Itinerary Check:

There's one thing to take into consideration here. You can't count on good weather for all these Alpine activities in May. You might want to consider just basing yourself out of one area somewhere in Salzburgerland or Tyrol and taking daytrips. That way, rather than trying to pigeon-hole every step far in advanced, you can react and change plans on-the-go when the weather inevitably at some point doesn't cooperate.

Where would you suggest I base myself ?

Let us say Day 3 & Day 4 stay in Hallstatt & the depending on the weather on Day 5 take a call whether to do the Grossglockener Road or go straight to Innsbruck. Is this any better ?

Day 3 is definitely doable. The drive from Vienna to Melk is about an hour. Tour of the Abbey about 3 hours and the drive from Melk to Hallstat about 3 hours. So if you want to stay at the Abbey longer you could.

Day 4 - the gondola up the Dachstein is about 10 minutes outside of Hallstatt by car. Half way up the gondola is a stop where you can get off and tour the ice caves (about 2 hours) and then you go up to the top of Dachstein's for hiking, but in May there still might be a lot of snow. The salt mines are above Hallstatt and take another 2 hours.

Your Austrian schedule should be do-able. But keep it variable due to weather.

FYI: The Grossglockner High Alpine Road will hopefully open the beginning of May 2014. It'll depend on when the snow and ice melts making the road passable. It is absolutely the most beautiful place I've ever seen. To drive from Zell-am-See over the Grossglockner (to Lienz, Austria) back to A22 and north into Innsbruck would be a full day. If you look at Booking.com, there are some really great places to stay in Lienz--an almost hidden corner of Austria.

To go up to Hungerburg is maybe a 2 hr. short trip. Swarovski Crystal is about a 15 minute drive from Innsbruck.

I would not suggest taking a night train south to Naples/Sorrento. The Italian long distance trains are very fast, and you may find sleeping difficult since you may be physically transferring trains. You'll also miss some beautiful mountain scenery. And the trip from Innsbruck to Sorrento is very long by European standards--621 miles. Too bad there are no flights from Innsbruck to Naples--or even to Italy.

Thanks Dirk & David. Few more questions:-

Yes I will keep this fluid. If the weather is not good then I will drive straight to Innsbruck Hallstatt & skip Grossglockener.

1. I am open to stopping the night at Lienz after crossing Grossglockener Road; but the next day I plan to take the train from Innsbruck to Sorrento - so I thought it might be better to come to Innsbruck the night before.

2. Thanks for the timing details of Hungerburg -- but is the experience worth it ? Just trying to understand why more people are not talking about this ?

3. David -- You have advised against taking the night train. If I do the take the morning train - there is one at 11:52 & another one at 13:27 - then perhaps I can stay that night at Naples & move to Sorrento the next day ? Is the mountain scenery that good & would you advise that?

4. From a driving time perspective, how long will each of the segment take ?

• Hallstatt to Grossglockener Road begining
• Grossglockener Road begining to Innsbruck
• Grossglockener Road - 1 / 2 way