we (2 adults, one 13 years old and one 17 years old) will do a 35 nights trip (july 2 to august 6) around Central Europe.

After reading blogs, travel guide we made some tough choices. What do you think abouth that itinerary ? Anything we miss ? any obvious mistake ?



Thanks in advance


Arrival in Vienna ( 4 nights)


Take rental car in Vienna Airport , head to Banska Stiavnica ( 1 night)


Leave Banska Stiavnica, stop Bojnice castle, and Cicmany. one night stop in Zilina.


Head to Tatras (stop in Orava castle and Vlkolinec. Poprad (our base for Tatras, Spiss and Levoca. 4 nights)


Krakow (4 nights). Auschwitz and Wieliczka salt mine


Leave Krakow, stop in Bardejov, Head to Kosice (2 nights)


Leave Kosice, Tokaj (Hungary), Eger (2 night)


Budapest (5 nights) . Daytrips to Szentendre and Esztergom, Visegrad


Györ (1 night) Stop for the Pannonhalma abbey


Graz (2 nights)


Zell Am See (2 nights). If weather is good we would do the Grossglockner road (from and back to Zell am See)


Bad Aussee (3 nights) For the Salzkagermmut region


Krems (2 nights) Melk, Wachau valley


Head to Bratislava , drop the car (2 nights), no fee for another country drop. Take a bus, head to Vienna airport, fly back home.


What do you think about that ? Any obvious mistake ?

thanks !
https://imgur.com/9TsPX1N

In Poprad you will be right near Slovak Paradise National Park. You should check out the possibility of hiking there. They have some outrageous-looking hikes. Spissky Hrad, obviously nearby.

On your way to Krakow, you will pass through major parts of the Wooden Architecture Trail. I highly recommend stopping in Debno, Poland to see the Parafia sw. Michala Archaniola. It's in a strikingly beautiful setting with polychromatc paintings on the interior. If it is locked when you get there, just ask around for someone to open it.

The camp does not recommend the tour for those under 14. Your discretion.

Zell-am-zee is not that great a target, nice enough valley and probably a glacier is still left.

Tokaj is a tiny village with a massive wine industry based there, if you like the wine you'll be fine.

Eger nice base.

While in Hungary try a few different spas, just so much part of the culture

We will decide what we will do in Poprad once we are there. Weather will be determining ! Slovak paradise seems nice but theres a lots of ropes and stairs tht could looks frightening for our 13 years old who got some mobility problems.

Thnaks about the idea to stop in Debno, we will look more into that.

Thnaks for the answer !

I know that they dont recommend for under 14 years old, but my wife and I have already been there20 years ago so we know what to expect. I also teach history in high school, I guess I will be able to make it right for her.

So you are saying that we could/should avoid Zell am See ? We have a hard time figuring what we could do between Graz and Salzkagermmut region. Grossglockner road seems a must but we have a hard time figuring where we could stay. And if weather is bad the day we are tere we would skip the road....
I think we will skip Tokaj. We like wine but zero alcohol policy on the road defeat the purpose of being there !

First, remember to purchase your vignettes!

I don't know that you'll *need* an overnight in Györ, unless that fits your itinerary.

Near Bad Aussee is Grundlsee, if you're up for a lovely (easy) wander around the lake.

I, too, would pass on Zell am See. Chichy-mhichy and overpriced for the experience.

Are you spending any time in Bratislava? If so, Restaurant Zylinder offers outstanding "Cuisine of the Empire." I was a fan of their Tartare and the Confit Duck.

A detour to Admont for its abbey on your way from Graz to Bad Aussee might be interesting.

Thanks !
Yes vignette is on our ''must do list'' !

Gyor is only because we want to leave Budapest, make a stop at Pannonhalma abbey and just have an easy relax evening somewhere. Gyor seems nice enough for that purpose.

We have noted your opinion about Zell am See. We will try to find another option. Do you have any opinion about the Grossclockner road ?

Yes weil have our 2 last night in bratislava. I have taken note about Zylinder.

Yes,it's true that Slovak Paradise may not for be for everyone.... When I was in Slovakia we went to Mala Fatra National Park. There is a cable car (starts near Terchova) that takes you to a ridge, and from there it's a fairly short hike to Chata pod Chlebom, a mountain refuge where they have lodging but also they prepare meals. It was my favorite meal in Slovakia. Very nice scenery that does not look like everywhere else.

It's been my experience so far that when you tell a car rental company what other countries you plan to enter, they charge you and that includes whatever you need to drive legally in those countries, including the vignettes.

What about Graz - A2 - Villach - Spittal - Lienz in Osttirol - Grossglockner - Zell am See?

could work, but still have to stay in Zell Am See that most of people seems to think that could be skipped

We were on a different driving tour than yours. Ours started from Lienz (can not speak highly enough of that city!), winding our way north along the Großglockner toward Kufstein, Salzburg and the Salzkammergut. From the Großglockner we detoured to the Krimmler Wasserfälle before carrying on. From my notes I recall enjoying a most exceptional lunch of Backhendl (Austrian Fried Chicken) in Mittersal.

Hi again !
We have thought about another option. Maybe we could keep our 3 nights in Bad Ausse even if it's not a good base for Salzkammergut, but instead of going to Zell Am see we would stop 2 nights in Carinthia. It's seem a bit less touristy region (which we like). That would mean to drop the Grossglockner road.

It's easy (and scenic) to go from Villach (Carinthia) via Lienz - Grossglockner - Bruck - Bischofshofen to Bad Aussee, Bad Ischl, St: Wolfgang or wherever you like to go.

it could be doable but it would be a long day of driving.

Yes, but it's not forbidden to spend a night along one of the many Carinthian lakes or at Lienz.

we found a nice Airbnb in Bodensdorf beside Ossiacher see. It would be a 5-6 hours drive from there to Bad Ausee