Day Trip to Alps from Salzburg

Hi,

I'd go with Berchtesgaden and the area. Beautiful alpine scenery. If interested, the Konigsee boat trip (10 min. from Berchtesgaden) should be operating. It's only closed IF the lake freezes over (not often). Try to do this on a Thurs. - Sun. when the Advent Markets in Berchtesgaden is open. We really liked the markets here last December.

http://www.berchtesgadener-advent.com/termine_bgd_advent.html

http://www.seenschifffahrt.de/en/koenigssee/

Also, we spent a very nice day on the Wolfgangsee last December. Very charming towns (St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang and Strobl) with charming Christmas markets. Again, unlike Salzburg, which has Advent markets open ever day, these are open Thurs. - Sunday.

http://advent.wolfgangsee.at/en/opening-hours-2014/

Not sure what will be open in Hallstatt in December, as we thought it was ok for a day trip when we visited in mid October (which was very quiet) a few years back.

Paul

Thanks very much for taking the time to respond to my question. I will definately visit Berchtesgaden and add the Wolfgangsee to my plans.

I have exclusively used RS travel guides/videos and his web site to plan my previous trips but, for this trip, I have had to ask a question in this forum for the first time and have relyed on other travel guides for the first time. I think that the RS Austria guide needs a little more about the Salzkammergut than just Hallstatt but maybe Hallstatt is so spectaclular that I'm wrong. We'll see.

Thanks again.

If you want to see an impressive castle in a breath-taking surrounding, just head a little south of Salzburg to Burg Hohenwerfen.

Per Burg Hohenwerfen:

It's the castle in Sound of Munich that is behind Maria when she first teaches the children do-re-mi.

The base of the castle hill is about a mile's hike from the Werfen train station through town. From the base of the hill, there is a funicular to the castle. The walk from the station to the base was not unpleasant when I did it in May, but in December?

There was a bus stop in front of the buildings at the base of the hill. I think it goes between Tenneck, to the north, and somewhere south of Werfen, but I have been unable to find the exact route or how often it runs.

I checked the Hohenwerfen web site and the castle is closed in December as are the Melk abbey, the Cesky Krumlov castle and other places that are on my itinerary. That's OK. There is still plenty to see and do and hopefully the trade-off is fewer people, although I don't know what to expect for tourist load during the Advent season.

You probably know already but Wolfgangsee is close to Hallstatt.

Bad Ischl is also in the area and if you have a sweet tooth it is worth a visit for Cafe Zauner - great selection of cakes. Cafe Zauner is also interesting from a historical perspective. It was the "Imperial and Royal Purveyor to the Court" for the Hapsburgs and Franz Josef holidayed in Bad Ischl.

There is a simple restaurant right on Wolfgangsee with big windows so a nice view of the lake and mountains. It's on the Strobl side.

Should clarify I have to these places in Summer.

Gerry

IMO, the best way for 2 people to get to Berchtesgaden from Salzburg for a day trip is with a BGL Bus + Bahn Ticket (12€/person). Further info (in German) here. This ticket combines both a Bahn Berchtesgadenerland Tagesticket (plus Salzburg) with a Regionalverkehr Oberbayern (RVO) Tagesticket. It allows you to use the train between Berchtesgaden Hbf and Salzburg Hbf via Freilassing after 9 AM, workdays, and any of the Berchtesgaden region buses (exc the Bus up to the Eagles Nest, which won't be running anyway), including the Watzmann Express, bus #840, between Salzburg Hbf and Berchtesgaden Hbf any time.

You can take the Watzmann Express from Salzburg Hbf anytime, even before 9 AM, use the buses in Berchtesgaden to get to Königssee and back, and return by train to Salzburg as late as about 10 PM. If you can leave on the last bus to Salzburg at 6:15 PM, you can use just an RVO Tagesticket for 9,50€ per person. Either way, purchase the ticket from the driver on the bus. The bus stop is between the Forum buildings on Karl-Wurmb-Str., north of the plaza in front of the Hbf.

You can also catch the Watzmann Express at several locations in Salzburg, including Mirabellplatz, on it's way to Berchtesgaden.

Thanks to all for the info! We will also be in Salzburg in December.

Based on your very helpful input, we are now planning to do a Berchtesgaden/Konigsee day trip from Salzburg and spend two nights somewhere on the Wolfgangsee or Bad Ischl (leaning toward St. Gilgen but not sure) with a day trip from there to Hallstatt.

Thanks again. I really appreciate your help.