that will allow you to open a gate and drive into the village. You'll see the gate at the upper level as you drive south, or at the lake level on the south end of the old village. This is one of the few places where you actually can't get into town without a permit. Have fun.

I've stayed near Durnstein (in Weisenkichen), and in Hallstat, both on the same trip. This is really a tough call. For absolutely eyepopping scenery, Hallstat can't be beat, there is also the saltmine and ice caves nearby. However, the Wachau Valley is also quite beatiful, with it's hillside vinyards, castles and the river. For a short stay of 1-2 nights I would probably recommend Hallstat, but if you are more into visiting wineries and biking, the Durnstein area is great to explore.

I'd have to agree with Wayne. I love them both, but Hallstatt is stunning.

Thanks to Wayne, Zootsi, bettyk for their helpful advice. I am looking at both the Hotel Gruner Baum and Gasthof Zauner Seewirt for accomodations. Any other recommendations if neither has rooms?

We were in Hallstatt almost 15 years ago, but the view from our balcony, overlooking the lake and mountains is one of my very favorite memories. I don't remember the name of the little inn. It was kind of funky and they didn't speak any English. We called and thought we had made a reservation, but when we got there, they indicated no. Anyway, we had dinner out on their patio and they had a cancellation we took. That was the night we rented and paid for two rooms, but it was worth it.

I vote for Hallstatt and a stop at the Melk Abbey enroute.

pad,

While I can't speak about Durnstein, I can vouch for Hallstatt, as it is a very attractive and most appealing lakeside village. It's heavily touristed, but its location is quite enchanting, and it's at its best when the day-trippers depart. A couple overnights in Hallstatt would be a good choice, with a day-trip to the marvelous ice caves at nearby Dachstein. Your teenagers will give you a tip-'o-the-cap for a side-trip there.

As to lodging, I can recommend the previously mentioned Gruner Baum. Its interior is a bit rough around the edges, but its location can't be beat (ask for a lakeside room), and the service is tops. Having access to "downtown" parking, too, is a real plus.

I've also stayed at the nearby Zauner. It's a charming place, more eye-catching than the Gruner Baum. But the service was a mixed-bag. Worse, the management mucked-up our reservations (we had reserved a room on-line some months earlier), causing my wife and I to seek-out another accommodation at a less than desirable hour. It was suggested by an area hotelier that the Zauner has a tendency to overbook. Whether that's true or not, I would suggest that you contact the Zauner a day or two prior to your arrival.

Best of luck.

To BobtheNavigator, Granny & DavidD,

Thanks also for your comments. I hope to stay at the Gruner Baum, but haven't heard from them or the Zauner Seewirt yet, so availability is unclear. But am very excited about the decision to go to Hallstatt.
One question: do you recommend taking the train from Salzburg or driving? I assume when we leave Hallstatt for Vienna we will want to drive so that we can determine our own itinerary. But is a car in Hallstatt necessary or merely a parking fee?

Thanks again.

I would have a car. Driving in this area is awesome. Stop in Gmunden on your way to Melk, and stop in St. Gilgen as you drive from Salzburg.

We have stayed at the Gruner Baum twice and it is a great location and the restaurant prepares some excellent meals. They are a bit pricey, though, especially for their lakeview room(s) which we had on our last trip. Next door is the Gasthof Simony which is also on the lake and is recommended by Rick Steves. You might want to check them out also.

We will be returning to Hallstatt next year for a couple of days and don't know if we can afford the Gruner Baum again since their rates keep going up. We may end up at either the Zauner or the Simony.

Hallstatt is beautiful, but if you want another truly beautiful small town location that really is off the beaten bath (the path to Hallstatt isn't just beaten, it's positively trampled), go to Gruenau (Grunau). A gorgeous village with a charming hotel and restaurant, the Romantik Almtalhof (www.almtalhof.at in German, or do an English language search for the hotel under www.romantikhotels.com). Some pictures of Grunau can be found at: http://www.gruenau.ooe.gv.at/
The village also has a small hostel (Tree House hostel, http://www.treehousehotel.net/ which has lots of photos of Grunau) that gets raves from backpackers, so your teenage boys might meet some global travelers about their age.
We learned of the town not though a guidebook but from a novel (Prelude to Terror by Helen MacInnes) and were inspired to visit on a drive back from the Steiermark and we loved it!

Several years ago, we stayed in Hallstadt for a week while doing some hiking in the nearby Dachstein area.

While we were there, a wedding party was exiting the church. The family of the bride asked us to please enter the receiving line so that we could give our good wishes. It's a local custom that everyone in the town give their good wishes to the couple.
Now, how nice is that? Hallstadt is wonderful!

BTilke, thank you so much for the notes on Grunau. The photos and description were lovely, so I've added it to my driving route from Hallstatt to Durnstein, and am looking forward to seeing it in June.

Grunau is one of my two favorite villages in Austria, the other being Seckau (www.seckau.at) where we go in August, staying at the charming Hofwirt Hotel (www.hofwirt.at).
You might want to check Prelude to Terror out of your local library. A good read about Austria, art dealers, the Cold War, etc.

You asked about a car and mentioned a parking fee. As I recall, there is really no parking fee if you stay at the Gruner Baum. I can't speak for the Zauner. There is a guest parking area just a few steps from the Gruner Baum that requires yet another coded magnetic card, which the hotel will give you after you arrive. Good luck.

A huge thanks to all for their generous advice. I think we will stick to Hallstatt although Grunau and Seckau look wonderful as well. I am currently awaiting word from Gruner Baum about accomodations. Yesteday I emailed a reservaion request, today sent them a telefax...but no response. I hope their silence does not mean bad news. I will take a look at Gasthof Simony also.
And, BTilke, I will definitely pick up Prelude to Terror...sounds like my favorite genre...murder mystery, international intrigue, etc.
I really appreciate all the help.

We are booked at the Gruner Baum...145 euros per night/per room, including breakfast and taxes. Thanks again to all posters for the generous advice. Now only 13 weeks to go!