YNPgirl

Hi all, Usually I plan my trips well ahead but after having been burnt with many cancelled vacations this year, I am trying to do this booking in less than a months time. Here is my rough high level itinerary.

1. SFO to Vienna - Reaching Vienna 8/29
2. 8/29 to 9/2 4 days/ 5 nights in Vienna --> Staying @ Austria Trend Hotel Astoria. 3 days for sight seeing within Vienna and one day day trip ( through a tour company) to Wachau Valley and Melk Abbey.
3. 9/3 to 9/4 - 1 day/1 night in Hallstatt --> Take the direct train from Vienna to Hallstatt, stay over night and leave the next day afternoon to Salzburg. I am thinking of staying @ Seehotel Grüner Baum.
4. 9/4 to 9/7 - 4 nights in Salzburg --> 2 days of sightseeing within Salzburg and one day day trip to Berchtesgaden and Königssee. Really wanted to see King's lake Haven't decided on a hotel for Salzburg, would appreciate recommendations for centrally located ones.
5. 9/8 - Train to Munich from Salzburg in the morning and late afternoon/evening flight back to SFO.

Does this look doable ? Anything I need to adjust ? Welcome any recommendations for hotels and sightseeing..
Thanks so much in advance for your help !

Melnq8

It looks doable to me, although I've only visited Hallstatt from St Gilgen, so not familiar with the logistics from Vienna. You still have to take the ferry to Hallstatt from the train station I believe, but I assume you know this.

After much research I'd booked the H+ Hotel in Salzburg - chosen for it's central location. That particular trip was cancelled, so I never got to try it out though. You might take a look and see if it works for you. On a previous trip to Salzburg we stayed in a nice little Air BNB near the train station, but it's not a place I'd suggest for summer as the flat was plenty hot in December.

We really enjoyed the trip up to Untersberg - easily reached by bus from Salzburg then the cable car to the top. Included with the Salzburg Card, which was a great deal. We also enjoyed the zoo - not something I'd normally seek out, but chosen for my niece, who worked at a zoo at the time. Easily combined with Untersberg as on the same bus line. And then the usual suspects - the catacombs, the cathedral, old town.

Here's my trip report from our 2019 Christmas visit which might give you a few ideas - Salzburg is near the bottom.

The Boomer and the Gen-Zer: A trip of firsts

neckervd

You don't need a Tour company for a Wachau trip. Trains from Vienna to Krems and to Melk run every 30 minutes.
Boats from Krems to Melk leave at 10.05, 10.15, 13.10, 15.45, from Melk to Krems at 11.00, 13.45, 13.50 and 16.25.
May be you are interested in the Thursday evening (18.00 - 22-00) Viennee songs (Heurigenlieder) Danube boat cruise
(with a rich Viennese food buffet at the board restaurant).,
There is a lot to do and to see in Munich. May be it wouldn't be a bad idea to leave Salzburg the evening before.

november_moon

When we visited Hallstatt, we stayed at the Seehotel Grüner Baum, and it was great - nice place, very centrally located, good breakfast. Hallstatt itself gets pretty crowded with tourists during the day, but we found it to be a really nice place to be in the late afternoon and evening - most especially sitting out by the lake around sunset when you see the alpen glow - just lovely.
You mentioned taking the direct train from Vienna to Hallstatt - I think for all journeys, you'll have to change trains - typically at Attnang-Puchhein since Hallstatt is on a smaller line - then because the Hallstatt train station is across the lake from the town, you take a ferry across. The ferries meet the train, so it's easy - and it is a very picturesque way to arrive. The Seehotel Gruner Baum is very close to the ferry landing, so that's easy too.

neckervd

The OP mentioned the direct train from Vienne to Hallstatt, becorfe there IS a direct train on Saturdays.
The main attractions of Hallstatt are the salt mines. I connot imagine that people goes to Hallstatt just for visiting the village and sitting on the lake shore.

Trophywife007

"Welcome any recommendations for hotels and sightseeing.."

We also stayed at the Grüner Baum and it was quite nice. I'd strongly recommend a room facing the lake. If you are facing the town square you get the church bells at 6am... just so you're aware.

november_moon

Since it looks like the OP is going on Saturday, the direct train works out well. As for what to do in Hallstatt itself - everyone is different and enjoys different things. Part of it depends on how much time people have and what they want to do. When we visited Hallstatt, we didn't go to the salt mine. We went up to the Dachstein Krippenstein instead - took the bus over from Hallstatt and then the cable car up. We hiked around up there most of the day, then came back to Hallstatt in the late afternoon once the day visitors were starting to clear out.

YNPgirl

Thanks so much for all your recommendations. I booked Hotel Elefant for Salzburg stay yesterday night as it seems to be centrally located in Old town.

@Melnq8 : Thanks for the link to your trip report. I will add Untersberg to my list.
@neckervd : Thanks for the tip. I will look in to public transportation for Wachau valley. We don't plan to do sightseeing in Munich. Just need to get to the airport to take our return flight. May be another time. There is so much see in all these wonderful cities with so little time, I am trying not to get overwhelmed.
@november_moon: Good to know the hotel is close to Ferry landing. Saves us time and effort with the luggage. I am really looking forward spending time here and may be doing some travel sketching of the lake . There is direct train on Saturdays. I confirmed on the Oebb.at website. I am hoping to take the 8;42am train.
@Trophywife007: Yes, booked the lake facing room. A bit expensive but I am sure it will be worth it.

Thanks all..

november_moon

The Seehotel Gruner Baum will also hold your luggage if you get there before check-in, which you probably well, so that's helpful. It looks like the direct train gets to the Hallstatt train station just before noon, so once you take the ferry across, it will be more like 12:30 or 1 - that will give you a good amount of time in the afternoon. The hotel has a terrace right on the lake - it's part of their restaurant, which has some very nice views. If you want to sketch that view, there is a restaurant/bar next door to the hotel that also has a terrace on the lake, but a bit more informal - couches and lounge chairs - which might be more conducive to sketching - just buy a beer and a snack and you are good to go. There is no shortage of places to sit out and sketch though - either by the lake side or by climbing up the hill through the village and getting a birds-eye view.

YNPgirl

Hi november_moon,
Thanks for all the tips. I was wondering about the storing the luggage if we get there before check in time. I was also interested in taking the 2 hr walking/photography tour but looks like there are no openings for the dates we will be there. My plan is just to walk around the village, hangout by the lake, sketching and take it all in on day 1. On day 2, I want to take the funicular to Skywalk and then salt mine tour. Is the salt mine tour worth it ? We will have to head back to Salzburg later in the afternoon on that day.
Thanks again !

drrob99

I can really relate about canceling trips. I was so different in making my plans since covid. Afraid to invest the time and get my hopes up.

YNPgirl

Yes !! I have always enjoyed the planning and anticipation of the trips. But these days everything seems to be uncertain until we are actually at the destination and even while there, the added stress of taking extra precautions..

november_moon

Sounds like a great plan for Hallstatt. We didn't take the salt mine tour when we were there though, so I don't have personal experience with it. I have heard from others that it is good though. We had a full day in Hallstatt, so we took the bus over to Obertraun and took the cable car up to the Dachstein Krippenstein and hiked around up there most of the day.

YNPgirl

Thank you ! Depending on how much time we have I will look in to that. So many things to see and so little time