Don’t listen to what they say, go see.
It was time for another road trip – probably one of our last road trips for some time as we wait the arrival of our little bundle of joy 
. This was a surprise for Amoli who was in her maternity and wanted a break with all the regularities and irregularities which accompany the baby bump 😊. Join us for the perfect Austria road trip to Hallstatt,Schafberg and Obersee.
What better than the beautiful country of Austria. We had heard about Vienna a lot but as with many of our travels I knew Li would be happier exploring the picturesque Austrian countryside at leisure rather than a bustling city. We made our way to London Stanstead on a Thursday after work and finally I broke the surprise at the airport which got Li all excited with what’s to come next.
Day 0
We flew into to Vienna international airport on a Thursday evening and took a hotel nearby to the airport. This was just meant to crash for the night and was worth it. You’ll find many hotels nearby the airport which offer free shuttle service and a decent room to spend a night.
Day 1
After an early breakfast we took a cab to the Airport car rental centre. To our surprise our economical car was upgraded to a Jeep Renegade (A beautiful drive – well worth it). We then made our way to Hallstatt – we chose to take the countryside road and avoid the motorways and it was very wise decision. As we left the city the roads got narrower and then the rolling green hills appeared just like that of a postcard. The scenes around were absolutely mesmerising – very similar to those famous pictures of Switzerland. After 3 hours’ drive and a couple of breaks, we reached Hallstatt.
The first challenge is always to find the right parking spot. Hallstatt has 3 car parks (P1, P2, P3) and as you enter the village you will see signposts indicating how many spots are empty within each of the car park. P1 and P2 parking are in the village centre but P3 is a 30 mins walk away. Hallstatt is quite a busy place during the peak season so aim to reach here either early morning or late evening when majority of the tourists have left for the day.
Map1_Parking P1 hallstatt to Hallstatt Parking P2
Tucked between serene mountains and a quiet lake, this village is one of the most pictured places in Europe. While there are quite few things which you could do here including the Heritage Skywalk and the Hallstatt Ossuary – if time is a key and want a relaxed trip with a pregnant lady then stick to wandering the town. See below for a map of a good walking route of the town from P1 parking.
There are 2 picturesque points which offer the best views, and most sought after snaps of Hallstatt (See Map above). Walk to the north side of town (labelled as Aussichtspunkt Hallstatt on Google Maps). There is a second viewpoint on the south side of town (labelled Badestrand (badensiel Hallstatt) on Google Maps). We spend some leisure time taking in the views of this amazing village – thought quite touristy it has a sense of calm and freshness to it. We enjoyed a nice lunch on the lake and wandered around the old town getting those much-needed pictures.
After a relaxing 3 hours and a nice cone of Gelato we made our way through the beautiful roads of Austrian countryside to our first pitstop of the day. One advantage of having a car is to find those beautiful remote locations to nest for the day. And our stay for the night was at Landhaus Seereith– located on the Hintersee Lake in the middle of the beautiful countryside of Salzkammergut.
Day 2
A relaxed night and we were up early and bright to enjoy the mist over the Hintersee lake and the fresh morning breeze. After a healthy breakfast we made our way to Wolfgang. We wanted to make our way up the Schafberg and since trekking wasn’t a viable option, we opted to take the famous cog railway up the mountain.
The cog ticket centre is right next to the lake and the queues are quite long on a busy day. We need to book the onward and return journey at the same time. Remember that it takes 35 minutes for the cog train to reach the peak so give enough time to spend at the top. The classic train winds up through the pine trees initially and then onto the open mountain peaks offering some of the best views before reaching the peak in 35 mins.
The views from the top of the Schafberg mountain are simply breath-taking. You can see one of the most stunning panoramic views, not only in the Salzkammergut region but in the whole of Europe! As it was a sunny day it offered great views of the amazing lakes and the foothills of the Austrian Alps. At the top you’ll see a hut – this is the Schafbergspitze Hotel which you must have seen in a thousand Instagram pictures.
After spending some great time capturing the views and relaxing on the mountain slopes, we made our way down the hill bidding adieu to one of the most panoramic places in Europe. We continued our drive to Zell Am See. This was one of our best road trips in Europe – every turn and every corner was beautiful – more like a landscaped garden. The restaurants en-route offered some of the best local produce.
A 2 hours drive, and we were at Zell Am see – a posh resort town on Lake Zell. Though we travel quite economical, this time around I ended up doing a splurge and booked an amazing hotel (Seevilla Freiberg) with the most beautiful views of the Lake and the mountains. Li still says me that this is the best bit of the surprise –Who says money doesn’t buy happiness!!
Day 3
An early rise to the majestic views from the bed and it was time to move for the nomadic us. Today we were on our way to Königssee across the German border. The Drive through the mountains passed through some amazing landscape and low-lying clouds before reaching Königssee. Our aim was to take the ferry across the Königssee lake to Obersee. The queues for the ferry were quite long but they move quite quickly.
The Königssee lake itself was a delight to be on – surrounded by lush green mountains the ferry ride to Barthaloma was quick but was a special experience.
We then took another ferry to Salet for another 10-15 mins and had to walk for 10 mins to reach the Obersee lake. Often referred to as the most beautiful lake is Europe, Obersee is truly a masterpiece. The lake with its Emerald green colours took our breath away. There is a walk to a nearby waterfall which takes 3 hours around the lake which we couldn’t do, however we let our feet down and relaxed for a bit taking in the views around the crystal-clear water.
The greatest gift aad luxury one can ask for in these fast-paced times in silence and there was no lack of it here. Finally, we took the ferry back and bid adieu to these two beautiful lakes and drove our way back to Vienna Airport through the less interesting motorway this time.
A road trip worth remembering and the last one as a couple. The next time we will have our little one to accompany us to add some more fun to our adventures.Please leave a comment below with any feedback or queries and I’ll get back to you at the earliest.
This is Aldrin and my partner Amoli. We bring you "Earths Pilgrim" - a unique insight into our travel escapades while leaving life in a cubicle. If you are looking for some inspiration to break the shackles of a regular life, then you are the right place. Read more about us- Click here.
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