10 tips for trips in the Salzkammergut
The Salzkammergut region is a part of Austria where you can go for a week or two every year and still not get tired of it. There's still plenty to discover and the views of the stunning blue lakes just don't become boring.
The biggest advantage of the Salzkammergut is that it is easily and
quickly accessible from the Czech Republic. The second reason is that
there is something for everyone, both in the way of activities and
the large variety of accommodation. If you just want to hang around the
lakes - sunbathing, swimming - and you don't care about comfort, you can
use one of the many campsites. For example, a
night at Mondsee
cost us €24.50 (2 people + car + tent). On the other hand, if you plan to
climb the surrounding hills and fall into soft blankets in the evening,
you will probably use a typical Austrian pension or apartment. However,
you won't go wrong with a pampering holiday in these parts either, as
there are several wellness hotels that will be happy to take care of
you.- cheaper: we were quite lucky this year and found a great guesthouse in the Gosau area, where we paid a total of €257 for a cosy room with a luxury bathroom for 4 days with breakfast. The name is Privatpension Gosaukammblick and we can recommend it from our own experience, you will certainly not make a mistake with this choice.
- medium: Gasthof Steinbichler - beautiful new single/double and family rooms at Lake Achansee
- luxury: Hotel Seevilla Wolfgangsee - but I think everyone would like this :) - saunas, panoramic pool, stylish rooms, great food, etc.
1. Miesweg
An unusual walk that should definitely not be missed during your stay
at Lake Traunsee. It is a relatively short stretch on the eastern
shore of the lake, which allows you to walk on wooden footbridges
suspended directly over the water! A beautiful experience and views are a
must :)
Accessibility - by car, take the Traunsteinstrasse, which can be
a bit nerve-wracking as it's a long and fairly narrow road, but be
patient and get there when you can. There is a free car park at the end
(with toilets too) which unfortunately doesn't have much capacity.
However, you can easily park already on the way on the sides of the
street in marked spots. UPDATE: as of 2023, there is a charge for
parking spaces, with the lowest rate being €10/5h.
From the car park you walk a couple of hundred metres along the normal
classic path, which will lead you to the tunnel with the signpost. At
this point you decide whether to go through the tunnel first and then
back along the path over the lake or vice versa. The choice is yours, it
doesn't matter. Of course, you can go back and forth over the lake, but
I find it unnecessary. I was looking forward to it as a kid, so we chose
the footbridge route first :)
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It's not extremely difficult or physically demanding, but you will have
to climb several ladders and wooden footbridges, so be warned in
advance that you definitely won't be able to get through with a
stroller. If you're really scared, there's also the option of clipping
onto a ferrata steel rope as a precaution, but for a standard fit adult,
it's definitely not necessary. Along the way, you'll pass a waterfall
where you can cool your feet or just sit on a bench.
After that, it's just a short climb up a stone staircase to the finish,
where you can decide whether to tunnel back or continue along one of the
many other marked hiking trails. If you only take the short loop
(parking lot-tunnel-parking lot) expect about an hour and a half,
depending on your enjoyment pace.
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2. Gmunden
While you're stopping at Lake Traunsee for the Miesweg, it would be a
shame not to pass through the town you'll be passing through - Gmunden. It
is famous for its ceramics, characterised by its green decoration,
which you can see for yourself in the local shops. I would, however,
single out Orth Castle, situated on an islet connected to the
mainland by a long wooden bridge.
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TIP: There is a parking fee in the centre of Gmunden, so I
recommend entering the castle directly into your sat nav, where there is a
free parking lot just off the main road. You can then walk to the centre
along the promenade in a few minutes.
It was originally a water castle built in 1080, which was transformed into
a chateau over time. As I mentioned before, it can be found on a small
island, which is free to enter. Anyway, you can literally walk around it
in a flash. The only way to linger would be to sit on the shore or have a
snack in a local restaurant, or even to tour the interior, which is
already charged (I think €5/adults).
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3. Schafberg
One of the most popular mountains in the Salzkammergut, which I understand
100% after climbing it. From its summit (1,783 m) you have an
absolutely stunning view of several turquoise lakes at the same time -
Attersee, Mondsee, Wolfgangsee, Traunsee and Fuschlsee. I simply recommend this trip with all my heart! There are several ways
to reach the top, so let's do it.
The easiest way is to use the steepest railway in Austria, which leaves every now and then
from the town of St. Wolfgang and takes about 40 minutes to get up
there. This option is very popular indeed, according to my observation
about 90% of people use it. Some of them make the return trip down on
their own, but some people in flip-flops, blocks and heels, for example,
take the train back down. In connection with the cogging, I would also
mention the Schafbergalm mid-station located at 1,345 m above sea
level, which you can use to get closer to the summit and then climb the
remaining vertical metres on your own. To give you an idea, I've listed
the fares as of 2025 (adults). You can check the specific prices for
children, groups, various discounts, etc.
here. The official SchafbergBahn website with more info is available at
this link.
- one way to the top - €39.80
- return Schafbergspitze - €56.50
- one way to mid-station - €27.50
- return Schafbergalm mid-station - €45.50
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And now the less popular option - walking :) Honestly, we didn't even
think about the toothpick for a minute. In short, I feel much better about
the summit if I walk there, but I understand that everyone has it
differently and it's fine that way. There are several routes to the
summit, most of them start just like the tubing in St. Wolfgang. We didn't
want to take the famous route though, so we ended up choosing the
village of Winkl as our starting point. We leave the car in the
free parking lot by the football field, take sturdy shoes and a supply of
water and start the climb. There are
more than 1,100 elevation metres ahead of us at this point.
We walk through the village and join the marked hiking trail (No. 20), which takes us into the forest. A large part of the path from Winkle goes right through the trees, which we appreciate, because it is hot to fall and we walk beautifully in the shade. Tourists coming out of this direction are at an absolute minimum, so it's really quiet here, no crowded thoroughfare, nothing like that. We emerge from the forest after joining a dirt road that spits us out onto an open plain a few hundred metres later. Finally, we get a view of our destination! And a few buildings, grazing cows and the surrounding lakes. A perfect idyll.
The trail from Wolfgang also connects in this section and the number of
people increases. The next (mini) batch then joins at the intermediate
station of the cog railway, from where it is just up and up on the beaten
track. Don't expect shade here, so I'd definitely
recommend some headgear and sunscreen in the summer. We start the
last, roughly one-hour stretch with vigour, after all, we are waiting for
that dream cool radler at the top, right? :) All in all it takes us about
2 h 15 min to get up, but it will be very individual.
At the top - Schafbergspitze - you will find a restaurant and 2 kiosks.
Prices everywhere are of course slightly higher than elsewhere in Austria,
but that's to be expected and the views of the sloping plain of the
Schafberg, the surrounding peaks and those divine lakes are definitely
worth it! Judge for yourself...
4. Lammerklamm
One of Austria's many beautiful gorges. You can find this one just off the
road, where you can park for free. After descending a few steps, pay the
€9 entrance fee and you can go on a tour, which should take about an hour. There are
two parts to the tour, the first of which is shorter and will take you
through the narrowest point. It's called Die Dunkle Klamm (The Dark
Gorge) and it's clearly the nicest section. The slight disadvantage is that
from here you have to go back to the ticket office again and then continue
to section number two.
The second half is already more "open", which makes it a very
nice walk along the stunning blue river. It leads along wooden
paths, where you will find several staircases. Otherwise, however, the
path is relaxing and easy, and even children could manage it in peace.
From the information boards you can learn some local legends, but on the
other hand also facts - for example, that the river's gradient in the past
helped in transporting wood. Today, the gorge only transports adrenaline
enthusiasts who want to try canoeing or rafting.
After leaving the gorge, you walk a few dozen metres to the Lammerklause
guesthouse, where you can have a meal/drink. From there, all you have to
do is move back to the parking lot. Either take the local bus one stop or
walk the rest of the way. There is a footpath beside the road, so you
don't have to worry about putting yourself in any danger. The
self-propelled journey takes about 15 minutes... so I guess there's
nothing to worry about :)
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5. Hallstatt
This is just so beautiful that I've dedicated a whole separate article to
Hallstatt - check it out here, because this little town definitely deserves
it :)
6. Vorderer Gosausee
A beautiful lake lined with mountains mirrored in its surface, which we had
just a few minutes from our accommodation
Privatpension Gosaukammblick. But we probably would have covered more distance for it :) Gosausee is of
glacial origin and lies at an altitude of 933m, which is nothing to be
scared of as it is very easy to reach by car. You leave that at one of the
large free car parks and then you can make your own agenda. There are more
than enough activities to choose from.
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The great thing is that you can go around the lake and thanks to the
fact that everything is flat, absolutely everyone can do it. It's a really
nice and relaxing walk with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks. I
definitely recommend it. Of course, there are many other trails of
varying lengths that lead this way as well. If you would like to make it
easier to climb the elevation, you can also use the Gosaukammbahn cable car.
For adrenaline enthusiasts, there is the Laserer Alpin klettersteig (C/B)
ferrata, which, especially thanks to the ladder, looked quite action-packed
at first glance. If climbing at heights is not your thing,
you can swim in the lake or rent a boat. They say it's also a popular
spot for diving, but we didn't see any divers, so I don't know :)
Oh, and on a more practical note, there is a
Gasthof Gosausee guesthouse
and restaurant right on the lakefront, and there are a few fast food kiosks
around. So you won't die of hunger or thirst here.
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7. Gollinger
A waterfall just outside Golling, with a pleasant walk through the forest.
Free parking is available in the adjacent car park, but it's hard to say
how they manage its limited capacity here in peak season. We arrived
around 10am and there was no problem. It was only a few meters away at the
ticket office, where you could only pay with cash :) I don't know if they
had a technical problem or if it's a common situation, but just in case,
cash €5 per person to take with you (currently possibly
here).
There are several hiking trails through here, but if you are only
interested in reaching the waterfall and its immediate surroundings, set
aside about an hour/hour and a half. I recommend wearing sturdy shoes and
feel free to pack an extra sweatshirt or jacket, as the closer you get to
the water, the cooler the air will get.
Gollinger Wasserfall is a two-tiered waterfall and measures an impressive
76 metres in total. It is also otherwise known as the
Schwarzbachfall, because of the Schwarzbach river it then creates. Once
you've done the obligatory photo on the rocks in front of it, head up the
beaten path. You will cross the so-called Rainbow Bridge and then you
can take two more short walks. One to the viewpoint and the other to where
Gollinger begins. Be sure to go around everything, they're really only
transfers in minutes and you get to see the waterfall from all different
angles which is cool.
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When you leave, you can still stop at the
Church of St. Nicholas (1st photo below), which you could see from
the top of the waterfall. Another stop would be offered at Golling itself,
where you are attracted by the signposts to the castle of the same name,
but which currently only functions as a museum. You can't go inside for a
tour and there's not much to see from the outside either (see 2nd and 3rd
photos).
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8. Salzburg
The centre of Salzburg lies on the Salzbach River just across the border
from Germany. It is often referred to as Mozart's city, as the
famous composer was born here, but it is also interesting for its historic
centre, which is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visit is a
nice change of pace when you're not in the mood to put on your hiking
boots but instead want to enjoy wandering the old streets, admiring the
sights, having a good lunch or just soaking up the local atmosphere. If
you come here, don't miss it:
Mirabell Castle and its beautifully landscaped gardens with many
statues and fountains
- gardens are free to enter, and don't miss the Dwarf Garden
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| Salzburg Fortress in the background |
Hohensalzburg Fortress from where you have a great view of the whole
city
- it is accessible by cog railway or on foot and there are several ticket options
- a basic ticket with a cog railway for an adult costs €14.50
- for a detailed price list and more info click here
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Makartsteg - a pedestrian bridge festooned with lovers' locks
9. Eisriesenwelt ice cave + 10. Hohenwerfen castle
These two places are about 10 minutes away from each other by car, you
just have to cross the Salzbach River. I wrote about both of them in my
older article TOP trips Zell am See, so for more info check there,
so I don't repeat myself :)
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| access road to the ice caves |
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| Hohenwerfen Castle, pedestrian gate |
- Kouzelné městečko Hallstatt
- TOP výlety Zell am See
- 3 TOP trips in Tyrol
- TOP trips in Schladming area
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