Itinerary Overview

D1–D3 Vienna → D4–D5 Salzkammergut Lake District → D6–D7 Salzburg → D8 Depart from Innsbruck, with smooth connections via ÖBB trains and buses.

D1–D3 Vienna: Imperial Highlights

• D1: After arrival, visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral → Graben Street → Evening at the State Opera House (standing tickets or full-price seats available).
• D2: Hofburg Palace and Sisi Museum → Spanish Riding School → Evening concert at the Golden Hall.
• D3: Morning at Schönbrunn Palace (book tickets online in advance) → Afternoon at Belvedere Palace to see Klimt’s The Kiss → Hundertwasser House.

D4–D5 Salzkammergut: Lake District Scenery

Take a train to Attnang-Puchheim and transfer to a bus to enter the lake area. On D4, explore Hallstatt: the salt mine aerial cable car, iconic postcard viewpoints, and the Bone House (charnel house); stay overnight in a lakeside wooden cabin. On D5, take a boat cruise on Lake Wolfgang or ride the Schafberg cog railway for panoramic lake views, arriving in Bad Ischl by dusk and try a slice of the Imperial Pancake.

D6–D7 Salzburg: City of Mozart

• D6: Getreidegasse and Mozart’s Birthplace → Salzburg Fortress funicular → Mirabell Gardens (filming location of The Sound of Music).
• D7: Half-day trip options include a visit to Untersberg Mountain or Königssee (on the German side), or relax at a café in the Old Town and visit a Mozart chocolate workshop. In the evening, attend the Salzburg Festival or a concert at the fortress.

D8 Wrap-Up in Innsbruck

Arrive in Innsbruck by train in about 2 hours: see the Golden Roof, the Imperial Palace, and stroll through the Old Town. For those with energy, take the Nordkette Cable Car up to the Seegrube Ridge for Alpine views. Depart from the airport in the evening.

Tips

• ÖBB often offers special tickets for as low as 9–19 euros if booked in advance — the earlier, the cheaper.
• For Schönbrunn Palace and the Hallstatt Salt Mine, be sure to book tickets online well in advance during peak season.
• If carrying a lot of luggage in the lake district, consider staying in Bad Ischl as a base and making daily light trips.