Stopover between Salzburg and Ljubljana

Posted by danb2489 on 12/31/23 12:01 AM

After a few days in Salzburg, I'm planning on a few days in Ljubjlana. It appears to be only a 3.5 hour drive between the two, but I wouldn't mind spending a night or two at a scenic lake. We are hikers so a pretty town with nice trails and good beer for dinner will be fine. We will have a rental car, and will be starting in Munich, and probably driving back there again after our time in Slovenia. This will be the first 2 weeks of September.

I think I've decided not to go to Hallstatt, too touristy.

Suggestions appreciated, thanks.

Posted by MaryPat

Irving

12/31/23 12:28 AM

2952 posts

Not far from Salzburg is Berchtesgaden National Park. Will you be going there?

Posted by Dave

Southeast US

12/31/23 02:27 AM

3851 posts

I don't think you have to do a stopover, but I would do the stopover at Klagenfurt/Wörthersee if I did one... your choice between staying in the small city of Klagenfurt or staying on the lake.

Posted by Dave

Southeast US

12/31/23 02:54 AM

3851 posts

You mentioned hiking on another post. Places to consider near where you will be...

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is doable as a day trip from Munich. A trip to the top of the Zugspitze (Germany's highest peak) is an option though I have not done it. What I have done is a hike through Partnachklamm (Partnach Gorge), which I thought was beautiful. Walk the lower path through the gorge. At the end of the gorge, head back by ascending to the upper path through the gorge that includes a snack hut. A great way to spend a morning. To get to the gorge, you walk past the ski jump and other structures used for the 1936 Olympics.

As mentioned above, Berchtesgaden is a nice side trip from Salzburg. Königssee is gorgeous. I recommend taking the boat across the lake to the Salet stop, taking the 15-minute walk to Obersee (a small Instagram-popular lake), hiking along the right side of Obersee to the far side of the lake, and then ascending to a gorgeous alpine meadow surrounded by peaks and on to Röthbach Wasserfal. Another trip report? This one includes a 5-day stop in Berchtesgaden... scroll down to find the bolded Berchtesgaden label. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/three-weeks-in-germany-f614b88a-f272-49e7-98bc-2ebe3a2f5c60

Posted by Dave

Southeast US

01/01/24 01:27 PM

3851 posts

One more stopover place to consider is Gosau. It's recommended by Emily, one of the Forum's resident Austria experts. I have not been there, but it is on my list of places to visit. Much more nature and much less village cuteness than Hallstatt, which results in it being much less touristed. It's not far from Halsttatt and is, so I hear, quite gorgeous.

Posted by danb2489 OP

01/03/24 09:05 PM

18 posts

Thanks. We will definitely go to Bechtesgaden, I think I need to decide between an extra night in Salzburg and a day trip from there, or perhaps one night.

I like the idea of a couple of days at Klagenfurt. Decisions, decisions...