12 Days to do Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Vienna?

Hi Taylor,

I would at least spend the last day and night before your flight in or near Munich. While we've flown into Munich airport 10 times, we've stayed IN Munich 2 nights. Don't care for cities and museums.

Never been to Vienna. No interest.

For the 3 you mention, should be simple and plenty of time. I'd allow 3 to 4 nights for Salzburg. Not that the old town needs that much time, but the nearby Berchtesgaden area and Salzkammergut area each warrant a visit. Innsbruck, I'd allow at least 2 to 3 nights. Love the high alpine scenery around Innsbruck, plus dipping into Italy to visit either Sterzing/Vipiteno or Brixen/Bressanone or even the Italian Dolomites (easier with a car) is easy.

Paul

Just because one person has no interest in Vienna doesn't mean that YOU wouldn't love it -- as my husband and I do. 3-4 hours on the train from Budapest and great train connections to Salzburg and Innsbruck. Then two hours Salzburg to Munich. I would do 4 nights Vienna, 3 in Salzburg, 2-3 in Innsbruck and the rest in Munich. If you want a moving, thought-provoking experience at the end of your trip, visit Dachau; if you think Dachau would be too much of a downer, see the haufbrauhaus instead. Lots to see in Munich besides the airport.

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/austria

A starting point for planning:
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/austria/itinerary

Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, these are following my recommended priorities:
3 days: Vienna
5 days: Salzburg
7 days, add: Hallstatt
10 days, add: Danube Valley, Tirol, and Bavaria
14 days, add: Innsbruck, Hall, and day trip to Bratislava
16 days, add: More time in Vienna

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/vienna-guidebook

Then again it depends on your interest and preferences. Are you a museum and church traveler or an active traverler etc.

Hi,

I didn't mean someone else wouldn't be interested in Vienna or even Munich. I just wanted Taylor to know that we don't care for cities and museums, so as they read my suggestions, they know our preferences.

Day 1 Budapest to Vienna (2hr 21 min by train) for 4 nights
Day 5 (am) To Salzburg (2hr 22 min by train) for 3 nights
Day 8 (am) To Innsbruck (1hr 42 min by train) for 1 nights
Day 9 (pm) To Munich (1hr 50 min by train) for 3 nights
Day 12 Depart Munich

What time of year? What are your main interests?

Vienna has many attractions, including the best palace in Europe after Versailles, excellent art museums, beautiful parks, good food and wine, churches, horses, history

Salzburg is smaller and has fewer attractions, but some interesting day trips

Haven't been to Innsbruck. Munich - lots to see there too.

Hi,

I would suggest 5 nights for Vienna, mainly because I prefer big cities, have no problems with them, 2 nights in Salzburg, 3 in Munich....see the museums (art, historical, technical, military, Mozart's 2 museums in Salzburg, ie, the Wohnhaus and Geburtshaus, etc) along with the Schloß Schönbrunn in Vienna and Rezidence in Munich.

Hi Taylor,

I would recommend:
4 days in Vienna
4 days in Salzburg (you may want to stop at Melk to see the Abbey on the way to Salzburg which could take a large portion of your transportation day)
2 - Innsbruck (I would select a smaller village, instead, such as Mittenwald, Germany or Tirol, Austria to give you some variety in your trip.)
Munich - 2 days