This 10-day Austria road trip itinerary makes for a perfect visit that includes all the best stuff Austria has to offer. You’ll get to explore the mountain landscapes of the Austrian Alps, chill out next to Austria’s famous lakes, visit tons of interesting historical sites, indulge in Austria’s gorgeous wine country, and so much more.
I’m going to share the exact itinerary that my friend Amanda and I followed in the summer of 2025, but know that you can adjust it and/or start and finish wherever you like. Austria is conveniently located with several major cities so road-tripping it is super easy. Enjoy!
About this Austria road trip itinerary
This 10-day Austria road trip itinerary begins and ends in Innsbruck, simply because that’s how we did it. Because Munich, Germany is such a convenient and easy place to get to, we decided to start and end there. (This way, we could return the rental car at the same place we picked it up. But also, because we’d be flying into and out of the Munich airport for other travels.)
If you don’t have any other travels planned before or after your trip to Austria, you could just as easily start and end in Vienna if flying there is more convenient/affordable for you. In that case, simply start this itinerary on Day 6.
How to get to Austria
Austria is about as centrally-located a country as you can get in Europe which means getting here from just about anywhere is really easy. I personally flew into Munich (because Lufthansa has direct flights from Boston), but you can easily get flights to Munich (MUC) or Vienna (VIE) from all over Europe and beyond. Definitely start by looking at Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines first.
If you wish to arrive by land, you can also get to tons of Austrian destinations easily by train and bus too. Take a look at Omio to see your train options, and check out Flixbus for cheap and easy bus travel. I’ve taken the Flixbus several times around Europe and always find it to be a great option.
How to get around Austria
Given that this is a road trip and all, this 10-day Austria itinerary requires you to have access to your own car. While you can certainly travel around Austria by train, most of the incredible sites I mention in this itinerary are only (reasonably) accessible by car. Plus, two of the activities on this itinerary are unforgettable driving routes. Check out the best rental car deals here.
Austria is a medium-sized country as far as Europe goes, so you won’t have quite as many long driving days as Poland, but only slightly more driving than Slovenia. Still, I always try to break up the driving with stops at some awesome sites along the way.
10-day road trip in Austria at a glance
Before we get into the details, here’s what you can expect from my 10-day Austria road trip itinerary:
About this itinerary
This post serves as a broad look at what kind of route you can take to visit many of the most interesting destinations in Austria. To save time, I don’t go into a huge amount of detail for each spot. Instead, I’ve linked to a few other posts where you can get more information.
To see them all now, head here for all my Austria posts (and here for all my Austria WWII posts).
10-day Austria road trip itinerary map
This map contains all the Austria tourist attractions, suggested hotels, and restaurants I mention in this post. To save this map: Click on the star ⭑ next to the map’s title to save in your Google Maps. To use this map: When you get here, open Google Maps on your phone, click “Saved” at the bottom, then click “Maps.”
Day 0: Get to Innsbruck
This is, of course, if you’re following my same route which starts and ends in Innsbruck. Otherwise, simply get to wherever your starting point is.
If you are planning to follow in my tire tracks, i.e. starting at the Munich airport, you’ll get the added bonus of being able to visit Neuschwanstein Castle on the way. If you haven’t visited this dreamy fairytale castle yet, I highly recommend it. (Here are my top Neuschwanstein Castle tips if you do.)
Day 1: Innsbruck / Welcome to the Alps
Innsbruck is the colorful capital of Austria’s Tyrol region that’s nestled right into the Austrian Alps. Its small size means you can easily explore the best parts of it in just one day.
What to do in Innsbruck
I have a full post on what to do in Innsbruck, but here are the highlights:
- Head to the Top of Innsbruck – Take the cable car to the top of the Nordkette Mountain for stunning views of Innsbruck and beyond.
- Visit Swarovski Crystal Worlds for some interesting photos
- Explore Innsbruck’s Old Town – Climb the City Tower, take a walking tour, and don’t miss the famous Golden Roof.
- See native Alpine animals at the Alpenzoo.
- Explore Ambras Castle and/or the Imperial Palace.
For more on what to do in Innsbruck including where to eat and drink and some great hotel recommendations, check out my Innsbruck post here.
Pro tip: Pick up an Innsbruck Card to save money on all your sightseeing plus get free public transportation during your visit.
Days 2 & 3: Zell am See
Zell am See is one of Austria’s most popular resort lake towns. It’s a well-known ski destination in the winter and popular for hiking and relaxation in the summer. There’s isn’t a whole lot to do here, but it’s a great place to enjoy some scenery and just take it easy.
I suggest giving it two days because driving the Grossglockner will take up a good chunk of one day. The other day can be spent hiking and then relaxing in the town.
Drive time from Innsbruck to Zell am See: 2 hours
What to do in Zell am See
Within the town itself, the most popular thing to do is just chill. Have some drinks and food at one of the local restaurants (or a rooftop bar), hang out around the lake, and just generally take it easy.
Pro tip: If you’re into WWII history, it’s worth knowing that Zell am See is where the Band of Brothers (Easy Company) ended their time in Europe. Check out my Zell am See WWII post for more on that.
Hike the Schmittenhöhe
One thing you cannot miss in Zell am See is the Schmittenhöhe. In the summer, you can take the cable car to the top, have a scenic lunch on top of the mountain, see some amazing Alpine scenery, then do a quick little hike over to the next cable car to get down. This was without a doubt my favorite thing I did in Zell am See. If this interests you, check out my post on hiking the Schmittenhöhe here.
Grossglockner High Alpine Road & Hohe Tauern National Park
The other major thing you absolutely have to do here is drive the Gloßglockner Hochalpenstraße (the Grossglockner High Alpine Road). The Grossglockner is the highest peak in Austria and the Hochalpenstraße is a stunning driving route that winds its way through the picturesque Hohe Tauern National Park.
This road takes you up and over two of the highest mountain passes and down into some beautiful valleys. You’ll see snow-covered peaks, turquoise lakes, precious mountain villages, and probably even a marmot or two. There are car pull-offs every few miles so you can stop as often as you like to take photos. There are also several places to stop for food, etc.
Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Hohe
One must-do while driving the Grossglockner is to stop at the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Hohe lookout. This requires a little bit of a detour off the main road, but it’s totally worth it! When you get here, you’ll be able to look out over the Pasterze Glacier, do some shopping, have a bite to eat, and even explore some old mining caves. This is definitely a highlight of the Grossglockner.
Grossglockner need to know info:
Sigmund Thun Klamm
Another fun thing to do in these parts is visit the Sigmund Thun Klamm. This part of Austria is loaded with these cool waterfall/gorge/boardwalk parks. Check it out here. (I’ve got some others listed in this itinerary too in case you’d prefer to skip this to do the hike or the drive.)
Where to eat & drink in Zell am See
Zell am See has no shortage of places to eat and drink, but here are my favorites:
Where to stay in Zell am See
I personally stayed at the Two Timez Boutique Hotel and have nothing but rave reviews. Perfect location, superb air conditioning, great rooftop bar, and a very forgiving manager (see my worst travel moments of 2025 post for the details on that one).
If that’s all booked, here are some other popular Zell am See hotel options:
See all of Zell am See’s hotel options here.
Parking in Zell am See
Since this is a road trip and all, you’re going to have a car with you. Zell am See is fairly small and tight but there are still great parking options to be found. Our hotel (the Two Timez) has a private parking garage, as do many others.
Still, we opted to park in a nearby public lot since it was going to be free on the days we were there. Even after driving the Grossglockner and returning to Zell am See we were still able to find open parking spots. I’ve included this lot on the map at the top of this post.
Day 4: Amazing Alpine stops
On this day, we’ll drive from Zell am See to Salzburg, stopping at two of the best natural attractions in Austria.
About Hallstatt
One thing to note here: When I did this road trip, I added a day in Hallstatt here between Zell am See and Salzburg. However, if you read my worst travel moments of 2025 post, you’ll know that Hallstatt is not worth visiting. Actually, I’d recommend totally avoiding it.
However, if visiting Hallstatt is something you feel you absolutely have to do, this is where you’d insert it. Just be sure to read my post (link above) for tips on how best to enjoy it (and how to act). And even if you do visit, I’d recommend staying somewhere like Bad Ischl instead.
What to do on this day
After you’ve fueled up with some breakfast in Zell am See, here are the two places to visit today:
- Liechtensteinklamm
- Dachstein Skywalk
Total drive time from Zell am See to Liechtensteinklamm to Dachstein to Salzburg: 3 hours
Liechtensteinklamm
The Liechtensteinklamm is a waterfall at the end of the Liechtenstein Gorge, which is the real reason you’ll want to visit this place. It’s one of the longest and deepest ravines in the Alps, and you get to walk the length of it on a combination of boardwalks, cave trails, and cool helix staircases.
Definitely wear good outdoor shoes since most of the paths are rocky and wet. A rain jacket wouldn’t hurt either. Prepare to see waterfalls and tons of other gorgeous (heh) natural scenery. Visitor information here.
Dachstein Skywalk
When I visit the Alps, I like to get all up in there and go as high I can (without climbing of course). Enter: the Dachstein Skywalk. From the valley, you take a cable car up almost 9,000 feet to the top where you get to enjoy tons of activities, incredible views, lunch at a mountaintop restaurant, and more.
There’s lots to do up here, like:
- Walk across the suspension bridge and the Skywalk
- Check out the Stairway to Heaven and the Stairway to Nothingness
- Visit the Ice Palace (yes, even in the summer)
- And lots more
The suspension bridge was my favorite, and lunch at the restaurant was a good break. The views are insane and the gondola is a fun ride. Highly recommend.
Worth noting: We almost skipped this one because the weather forecast was showing lots of clouds moving in. At the last minute (like literally we were in the parking lot debating this) we decided to go for it and hope for the best.
At the top, the cloud cover was THICK. We could hardly see ten feet in front of us, let alone any of the expensive views we just paid for. We had lunch then decided to go ahead and do the activities even if we couldn’t see a thing. This made for some insane experiences on the suspension bridge where you couldn’t even see the other side!
At one point though, the clouds opened up and we were able to see so much! And the best part is that since the clouds were so bad, we pretty much had the entire mountain to ourselves. The trip looked like it was going to be a bust but it ended up being one of the top highlights of our entire trip.
Where to stay in Salzburg
Like I mentioned before, I highly recommend skipping Hallstatt and going straight to Salzburg instead. There are obviously tons of great places to stay in Salzburg, so here are a few great places to start:
See all Salzburg hotel options here.
Day 5: Salzburg
If your experience on Day 4 is anything like mine, you’ll actually arrive to Salzburg around 5pm which means you’ll still have lots of time to hang out in Salzburg at the end of the day. Otherwise, wake up on Day 5 and get out to explore the city.
What to do in Salzburg
I have a whole post on how to spend a day in Salzburg, so check that out for all the details. But to sum up, here are some highlights:
- Take the original Sound of Music tour to all the filming locations around the city (very popular!)
- Explore Salzburg Castle (Hohensalzburg Fortress)
- Visit Mozart’s Birthplace – Museum dedicated to Mozart in the apartment where he was born
- Take a fun river cruise
- Tour Stiegl Brewery and drink some beer
- Walk around the Old Town center or take a walking tour
Pro tip: Pick up a Salzburg Card to save money on all your sightseeing plus get free public transportation during your visit.
For history nerds
If you or someone else on your trip is a big history geek (like me!), another great thing to do here is take a side trip over to Berchtesgaden, Germany where you can visit Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. You can take a bus up the mountain and see this historic building, have lunch up here, see some fantastic views, etc. I’ve been a couple of times and it’s definitely worth it. Here’s what you need to know.
Berchtesgaden and the surrounding areas are absolutely worth adding to your itinerary if you have a couple extra days to spend. But it’s technically in Germany so I’m leaving it off this “Austria” itinerary to keep things simple.
Where to eat & drink in Salzburg
Again, there are tons of dining options here, but here are some of my favorites:
For where to stay in Salzburg, refer to the end of Day 4.
Day 6: Austrian history
Today’s journey will take you from Salzburg to Vienna while stopping at three important (and seriously interesting) historical sites along the way. Here’s what you’ll see today:
- The Altaussee Salt Mine
- Mauthausen Concentration Camp
- Schloss Artstetten
Total drive time from Salzburg to Altaussee to Mauthausen to Artstetten to Vienna: 5.5 hours – the longest driving day of the whole 10-day Austria road trip itinerary
Salzwelten Salt Mine
The salt industry is a huge part of Austria’s history so you’d be remiss not to visit a salt mine while you’re here. There are salt mines all over this part of Austria (and into Germany) that you can visit, but I chose this one for one specific reason.
The Salzwelten Altausee salt mine is where the Nazis hid tons of stolen art and artifacts during World War II. The US military’s art recovery team called the Monuments Men discovered this mine and saved the art just as the Nazis were about to blow it up.
While here, you can take a guided tour of the mine. They’ll teach you all about the history of salt excavation in Austria, about the mine’s use as a stolen art repository, and much more. There are tons of great exhibits inside and even a giant slide you get to ride. Check out all the details here.
Pro tip: Give Monuments Men a read before your trip. It’s such a good book! (There’s a movie too, it’s just not as good.)
Mauthausen Concentration Camp
The fact that I’m a WWII historian aside, I still think it’s important for everyone (yes, literally everyone) to visit a former concentration camp. It’s going to be an emotionally tolling experience, yes, but it’s one that will change your life.
The memorial site at Mauthausen, outside Linz, is extremely well done and does a fantastic job of telling its story and those of its former prisoners. You can visit several of the original buildings, see tons of memorials, and even climb the “Stairs of Death” down into the quarry where Nazi guards forced prisoners to work themselves to death.
For everything you need to know for visiting Mauthausen Concentration Camp, see my full post in that link.
Schloss Artstetten
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo. This is widely seen as the event that started World War I. And while Sarajevo is pretty far from here, Schloss Artstetten is a great place to learn about this historic event.
Artstetten Castle was owned by Franz Ferdinand and serves as his final resting place today. You can visit the tombs of he and his wife (along with the rest of their family) and explore the castle which has been turned into a museum on the life and death of Franz Ferdinand.
Where to stay in Vienna
Here are some highly-rated hotel suggestions for when you reach Vienna: (Since this is a road trip, I’ve made sure to filter for hotels that have their own parking facilities.)
See all of Vienna’s available hotel options here.
Days 7 & 8: Vienna
Austria’s capital city of Vienna is huge (and so is everything in it). So, if you’ve never been here before, I’d give it a good couple of days so you can see a lot of it.
What to do in Vienna
This massive city offers a lot of (really fancy) stuff to do, but here are some highlights:
- Explore the massive Schönbrunn Palace
- Attend a classical music concert
- Indulge in Vienna’s café culture (at some of the most beautiful cafés you’ve ever seen)
- Visit the Austrian National Library
- Or one of the gorgeous museums like the Kunsthistorisches Museum (historical art museum)
- Take a walking tour around the historic center, a food tour, or one of the hop on/hop off bus tours
- Head up the Danube Tower for sweeping views of the city
Pro tip: Pick up a Vienna City Card to save money on all your sightseeing plus get free public transportation during your visit.
Day 9: Graz
Now that we’ve reached the eastern edge of Austria it’s time to turn around and head back west. Graz is a quirky little town in the southeastern part of Austria that just makes for something a little different. It’s historic center is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Drive time from Vienna to Graz: 2 hours 15 minutes
What to do in Graz
Here are some of the fun things you can see and do in Graz in a day:
- Visit the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum (at the house where he grew up)
- Take the funicular up to the mountain lookout (Schlossberg) and clock tower (the Uhrturm)
- And slide down the world’s tallest underground slide on your way down
- Have a drink at the Murinsel, a futuristic-looking artificial island on the Mur River
- Explore the streets of the historic Old Town
Where to eat & drink in Graz
Where to stay in Graz
Even though it’s on the smaller side, Graz still has lots of great hotel options:
You can see all Graz hotel options here.
Day 10: Graz > Wine Country
Whatever you didn’t get to in Graz on the first day you can finish today. We’ll be ending the day in Styrian wine country which is just a short drive away so you can take your time leaving Graz.
Drive time from Graz to the wine country: Less than 1 hour
Styrian Wine Country
The area known as “Styria” is Austria’s second largest state and is commonly referred to as “wine country.” I first visited this region when I was road tripping around Slovenia which is just across the border here. (And I fell IN LOVE with it!) Check out my post on wine tasting in Slovenia to read more about it.
The best and most traditional thing to do in these parts is to stay overnight at a Weingut. This is essentially a guesthouse at a winery. You can walk around the vineyards, enjoy some relaxing time in their wine gardens, take a tour, and all kinds of beautiful and chill wine activities. The scenery is spectacular here and the vibes are *chef’s kiss*.
Wineries to visit
Here are some of the great wineries in this area you can visit:
But really, just type “weingut” into Google Maps and you’ll see there are tons more. All these wineries serve their signature wines and amazing fresh food. And you know what? No one will even look at you weird if you show up in a dirndl. (This is literally something you’ll probably see.)
The weingut I stayed in (and ate and drank wine at) was the Weingut Kollerhof am Eichberg. It was such a lovely (and delicious) experience! We spent some time hanging out in the vineyards, socializing with the baby goats, and drinking wine in their giant wine barrel bars!
The heart-shaped road
If you’re interested, you can also cross over into Slovenia here to check out the famous Herzerlstraße (heart-shaped road). It’s just a super quick drive or you can even just walk across the border to go see it. Get all the details on how to see it in my Slovenia wine tasting post.
Where to stay in Styrian wine country
There are so many great weinguts to choose from in this area. Start with the four I mentioned above and you won’t be disappointed. Here are their booking links:
Check out more wine country options here.
The last day: a bonus
After our time in wine country, my friend Amanda and I made our way back to Munich. But, before leaving Austria we made a couple more fun stops. If you have a bit more time to spare, here are a couple more things you can add to your Austria road trip:
- Tour of the Red Bull Ring (F1 track)
- Drive the Nockalmstraße
Red Bull Ring
If you’re an F1 fan, you totally have to take a tour of the Red Bull Ring. Personally, I don’t know jack about F1, but Amanda is a huge fan (and even has an F1 travel blog) so it was a must-do for us. I actually really enjoyed it, especially the part where we got to drink Red Bull and watch cars go really fast, lol.
Nockalmstraße
Like the Grossglockner, the Nockalmstraße is another beautiful (paid) driving route. This one isn’t as spectacular as the Grossglockner, but it’s still a delightful drive with lots to see and a great place to eat lunch. Here’s the information you need.
Otherwise, I hope you have a great trip around Austria and an easy time getting to your next destination!
Pro tips for your Austria itinerary
Here are a couple helpful things to know to upgrade your Austria road trip:
1. Strawberries!
Summer in Austria is strawberry season and you’ll see booths along the road selling fresh strawberries all throughout the country (and especially in the Wachau Valley). Do yourself a favor and be sure to stop at one and pick some up. They’re incredible!
2. Save money
To save money when you visit Austria, you can pick up some local sightseeing passes (which typically include free public transportation and other discounts too). Here are the passes you’ll want to consider:
3. Make sure you have the vignette!
In order to drive in Austria, you MUST have a vignette sticker on your car (or a digital version). Without this, you’ll rack up hundreds of dollars in fines (potentially more). See my worst travel moments of 2025 post to see how much I paid the country of Austria last year. *eyeroll*
When you rent your car, make triple sure that your car rental comes with the appropriate vignette. If you rent your car outside of Austria, you’ll need to purchase one yourself when you cross the border. This is extremely important!
4. Pack hiking shoes
A lot of Austria’s sightseeing and activities take place in the outdoors, up on mountains, down in mines, next to raging rivers and waterfalls, etc. You absolutely much pack a pair of good outdoor shoes for this road trip.
I personally wear some low-top Merrell hiking shoes for these kinds of activities which I love. Some decent hiking sandals like Chacos or Tevas also work well in the less-demanding situations.
More info for your Austria road trip
Like this post? Have any questions about your Austrian road trip? Let me know in the comments below. Have fun in Austria!
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