7-10 days in Austria, July 2013

Hi Jack, With 7 days and a family of 5, I'd suggest basing in 2 locations. Of course, you could base in the Berchtesgaden/Salzburg area in an apartment for the entire 7 days also. With 10 days, you could try 3 different locations. My suggestions for bases would be: Berchtesgaden/Sazburg area Zell am See The Zillertal Innsbruck area With 10 days I'd split it up like this: 4 days - Berchtesgaden/Salzburg area. 3 days - Zell am See 3 days - The Zillertal or Innsbruck area. Berchtesgaden area: Berchtesgaden, Konigsee, Jennerbahn cable car, Eagle's Nest, Salt Mine tours, Luge rides (Sommerroldelbahn), Salzburg, Wolfgangsee (St. Gilgen, etc.), Hallstatt. FYI: "Mad" King Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee Palace is between Munich and Salzburg/Berchtesgaden. We stayed 3 times at the Pension Mayringerlehen in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden and have done these as easy day trips. Loved our stays here and will return again (hopefully!) www.mayringerlehen.de For Zell am See, the old town is very nice. The situation on the lake with an alpine backdrop is beautiful. Take a lake cruise and drive the amazing Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. We stayed at the Pension Alpenrose. I don't think they have apartmnets, but maybe 2 rooms? www.pension-alpenrose.com
www.grossglockner.at/en/ continued....

The Zillertal has absolutely gorgeous alpine scenery. We stayed in Finkenberg, just above Mayrhofen (Zillertal's main town) at the Gaestehaus Bergland. Plenty of cable car trips, there's the "Arena Coaster", etc. http://gaestehaus-bergland.at www.zillertal.at/de/sommer/home/ In the Innsbruck area we prefer Hall in Tirol as our base at the Gasthof Badl. We stayed here 4 times. There's the old town of Hall in Tirol, Innsbruck's old town, Tratzburg Castle, Schloss Ambras, Ski jumps and the terrific Nordkettenbahn cable car trip, among many other things. www.badl.at
www.hall-wattens.at/en/ We have 3 pages of photo's of all these at: www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html Hope this helps get you started. Paul

You have to look at the kinderhotels website: www.kinderhotels.com. Lots of family friendly hotels with great activities in both summer and winter. From Salzburg, you could loop down past Zell am See, Mayrhofen, then back up the A12. Great mountain towns, lots to see and do.

Give Linz some consideration. We enjoyed three days there last October.

Paul, I really like your suggested trip. You've helped me decide to put Austria on my bucket list. Thank you!

Hi Jim, Thank you for the kind words and you're welcome. Paul