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BavarianAlps/Salzburg

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Hi All,
We are a family of 4: hubby and I ; 21 year old daughter and 22 year old son. My daughter is doing a program in Austria this summer. She needs to be at Vienna airport on Saturday, 5/20 by noon to join group and start her adventure. Ahead of her program, we’d like to travel as a family.
We would like to see Salzburg/alpine areas Bavarian alps, St. Gilgen, St Wolfgang, Vienna (Melk) and Budapest. We are thinking it makes sense to use combo of public transport and car rental.

Here is my prelim itinerary. It keeps changing as I read tips/suggestions on this and other sites.Someone suggested this place in Anthering (very near Salzburg) which looks lovely. Has anyone else stayed here? http://www.neuwirtgut.at/ It requires a 5 might minimum stay. We could spend a couple days seeing Salzburg, then rent a car and do day trips/explorations to the Bavarian Alps (hour away), St. Gilgen etc while staying at this apartment. When we are ready to move on, we can return rental at Salzburg train station and take train on to Vienna. I am not sure if 5 nights is too long to spend in this area given we’d like to see Vienna (w excursion to Melk) and Budapest.

Sunday 5/7 Flight from Boston to Munich (fly out Sunday , Arrive Monday morning )
Monday 5/8: train to Salzburg. Nap/refresh at a in hotel in Salzburg (or apartment in Anthering) http://www.neuwirtgut.at/ Walk around /dinner. Sleep Salzburg/Anthering
Tuesday 5/9: explore Salzburg. Walking tour, sites suggested in book etc. Sleep Salzburg/Anthering
Wednesday:5/10: more exploring; cooking class at Edelwiess cooking school; pick up rental car and drive sound of music sites(or is it worth time/cost to do Bob’s tour for SOM?); head out to either base ourselves in Ramsau (Barviarian Alp) or St Gilgen area or stay in Anthering to reach these places (hour away) to do day hikes, cable car rides, exploring on our own? Sleep in same spot
Thursday 5/11: Visit St. Gilgen or Ramsau area (whichever we didn’t do on Wednesday). Sleep in same spot.

Friday 5/12: Not sure what to do-----we would need to stay in area for 5 night minimum at that apartment. I like idea of 2 bedrooms and kitchen etc…but if it is too long a stretch, we can find another place to stay w/ no minimum and head to Vienna today. I don’t mind sleeping at hotel in Salzburg for our first 2 nights and then staying in place with no minimum (Bavarian Alps area or St. Gilgen) for other 2 nights.
Saturday : return rental car at Salzburg train station. Take train to Vienna.

I'm really looking for help on this part first leg of trip. How many days in this area?. Good places to stay, ideally with 2 bedrooms (one queen, then 2 twins for kids) ? The Bavarian alps look amazing. Any feedback appreciated. Thanks very much for your help.
Joanne

Posted by
2588 posts

I’m guessing that I am the one that suggested the Anthering apartment. A few other things to do - ice cave and castle in Werfen, Hallstatt, Salt mine in Hallein, Untersberg

Posted by
2981 posts

FYI. Salzburg is a 40 minute drive from Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden. Berchtesgaden is 30 min. We stay in Ramsau for all our visits and include a day and a few nights for dinner, etc. in Salzburg.

To add to Werfen, Hallien, etc. mentioned previously.

Things to see and do in the Berchtesgaden area.
Walks and hikes are all around, including a couple of gorges.
Berchtesgaden
Ramsau and it’s extremely picturesque church.
The Hintersee.
Konigssee boat trip.
Jennerbahn cable car.
Rossfeld Panorama Road above Berchtesgaden
Sommerroldbahns (summer luge rides!)
The Eagles Nest
Salt Mine
Salzburg

Easy day trips from here:
Zell am See (pretty old town, lakeside setting, with a backdrop of tall alpine peaks). We rented an electric boat for a couple of hours and toured the lake on our own.
Wolfgangsee (We spent a day on a lake ship and visited the villages around the lake). Great way to spend a day.
“Mad” King Ludwig’s Herrenchiemsee Palace.
With an early start, you could even drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.

Posted by
68 posts

Question: is it difficult to drive across border in and out Germany and Austria these days? I am asking because if we rent a car we will be doing just that. Also, wondering how hard/expensive it is to park in Salzburg vs take a bus from Berchtesgaden area for trips into Salzburg.

Posted by
2981 posts

I never experienced any border crossing issues. Like going from one state to another. It’s been a few years and maybe things have changed?

Parking in Salzburg. We always use the underground lots at Mönchsberg garages. 9 Euro for the first 3 hours (.50 per 10 minutes = 3 Euro per hour). 3 Euro an hour after the third hour. Basically 3 Euro per hour. This leaves you right near the old town pedestrian zone.

We never used the bus so I can’t comment.

Paul

Posted by
2588 posts

As difficult as driving from Boston to Rhode Island ! In other words, no problem going between those two countries these days. If you use the freeways in Austria you will need to get a ‘vignette’ which you can purchase at the border

Posted by
58 posts

Hello, I've seen posts on Rick Steves that there is a strictly enforced permit that must be purchased in Austria before driving there. That would be a good thing to look for/ask about on the forum. I don't remember the details because we'll be using trains and busses.

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