I am planning a trip . This is a tentative layout of the destinations. We can extend the trip if we want but this timeframe looks about right? Thank you in advance. ( I also considered Germany with Austria, Croatia with Austria and Slovenia,) For some reason this just sounded better to me. We are older active adults for no strenous hiking or white water rafting. Love beautiful scenery, food. Mix of citiy and village stays. Alway hit the main attractions in the cities, palaces, museums. Fly to Vienna and return home from Ljubljana.
Vienna – 4 nights (including the Wachau day trip)
Salzburg – 3 nights (train)
Dolomites – 4 nights (pick up a rental car)
Ljubljana – 2 nights
Piran – 2 nights
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
6123 posts
What time of year?
Posted by
OP
Washington DC
101 posts
We plan to travel in early September 2026. Yes, I know that is really soon
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
6123 posts
Early September is a great time to visit.
There are a lot of great events in September. I wrote up these paragraphs about Vienna in September in another post:
Also, September is the month of festivals. The Erntedankfest (Harvest Festival) occurs Sept. 12-13 at Heldenplatz and is a must. The Kaiser Wiesn (Vienna's Oktoberfest) runs from Sept. 26 - Oct. 11 in the Prater and is fun. The Wiener Weinwandertag (Viennese Wine Hike Day) is Sept. 26 and 27 - and it is by far the best event of the year in Vienna, in my opinion. Three hiking trails through vineyards with music, wine and food. Now here is a wild care - the Mistfest. The festival is put on by the Garbage Collection department at a huge (but amazingly clean and modern) garbarge collection site. The Mistfest celebrates all local municipalities and departments of the city. It is a fascinating look into the liveability of the city as well as its social programs. You can also climb through a garbarge truck and ride into the sky in a firetruck basket. Truly lots of fun (Sept. 19-20).
I am writing now a new paragraph to emphasize how important it is that you do the following - Genussmeile Thermenregion - https://www.wienerwald.info/genussmeile/Wienerwald. You take a train outside of Vienna for about 25 minutes to the south of the city. You are now in the Wienerwald in the middle of vineyards on the slopes of the early Alps. Similar to the Genussmeile (but better), the local wineries throw a huge party along a trail. You drink, you walk, you eat, you have amazing views, you see cute villages. This occurs over two weekends - Sept. 5-6 and 12-13. Just do it and drink Sturm.
When you are in Salzburg and the Dolomites, be sure to look at attending an Almabtrieb - a festival throughout the Alps when the cows come down from the moutains.
As for Slovenia, which I also know well, I love Piran. Keep in mind, however, that Piran isn't that far from Ljubljana, so you might want to combine those two locations by making a day trip to one or the other.
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1674 posts
Where are you thinking in Südtirol? We spent 9 days in a holiday apartment in May in Piran a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Two nights and a full day will allow you to enjoy it. We just wanted a lazy relaxing pause then. From Salzburg you can get out to the lakes
https://www.salzburg-portal.com/en/lakes-rivers/ Never been to Ljubljana.