Salzburg or Hallstatt

sally, Salzburg is a city with a long history and much art and architecture to see. Halstatt is a scenic villageon the side of a mountain on beautiful lake. You decide what is more interesting to you.

Are you proposing to stay one night in either place, and visiting the other on a day trip? Not sure how you do that and spend any good time in either. But seeing Salzburg on a day trip would be like visiting San Francisco on a day trip. Time enough to buy postcards, and have a good lunch.

Stan is on the money! Hallstatt is better done as a day trip (it's much much smaller). I have done it as an overnighter after spending 3 nights in Salzburg. If you only have 1 night then spend the whole time in Salzburg! There is so much to see there! If you have one night and 2 full days spend one day doing a Sound of Music tour - or rent a car for a day and see Hallstatt as a day trip.

Thanks Stan and Jill. If we only have 6 nights in Vienna, will we have time to spend one night in each in Salzburg and Hallstatt with just public transportation? We are still trying to come up with an itinerary.

Sally, You could do one night each with public transportation - it is possible. Ideally if it were me I would take a few nights from Vienna and stay 3 in Salzburg and 1 or 2 in Hallstatt. I've been to Vienna, but enjoy Salzburg SO much more!

I LOVED Salzburg, and you can take a day trip to Hallstat from Salzburg. However, I don't see Salzburg as a day trip especially for a Sound of Music fan. Just so you know, Salzburg was a four hour train ride from Vienna

Agreeing with Jill. I'd cut back on Vienna, and spend one night in Halstatt on the way to Salzburg, spending at least 2 nights there. I think that Salzburg is more scenically beautiful, whereas Vienna has more museums, palaces, art, (ie., inside things), etc. May depend on where you are going before and after Austria. Ideally, flying into Munich, out of Vienna or vice versa.

Thank you all. We decided we will spend one night in Salzburg or should it be two?

two, especially if you are thinking about a day trip to Hallstat, even three then.

Yes, it should be at least 2 nights in Salzburg. The more I read the more I wanted to add more days. Not sure about Hallstatt , it is closer than going there from Vienna but we will definitely have to add one more day and cut down on our days in Salzburg. Thanks.

Unless you want to explore the area around Hallstatt, you can visit the town easily in one day. To prevent back and forth traveling I would suggest that you go to Hallstatt on your way from Salzburg to Vienna.

Leave Salzburg in the morning, go to Hallstatt (bus/train or train/train), and go to Vienna in the afternoon (train/train). The last train for Vienna departs in Hallstatt at 6:30pm. The ride is about three and a half hours.