Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna

Destination 01

Hallstatt

8 places

Salt-mining village on its lake below the Dachstein; 2 nights.

• Photo: PabloLG · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Hallstatt Marktplatz

  The small square at the heart of the village, ringed by painted houses with a Holy Trinity column at its center.

  Tip Come early in the morning or after 4 pm, when the day visitors have gone.

  SeeOrtszentrumFree30 minEarly morning
• Photo: Taxiarchos228 · CC BY 3.0

  Evangelical Church

  The 1860s Protestant church whose slender spire on the lakeshore is the village's best-known silhouette.

  Tip The classic view of it is from the lakeside path at the north end of the village.

  SeeOrtszentrumFree15 minMorning

• Beinhaus

  The charnel house in St. Michael's Chapel beside the Catholic church, holding over 600 painted skulls.

  SeeOrtszentrum$20 min

• Welterbeblick Skywalk

  A viewing platform jutting out 350 m above the village, reached by the Salzbergbahn funicular.

  Tip The funicular runs in winter on reduced hours; check before you go.

  OutdoorsSalzberg$$60 minClear morning
• Photo: Balou46 · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Salzwelten Hallstatt

  Guided tours of the world's oldest known salt mine, with miners' wooden slides and an underground salt lake.

  Tip The mine closes for several weeks after early January; check dates.

  DoSalzberg$$$2.5 hrMorning

• Krippenstein

  Dachstein peak above Obertraun reached by cable car, with freeride skiing, snowshoe routes and views over the lake.

  Tip The valley station is in Obertraun, about 6 km from Hallstatt.

  OutdoorsObertraun$$$4 hrClear day

• Gasthof Zauner

  Family-run inn on the Marktplatz known for grilled lake char and Austrian classics.

  EatOrtszentrum$$1.5 hrDinner
• Photo: Burkhard Mücke · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Seehotel Grüner Baum

  Historic hotel on the Marktplatz with rooms facing straight out over the lake.

  Tip Ask for a lake-view room.

  StayOrtszentrum$$$

Destination 02

Salzburg

8 places

Baroque old town and one of Austria's oldest Christmas markets; 2 nights.

• Photo: Salzburger Nockerl · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Salzburger Christkindlmarkt

  The market fills the Domplatz and Residenzplatz, with stalls of carved ornaments, Lebkuchen and hot punch.

  Tip Advent singing is held on the Residenzplatz on many evenings.

  SeeAltstadtFree1.5 hrAfter dark

• Salzburg Cathedral

  Early baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptized; its facade forms the backdrop of the market.

  SeeAltstadtFree30 min

• Hohensalzburg Fortress

  One of Europe's largest medieval castles, on the Festungsberg above the old town, reached by funicular.

  Tip The fortress hosts Advent concerts in its Golden Hall; book ahead.

  DoFestungsberg$$2 hrAfternoon
• Photo: User:MatthiasKabel · CC BY 2.5

  Hellbrunner Adventzauber

  Advent market in the courtyard of Hellbrunn Palace, with hundreds of lit fir trees and the facade as a giant Advent calendar.

  Tip About 20 minutes from the old town by bus 25.

  SeeHellbrunnFree1.5 hrAfter dark

• Getreidegasse

  Narrow shopping street of wrought-iron guild signs, home to Mozart's birthplace at number 9.

  ShopAltstadt$$60 minMorning
• Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Café Tomaselli

  Coffee house on the Alter Markt since the early 1700s; waitresses bring cakes round the room on trays.

  EatAltstadt$$45 minAfternoon
• Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Augustiner Bräu Mülln

  Monastery brewery with vaulted beer halls; fill a stone mug from the barrel and buy food at the stalls in the hall.

  DrinkMülln$1.5 hrEvening

• St. Peter Stiftskulinarium

  Restaurant in the rock walls of St. Peter's Abbey, in business for more than a thousand years; hosts Mozart dinner concerts.

  EatAltstadt$$$2 hrDinner

Destination 03

Vienna

9 places

Rathaus and palace markets, coffee houses and New Year's Eve; 3 nights.

• Photo: Max Pfandl · CC BY 2.0

  Wiener Christkindlmarkt

  The city's biggest market fills the Rathausplatz, with lit trees in the park and an ice trail in front of City Hall.

  Tip Skate the ice trail in the Rathauspark after dark.

  SeeInnere StadtFree1.5 hrAfter dark
• Photo: traveljunction · CC BY-SA 2.0

  Schönbrunn Christmas Market

  Craft market and tree in the forecourt of the Habsburg summer palace, which becomes a New Year market after Christmas.

  SeeHietzingFree2 hrBlue hour
• Photo: Friedrich Böhringer · CC BY-SA 3.0 at

  Art Advent Karlsplatz

  An arts-and-crafts market in front of the baroque Karlskirche, with organic food and a straw-filled play area.

  ShopWieden$60 minEvening
• Photo: Geolina163 · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Spittelberg Christmas Market

  Stalls of handmade goods along the cobbled Biedermeier lanes of the Spittelberg quarter.

  ShopNeubau$60 minEvening
• Photo: VasuVR · CC BY 4.0

  Graben

  Pedestrian boulevard hung with giant light chandeliers in December; on December 31 it is part of the Silvesterpfad.

  SeeInnere StadtFree30 minBlue hour

• Silvesterpfad

  Vienna's New Year's Eve trail: stages, food stalls and waltz lessons through the old town, with St. Stephen's Pummerin bell at midnight.

  Tip Gather near St. Stephen's before midnight to hear the Pummerin, then the Danube Waltz plays in the squares.

  DoInnere StadtFree4 hrDecember 31
• Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Café Central

  Vaulted coffee house in Palais Ferstel, open since 1876, for Melange and Apfelstrudel.

  Tip Expect a queue mid-morning; it moves quickly.

  EatInnere Stadt$$60 minMorning

• Figlmüller

  Schnitzel house in a passage off the Wollzeile, serving plate-sized Wiener Schnitzel since 1905.

  Tip Reserve, especially around the holidays.

  EatInnere Stadt$$75 minLunch
• Photo: Tobias Kleinlercher · CC BY-SA 4.0

  Hotel Sacher

  Grand hotel opposite the State Opera, home of the original Sachertorte.

  StayInnere Stadt$$$$