Austria · Europe

Austria

Innsbruck, Salzburg, the Salzkammergut, Linz and Graz – a road trip through five cities that could not be more different.

Best time to goMay to October for the cities; December for the Christmas markets
Recommended duration7–10 days for the Innsbruck–Salzburg–Linz–Graz loop
Price levelmedium – cheaper than Switzerland, Salzburg the most expensive

Why Austria?

Austria is right on the doorstep, and that is exactly why it gets underrated: if you only go there to ski, you miss the cities. I did a loop – from Munich via Innsbruck, Salzburg, the Salzkammergut and Linz to Graz and back – and every city was different: Innsbruck alpine and young, Salzburg baroque and crowded, Linz surprisingly modern, Graz Mediterranean, with arcaded courtyards and the best food of the trip.

The beauty of Austria is how compact it is: there is never more than a two-hour drive between two cities, and in between lie lakes, passes and villages that make you want to stop. The Salzkammergut with Lake Altaussee was the quietest part of the trip – just right after the bustle of Salzburg.

And it is a country for indulging: schnitzel, Kaiserschmarrn, coffee houses, Mozartkugeln and Manner wafers, washed down with wine from southern Styria. You eat your way through.

How I book Austria

The loop is best done in your own car – from Switzerland via the Arlberg, and don’t forget the vignette. I book hotels through Booking.com: the Lendhotel in Graz, the NH Collection in Salzburg (both below). For Salzburg and Innsbruck it pays to book ahead on GetYourGuide: Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mozart’s birthplace and the Nordkette cable car have queues in summer. If you come without your own car, pick up a rental in Munich or Vienna through Discover Cars.

Hotels in AustriaBooking.com – you’ll find my hotels in Graz and Salzburg below. Tickets & toursGetYourGuide – Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Mozart houses, Nordkette cable car in Innsbruck, Schlossberg funicular in Graz. Car hireDiscover Cars – from Munich, Vienna or Salzburg; the vignette is included with Austrian rental cars.

Doing it yourself works particularly well here: ÖBB trains connect all five cities, book tickets early (Sparschiene fares), and Hohensalzburg Fortress sells tickets directly online too.

My tips for Austria

  • Buy the vignette before the border or digitally at asfinag.at – without one it gets expensive. The Arlberg tunnel has a toll on top.
  • Eating out in Salzburg: Zum fidelen Affen in the Priesterhausgasse, five minutes from the Getreidegasse. I have been there twice, and both times it was excellent: smoked trout fillet and Lungau chanterelles à la crème with a pretzel to start, then beef goulash or the pan-fried Wiener Schnitzel, and apple strudel or cream slice to finish. Be sure to book, it is always full in the evening.
  • Salzburg in the morning or evening: during the day the coaches arrive from Munich and the Getreidegasse is packed. Go early to the Residenzplatz, in the evening up to the fortress.
  • In Graz, walk up the Schlossberg via the steps and take the funicular down – then sit in the Landhaushof afterwards.
  • Innsbruck: the Nordkette cable car takes you from the centre to 2,000 metres in 20 minutes – bring a jacket even in summer.
  • Buy Manner wafers at the supermarket, not in the shop – same contents, half the price.

My photos from Austria

Innsbruck

On the Inn bridge in Innsbruck – the river comes down green from the Alps, with the Nordkette behind.
On the Inn bridge in Innsbruck – the river comes down green from the Alps, with the Nordkette behind.
Innsbruck from the mountain: the Inn, the old town and the Inn valley.
Innsbruck from the mountain: the Inn, the old town and the Inn valley.
The Bergisel ski jump by Zaha Hadid – from the top you see the whole city, with a restaurant in the tower.
The Bergisel ski jump by Zaha Hadid – from the top you see the whole city, with a restaurant in the tower.
The old town with the Goldenes Dachl, the Golden Roof – 2,657 gilded shingles, built for Emperor Maximilian in 1500.
The old town with the Goldenes Dachl, the Golden Roof – 2,657 gilded shingles, built for Emperor Maximilian in 1500.
A lane in the old town – oriel windows, guild signs and a fine bakery dating from 1795.
A lane in the old town – oriel windows, guild signs and a fine bakery dating from 1795.

Salzburg

Salzburg from the Salzach: Hohensalzburg Fortress, the cathedral and the Kollegienkirche – in the rain, as so often in Salzburg.
Salzburg from the Salzach: Hohensalzburg Fortress, the cathedral and the Kollegienkirche – in the rain, as so often in Salzburg.
On the Residenzplatz in front of the cathedral – with the heads by Jaume Plensa that populated the square in summer 2025.
On the Residenzplatz in front of the cathedral – with the heads by Jaume Plensa that populated the square in summer 2025.
The Plensa sculptures in front of the Residenz fountain and the carillon tower.
The Plensa sculptures in front of the Residenz fountain and the carillon tower.
Mozart’s birthplace at Getreidegasse 9 – the queue outside is part of it, but the museum is still worth it.
Mozart’s birthplace at Getreidegasse 9 – the queue outside is part of it, but the museum is still worth it.
The guild signs of the Getreidegasse – every shop has one, even the fashion chains.
The guild signs of the Getreidegasse – every shop has one, even the fashion chains.
The Getreidegasse in the rain, the fortress above – Salzburg gets over 1,000 millimetres of rain a year, pack an umbrella.
The Getreidegasse in the rain, the fortress above – Salzburg gets over 1,000 millimetres of rain a year, pack an umbrella.
Zum fidelen Affen in the Priesterhausgasse – my clear recommendation for eating out in Salzburg – been there twice, everything from the smoked trout fillet to the cream slice very good. Book ahead!
Zum fidelen Affen in the Priesterhausgasse – my clear recommendation for eating out in Salzburg – been there twice, everything from the smoked trout fillet to the cream slice very good. Book ahead!
The Manner shop in the old town – the Viennese hazelnut wafer, with Mozart as bouncer.
The Manner shop in the old town – the Viennese hazelnut wafer, with Mozart as bouncer.
Manner in every size – the box of 18 is the right thing to bring home.
Manner in every size – the box of 18 is the right thing to bring home.

Salzkammergut

Lake Altaussee in the Salzkammergut – dark green, still, with the Loser behind. Two hours round the lake.
Lake Altaussee in the Salzkammergut – dark green, still, with the Loser behind. Two hours round the lake.
In Bad Aussee at the centre stone – the town lies exactly at the geographical centre of Austria.
In Bad Aussee at the centre stone – the town lies exactly at the geographical centre of Austria.

Linz

The Trinity Column on Linz’s main square – 20 metres of marble from 1723.
The Trinity Column on Linz’s main square – 20 metres of marble from 1723.
Oriel windows and pastel façades in Linz’s old town – the city is more modern than its reputation, with the Ars Electronica Center and the Lentos on the banks of the Danube.
Oriel windows and pastel façades in Linz’s old town – the city is more modern than its reputation, with the Ars Electronica Center and the Lentos on the banks of the Danube.

Graz

Graz from above: the red roofs of the old town and the clock tower on the Schlossberg – a World Heritage Site since 1999.
Graz from above: the red roofs of the old town and the clock tower on the Schlossberg – a World Heritage Site since 1999.
The main square with the town hall, the Schlossberg with its clock tower behind.
The main square with the town hall, the Schlossberg with its clock tower behind.
The town hall on the main square – historicist architecture from 1893, with Styrian flags.
The town hall on the main square – historicist architecture from 1893, with Styrian flags.
View down the lane to the clock tower – the hands are reversed: the big one shows the hour, the small one the minutes.
View down the lane to the clock tower – the hands are reversed: the big one shows the hour, the small one the minutes.
The Schlossberg steps – 260 steps zigzagging up to the clock tower, or take the lift or the Schlossberg funicular instead.
The Schlossberg steps – 260 steps zigzagging up to the clock tower, or take the lift or the Schlossberg funicular instead.
The Landhaushof – Renaissance arcades from 1557, one of the most beautiful courtyards in Central Europe.
The Landhaushof – Renaissance arcades from 1557, one of the most beautiful courtyards in Central Europe.
Courtyard with arcades and a beer garden – Graz has dozens of them, just peek through the gateways.
Courtyard with arcades and a beer garden – Graz has dozens of them, just peek through the gateways.
The mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II next to the cathedral – turquoise domes, Mannerist façade.
The mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II next to the cathedral – turquoise domes, Mannerist façade.
The Mariahilferkirche in the Lend district, right by the Lendhotel.
The Mariahilferkirche in the Lend district, right by the Lendhotel.
The Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax in the Hofgasse – since 1569, the carved façade dates from 1880. Try the Sissi-Busserl.
The Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax in the Hofgasse – since 1569, the carved façade dates from 1880. Try the Sissi-Busserl.
Don Camillo on the square of the same name in the old town – as an Italian in Graz I can say: the pizza is good.
Don Camillo on the square of the same name in the old town – as an Italian in Graz I can say: the pizza is good.

Where to stay?

Two hotels from the loop I can recommend: in Graz the Lendhotel, a design hotel in the Lend district, and in Salzburg the NH Collection near the main station – with a garage, which is worth its weight in gold in Salzburg.

Lendhotel
Graz · 4 stars · Booking 9.2

Design hotel in the creative Lend district – rooftop terrace, art in the room and the old town within walking distance.
NH Collection Salzburg City
Salzburg · 4 stars · Booking 8.6

Modern hotel at the main station with garage – ten minutes to the old town, ideal for a road trip by car.

Find accommodation in Austria

I almost always compare hotels and apartments on Booking.com – with genuine reviews and usually free cancellation.

See accommodation in Austria Compare on Hotels.com Holiday rental on Vrbo
Affiliate links: if you book I earn a small commission – the price stays the same for you, and sometimes you even get an extra discount. Hotels.com is worth it for comparing prices and for the loyalty programme (every tenth night free), Vrbo for holiday homes and apartments.
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