My family and I (myself, husband, 2 teenage boys) are traveling to Prague at the beginning of June and will be departing out of Munich. I would like to stop in Salzburg for a couple of days. How many days do we need to see the city? I'd like to do a day trip to Eagle's Nest and the nearby Salt Mine. What other day trips from Salzburg are recommended?
Any recommendations for Munich and Prague as well would be great!
Thanks!
Suzanne
To me, Salzburg would be a two day minimum stop. But if you're wanting to take some day trips out of there, add a couple of days.
Munich and other great large European cities are worthy of 4 days at a minimum. Prague, Vienna and Budapest are in that caliper of city.
That is what I was thinking. There is a lot to see and do in these areas!
Thank you for your feedback!
Three nights/two full days was our minimum. A lot to see but Salzburg is compact and walkable.
We enjoyed dinners at:
The Old Fox/Alter Fuchs http://www.alterfuchs.at/de
and
Mozart Dinner Concert https://www.mozart-dinner-concert-salzburg.com/
Salzburg is one of my favorite cities. In 2000, my husband and I, along with my parents, spent 6 nights near Werfen (just south of Salzburg). We toured the Hohenwerfen castle, visited the ice caves, spent a day in Berchtesgaden (including the salt mine), went to Hallstatt another day, and spent a day touring Salzburg. We fell in love with the area.
In 2018 we returned with our two teen boys and spent 5 nights near Hallein. We rode the sommerrodelbahn near Hallein a couple times, spent two days touring Salzburg (including the Red Bull hanger near the airport), went paragliding above Salzburg, went to Eagle’s Nest, and went to Hallstatt for a day. We could easily have spent 2-3 more days in the area.
I recommend all of the above, assuming you spend at least 7 nights in the Salzburg area!
From Salzburg, as above re Werfen Castle and ice caves, plus St Gilgen and Wolfgangsee for choice, all easy to reach.
Very much worth it is the train ride to Prien am Chiemsee, from there on to Schloss Herrenchiemsee and Frauenwörth Abbey - this trip can also be done just as easily from Munich.
Not too far from Munich, Nuremberg and Augsburg (cities) are about an hour by train, as are the colourful Murnau (lovely moors walking) and the nice river towns of Bad Tolz and Landsberg. All are within about an hour. There are many more further afield, but you don't, or maybe you do, want to waste time travelling.
I have teens and I think three full days are needed. Prague is such a crowded, overwhelming place with little to hold the interest of kids, in my opinion. To have some days in the outdoors surrounded by history will be fun.
Eagle's Nest and the salt mine, for sure - 1 day
Salzburg itself (fortress, Hellbrunn) - 1 day
Salzkammergut/toboggan runs/hiking - 1 day
Many of my family visits from the US are unfortunately only 7-8 days. It's a big expense for the younger folks and they just don't have the vacation time. I recommend 3 nights two full days for Salzburg and the Berchtesgaden area. I have a car and usually stay in Ramsau and visit what we want on the drive there (Burghausen etc.). I adjust for the weather and on the best day go to the Königssee. The second full day is Salzburg. I fill in the time with a Berchtesgaden visit, maybe the Rossfeld-Panoramastraße and sometimes the new Jennerbahn. I skip The Kehlsteinhaus, Salt Mines etc. I try to go for dinner at a different place every night. Some visits we leave Ramsau and go direct to Munich for their flight home. I have enjoyed three overnights in Salzburg to explore. The Salzkammergut is a beautiful area and you should look at the lakes to the east of Salzburg too.
Prague is a 2.5 hour drive from my place and we usually make it a day trip, old town, castle etc.
Munich usually gets left behind for local stuff and Regensburg, Nurnberg, Bamberg etc.
I’ve spent as long as 9 days.
Go to the Ice Cave at Werfen
These are all great ideas and options! Thank you! We are definitely doing Eagle's Nest and the Salt mines as a day trip. I love the idea of the Mozart dinner and the Fox/AlterFuchs looks like exactly like what we would try to find! I need to look at Prien am Chimsee, Schloss Herrenchimsee/Frauenworth Abbey. I like that I could plan that from Salzburg or Munich.
This is what I am thinking right now...not sure if I should add more days to Salzburg and less on Munich? I want to get hotels/apartments reserved soon. I already have an apartment reserved in Prague for three nights.
Day 1 - Arrive in Prague 11:45 am (This is my husband's birthday - even though will be will jetlagged - suggestions for an activity or great restaurant would be great!)
Day 2, 3, 4 - Prague
Day 4 - Train to Salzburg (not sure what time we will take the train)
Day 4, 5, 6, 7 - Salzburg
Day 7 - Train to Munich (not sure what time we will take the train)
Day 7, 8, 9, 10 Munich
Day 10 - Train to Nurnberg
Day 10, 11 - Nurnberg
Day 11 - Train back to Munich
Day 12 - 10:25 am flight departure
Thank you!!! We are first timers so I have so many questions!
I like Munich, but 4.5 days? Seems a bit much. I suspect one day to Füssen. Consider another day trip back east to Prien am Chiemsee, or on your way to Munich would be ideal. Consider Dachau as a visit while in Munich as well. That is a real gut check.
Thank you for your insight. The more I am planning, the more I am thinking I need less time in Munich. I am hesitant about the Fussen area because of the Passion Plays and the crowds. I have added Prien am Chiemsee to the list of day trips. Is that a day trip or an overnight? What about tacking on Bamberg to Nurnberg as a full two days, one night between those two? My kids said absolutely no to concentration camps, so we are skipping Dachau. (If we were to do one it would be the camp outside of Prague where my great-grandparents were sent, but that would be even tougher than Dachau.)
If you were to pick one or two truly historic and old castles, which would it be? I am also hesitant to do Neuschwanstein because of everything I have read that it isn't as old as others, less authentic and more touristy than others.
I am trying to balance trying to see a lot of places with not spending our entire trip on trains.
Thank you for your feedback!!!
Hohensalzburg makes the most sense. It’s massive and cool.
Are you sure your kids will like the fancy palace at Prien?
Two full days in Salzburg would be ideal. It depends on what you all are into but seeing the Dom zu Salzburg, the Hohensalzburg Fortress, and spending time walking down Getreidgasse are all must do items for Salzburg! Schloss Mirabell Gardens is lovely to walk through and if you're into music ... well, Mozart. That said, research the various Mozart attractions and pick the one you're most interested in. Augustiner Braustubl (beerhall) is a lot of fun and Stiegl also has a beerhall (with great food!) in Salzburg. If you're into planes, Hanger-7 (home of Red Bull) is a 30 minute bus trip just outside Salzburg (plan on spending an hour). Enjoy your trip!
If I understand you correctly, with two days in Salzburg, the day trips to Berchtesgaden and salt mines will eat up almost all of that time so you won't actually get to see much of Salzburg itself.
Prien am Chiemsee is an easy day trip from either Salzburg or Munich. You could also consider Zugspitze as the journey is excellent as well as the views. I'm uncertain why you are avoiding Neuschwanstein due to "passion play crowds".
I think if you are looking for castles then it has to be Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Neuschwanstein is THE castle of all castles. Ludwig's Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee are nice castles but they are nothing compared to Ludwig's Mac Daddy castle. Here are others: https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-castles-germany
Go to Cesky Krumlov. It is not a day trip though but only 3 hours from Salzburg via the CK shuttle car. It costs pretty much the same as taking the trains (which includes transfers).
