Austria: 12 places to see - Hallstatt to Krimml Falls
Explore Austria's most iconic destinations across 1,119.9 km, featuring Hallstatt's picturesque alpine village, the Dachstein Glacier, Salzburg's baroque architecture, and pristine lakes like Wolfgangsee and Traunsee with their surrounding mountain peaks.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Gosau & Gosausee
- End
- Lake Constance & Pfänder
- Stops
- 12
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Gosau & Gosausee — Alpine lake nestled in the Salzkammergut region, surrounded by dramatic limestone peaks and accessible via scenic hiking trails.
- Dachstein Glacier — Central Europe's highest glacier offering year-round skiing, ice caves, and panoramic views across the Austrian Alps.
- Grundlsee & Toplitzee — Pair of pristine mountain lakes in Styria renowned for turquoise waters, excellent swimming, and alpine wilderness hiking.
- Hohenwerfen Castle — Dramatic hilltop fortress perched on a rock pillar dating back 900 years, serving as sister castle to Hohensalzburg with museum tours and scenic views.
- Hochosterwitz Castle — Medieval fortress perched atop a 172-meter limestone cliff in Carinthia, featuring 14 defensive gates and sweeping valley views.
- Wachau Valley — Picturesque valley along the Danube River near Vienna, featuring vineyards and charming villages particularly scenic during autumn months.
- Innsbruck & Kufstein — Twin Tyrolean towns offering Olympic venues, medieval charm, and access to premier skiing and mountaineering destinations.
- Lake Stillup & Krimml Falls — Mountain lake and Europe's tallest waterfall cascade in the Zillertal Valley, connected by scenic alpine pathways.
- Zell Am See — Picturesque Alpine town on glacial lake developed as 19th-century luxury resort, offering summer water activities and winter skiing opportunities.
- Pasterze Glacier — Austria's largest glacier located on the Grossglockner, accessible via mountain road with dramatic ice formations and summit views.
- Vorarlberg & Lünersee — Western alpine region featuring a remote mountain lake surrounded by peaks, ideal for hiking and experiencing pristine wilderness.
- Lake Constance & Pfänder — Vast international lake bordering three countries, with a neighboring mountain offering panoramic views of the water and Alps.
Useful for your trip
- Transport
- In Hallstatt, parking is difficult. Take the ferry from nearby town of Oberau across the lake into Hallstatt instead (costs about 15 euros per person).
- Tip
- Visit Hallstatt's Skywalk via the cable car and explore the salt mine afterwards.
- Tip
- Sky Ladder via ferrata takes 4-6 hours total. Take gondola from Gosau (20-minute hike to start), then 2 hours climbing to ladder, then 1 hour more to summit, then 1 hour descent.
- Transport
- Dachstein Glacier: Take gondola to mountain station at 2,700m elevation. Costs about $55.
- Transport
- Schafberg mountain: Train from St. Wolfgang costs about $50 per person and takes 30 minutes. Hike available from train station to top.
- Where to stay
- Schafberg has a restaurant and hotel at the top where you can spend the night.
- Tip
- Hohenwerfen Castle dates back nearly 1,000 years and is the sister castle to the fortress in Salzburg.
- Tip
- Hochosterwitz Castle has 14 fortified gates built in the 1500s. Tour costs about $20 and you can take funicular or hike up.
- Transport
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road is highest road in Austria at 2,504m. Entry costs about $35.
- Tip
- Pasterze Glacier is Austria's biggest glacier. Accessible via short drive from Grossglockner with parking and viewpoint area.
- Transport
- Silvretta High Alpine Road has 34 hairpin turns with beautiful Alpine reservoirs including Silvretta and Vermunt staly.
- Tip
- Olperhütte is about 1.5 hours from Innsbruck. Drive up Schleifirdere Reservoir then hike steeply for over 1 hour to reach restaurant/hotel.
Video on this route
Top 25 Places To Visit in Austria - Travel Guide