Any recommendations for your favorite town to spend a few days in the Lake District? We plan on spending 2 days there in the beginning of Oct this year and would like to use it as a base to explore the region. Thanks!
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5750 posts
What do you mean by Lake District? Austria has many areas with lakes.
Posted by
Florida
509 posts
I'm guessing you mean the Salzkammergut east of Salzburg. You might try putting that word in the Search field above to find suggestions from earlier posts. (We are basing in Mondsee next month, mostly because of an AirBB apartment that suits us.) St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang and Hallstatt all get good grades. Once the estimable Emily confirms the locale, she'll have better informed recommendations, as will the other Austria experts on the Forum.
Posted by
OP
11 posts
I was referring to the Salzkammergut region. We will be traveling from Salzburg by rental car. We have 2 full days before we need to return to Vienna
for departure home and would like use one of these towns as a base to explore and hike.
Posted by
NW England
667 posts
St Gilgen is only about 30 minutes drive from Salzburg and the rest is within 60minutes, if you already have a hotel there it could be easier to stay in it and just drive out in the mornings. Or I would do it the other way around - stay in St Gilgen and go into Salzburg as needed.
The road between St Gilgen and St Wolfgang via the north sideof the lake is a bit questionable, Google says there is one but other maps says it's a footpath. There's no bus link, they go the long way around via the other end of the lake which suggests Google might be wrong. In which case St Wolfgang would be quiet but a pain to travel from and to.
Hallstatt has parking issues. http://www.hallstatt.net/parking-in-hallstatt/
are you driving on to Venice or taking the car back to Salzburg?
Posted by
shingle springs, CA, USA
782 posts
I like St Wolfgang and it is about 35 minutes from Salzburg,we have stayed in both on the same trip.St Wolfgang gives good access to Dachstein and Hallstatt,take boat from St Wolfgang to St Gilgen to visit .
Mike
Posted by
OP
11 posts
Thank you for the recommendations! I agree that St Wolfgang and St Gilgren appear to be beautiful areas. Can explore Hallstatt for the day from either of those towns. Now to find a hotel or B&B!
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5750 posts
I have been to all of the towns in this area on multiple occasions and then some.
St. Gligen would be my choice as it has atmosphere and great views but isn't the hectic tourist trap that St. Wolfgang and Hallstatt have become. It is easy from St. Gligen to access the mountains as well.
Alternatively, many people like Bad Ischl as it was the royal base for many years in this area and is centrally located in the Salzkammergut, so good public transport connections.
If you had a car and want to be somewhere absolutely lovely, I would suggest Gosausee.
I do hope that the weather cooperates for you. If you are in the area on Oct. 1, then you should try to attend the Almabtrieb at Wolfgangsee. This annual event celebrates bringing the cows down from the mountains. A huge local event with decorated cows in parade.
http://www.oberoesterreich.at/oesterreich/veranstaltung/430007030/wolfgangseer-almabtrieb.html?h=476
Posted by
2484 posts
If you are in St. Wolfgang consider a ride on Austria's steepest cogwheel railway, going up for an excellent view over the lake and the surrounding mountains.
http://www.schafbergbahn.at/en_uk/railway/aboutrail.html