December 2019 was my last month living in Europe, so I wanted to make it extra special. That’s why I booked two of the most beautiful winter getaways I had been wanting to go on for quite some time now: Bavaria & Finland. In this article, I will focus on this special place in Germany. I really wanted to see it before heading to my next home; it is the most dreamy castle that exists. It is located in the south of the Bavarian region near the Austrian border. Since I had a few extra days of paid leave I could use at work, I decided to take advantage of this trip to visit the Austrian Alps as well while I was nearby. In this blog post, I will be sharing the itinerary of my road trip through the mountains of Austria & Bavaria.

Day 1: Vienna

I personally booked a return flight from Paris to Vienna because it was cheaper, but if I had to do it over again, I’d land in Vienna and leave from Salzburg. This would have avoided driving a few extra hundred kilometres on a schedule that was already very tight. Clearly, this itinerary is not something I would recommend doing if you truly want to discover the whole region and take your time doing so. But if like me, you enjoy making the most out of your European long weekends and can’t stay in place, then this is for you.

Where to stay?

I stayed at the Park Inn Hotel by Radisson Uno City because I got a great deal online. It was probably as expensive as renting out a place on Airbnb and the hotel is conveniently located near a metro station + it has an underground parking lot. It wasn’t amazing though, the interior is pretty old, but it did the job.

Where to eat?

I highly recommend checking out Onyx Bar @ the DO&CO Hotel because it offers an amazing view on St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Their restaurant, which is located on the top floor, offers an amazing selection of delicious food but will be a bit more pricey than just having a drink at the bar. I definitely recommend trying it if it’s in your budget.

*Make sure you call them to make a reservation because it tends to get packed.

What to do?

Overall, if you’re just going to be spending one day in Vienna, you will quickly notice how small the city is. Unless you’re staying for a few days and have some music shows booked, visiting the city by foot can be done pretty quickly. Here are a few attractions to check out: St. Francis of Assisi Church, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg, Neue Burg, the Opera, the Parliament building & Hundertwasser House. Oh, and if you happen to be visiting in December, make sure to check out Vienna’s Christmas market which is happening all around Rathausplatz.

Day 2: Hallstatt

After you’re done visiting Vienna, my suggestion would be to drive straight to Hallstatt mid-afternoon to get there in the evening. That way, you can wake up early the next morning and go directly to this super cute village before all the tourists arrive.

Where to stay?

Hallstatt is a small village and has now become very expensive. If you’re visiting, chances are you will be staying in another village not too far away. That’s what I did. I booked a 1-night stay at Villa Kristina in Bad Aussee and really liked my experience there.

What to do?

Early morning, Hallstatt is still super charming, but I have heard that due to its increasing popularity, the inhabitants see hordes of tourists flooding their tiny streets, which tends to be irritating. After you’re done exploring Hallstatt, there are a few others things you can do not too far from there if you like hiking and being in the middle of nature. The first one is Lake Königssee, which is situated just across the German border (1 hour away from Hallstatt). In order to get to the viewpoint pictured below, I’d suggest typing Rabenwand as your destination on Google Maps. It is a short 25-min walk from the parking lot. The next stop I did is Krimml waterfall. It’s located much further on your way to Innsbruck, where I suggest spending one night.

Day 3: Innsbruck

On my third day, I had only planned to relax because I was already pretty tired of all the driving and I still had a long way to go. I spent the night at an Airbnb in Innsbruck and woke up early the next day to go explore its colourful houses at sunrise. I didn’t expect to find this place so pretty. It is worth spending a full day there in my opinion, but I didn’t have time. Instead, after grabbing a bite to eat at the Markthalle, I drove to Längenfeld to spend some time at Aqua Dome’s thermal spa. The entrance fee is €26 for a 3-hour visit, or €34 for the day. If it’s in your budget, I highly suggest booking a night there, that way you’ll have access to some private areas that look absolutely fantastic, but where only hotel guests are allowed. After you feel all rested, take the road again to go north to Bavaria.

Day 4: Schloss Neuschwanstein

On my last day, I woke up much before sunrise in order to get to Neuschwanstein Castle before the crowds. What a magical experience!! I personally just wanted to visit the outside, as the inside of the castle was currently under renovation. I decided to hike all the way up to Marienbrücke to get to this fairytale viewpoint pictured below. This requires at least a 30-minute walk and it gets very steep and slippery at some point, especially in the snow. After that, I went straight to Eibsee for another hike. I’d suggest walking the whole 7-km trail around the lake, which shouldn’t take more than 2 hours (maybe more if you stop for photos). This hike is pretty straight and easy, lots of people were visiting with kids and dogs. Clearly this day was the highlight of my entire trip! After I was done visiting, I drove all the way back to Vienna, which took me forever (6 hours) but if your flight is departing from Salzburg, you would cut that time in half. Just make sure you can rent a car in Vienna and drop it off in Salzburg at the time you make the reservation.