10 Days in Austria | Group Tour with a Little Bit of Germany

Day 1 | Arrival & Herrenchiemsee

Please note that this trip was a Sound of Music themed group tour of mostly 50-60 year olds, pre-planned by friends of friends. While I cannot take credit for the itinerary, I will share my thoughts on the experience I had as a 30 year old traveler along for the (amazing) ride!

After 12+ hours of travel, we arrived in Munich. I'm documenting this 2015 trip in 2023, and I was exhausted, so my memory of the airport is non-existent. I do know that immediately following our arrival, we hopped on a bus tour en route to Salzburg.

I'm sure the bus tour was filled with beautiful sights and interesting information, but the only thing I recall is our stop at the Royal Palace of Herrenchiemsee (New Palace). Built in 1873 for King Louis XIV of France, the palace was modeled after Versailles and is situated on the Herreninsel island in Chiemsee lake. The palace and park grounds were incredible. I was too tired to appreciate it, and literally almost passed out on the state staircase.

Following our stop at Herrenchiemsee, we took a Chiemsee-Schifffahrt steamboat for some reason, to go somewhere, and eventually ended up at our accommodation - the Gasthof Hotel Doktorwirt in Salzburg.

I cannot say enough great things about the Gasthof Hotel Doktorwirt. This family owned hotel is situated a short ways outside of Salzburg proper at the base of the beautiful Gaisberg mountain. It has a lengthy history, with the oldest part of the structure dating back to around 1100 AD, and the building serving as a family estate, an ice house, and the hotel as it exists today.

Day 2 | Salzburg & Sound of Music Dinner Theater

On our second day in Salzburg we took a guided walking tour with the amazing Trudy Rollo - a Sound of Music inspired singing tour guide. Trudy has lived in Austria sing 2003 and has extensive experience in tourism and hospitality. Our adventure with Trudy took us throughout the city and to all the top sights.

• Mirabell Gardens - Built in 1606 by prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich for his beloved Salome Alt, Mirabell Gardens is known as a location for exquisite weddings. It may be best known, however, for being the location of Julie Andrews's famous "Do, Re, Mi" song in The Sound of Music.

• Makartsteg ("Love Lock") Bridge - One of many bridges in Salzburg, Makartsteg Bridge got its nickname due to the thousands of locks attached to its fence. Love lock locations exist all over the world as a symbol of unbreakable love and commitment from couples who place the locks there and throw away the keys.

• Hohensalzburg Fortress - Also called Salzburg Castle, Hohensalzburg Fortress is an imposing structure towering over the city. Built in the 11th century, it's the largest fully preserved castle in Central Europe. You might prefer to make the trek up to Salzburg Castle by foot, but the FestungsBahn offers a unique travel experience as Austria's oldest funicular railway, carrying passengers up and down since 1892.

• Salzburg Schifffahrt - We also definitely hopped on a boat tour down the Salzach River, I have pictures to prove it, but gosh I can't remember a bit of it. I'm sure it was grand!

There's so much to do and see in Salzburg. Don't forget to just wander, taking in the beautiful architecture, street vendors, local shops, delicious food, and the spirit of the city.

We spent the evening at the The Sound of Salzburg Music Dinner Show, an interactive dinner and musical theater experience filled with laughs and a little taste of everything that makes Salzburg special.

Day 3 | Untersberg, Hellbrunn, & Mondsee

Bright and early on our third day we headed to Untersberg, the northernmost part of the Berchtesgaden Alps that at its highest point is over 6,470 feet hight. If you're not into extreme hiking, don't worry, the Cable Car Untersberg will take you right to the top.

While the views alone are reason enough to visit the mountain, it's also popular for outdoor enthusiasts and known as a place with healing energy. The Dalai Lama called it, "the chakra at the heart of Europe".

Fair warning, too, that it's chilly up there. Bring a jacket - or warm up with a little tea and whiskey treat!

Schloss Hellbrunn was built in the early 1600s by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, Markus Sittikus von Hohenems. While the castle grounds and gardens are stunning on their own, Sittikus also loved playing practical jokes on his guests and built an intricate expanse of trick fountains, or jeux d'eau (aka watergames), that you can visit. I won't ruin the fun by telling you all the tricks, just know that it's a must-do!

And, since this is ultimately a Sound of Music tour, you may also recognize the gazebo at Schloss Hellbrunn from the song "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen" sung by Liesl and Rolf.

Following our visit to Hellbrunn, we made a quick pitstop at Schloss Leopoldskron before venturing on to the town of Mondsee. You might recognize Schloss Leopoldskron from The Sound of Music, as it served as the Von Trapp family mansion. Schloss Leopoldskron was built in 1736 by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian, as a family estate. Situated on the Leopoldskroner Weiher lake, the mansion is now an exclusive hotel with rooms ranging anywhere from €160-800 per night.

Similar to Scloss Leopoldskron, Modsee is also known for its cameo in The Sound of Music, as Basiclia Mondsee was used as the wedding location for Maria and Baron Georg Von Trapp.

The structure was originally built as an abbey in 741, which 40 years later became an Imperial Abbey. After being acquired as a private family estate, the abbey was owned by the von Wrende family for 175 years. It was eventually returned back to a place of worship as a parish church, and in 2005 received upgraded status to Basilica by Pope John Paul II. Today, Basilica Mondsee is a popular wedding venue and centerpiece of the town.

Day 4 | Kehlsteinhaus (Hitler's Eagle's Nest) & Salt Mine Berchtesgaden

Kehlsteinhaus, also known as Hitler's Eagle's Nest, was constructed by the Nazis as a mountain retreat, and venue for social and political gatherings, and last-resort bunker system. The Eagle's Nest, however, specifically refers to the chalet situated on the summit of the Kehlstein above Obersalzberg, which Hitler rarely visited due to his fear of heights. After being bombed in 1945, the chalet and other portions of the bunker system remained intact, with the chalet eventually becoming a seasonal tourist attraction with restaurant and beer garden.

The winding road up to the Eagle's Nest is an incredible work of switchback architecture, climbing nearly 2300 feet in just 4 miles. The road itself was closed to the public in the 1950s with a dedicated bus service put into place for visitors.

I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize that Germany and Austria, like most places in the world, have parts of their history that are filled with heartbreak. All proceeds from Kehlsetinhaus are used for charitable purposes, and I respect that the people of Germany and Austria have take places of hate and atrocity and use them now as places of good - a constant reminder of what was and what should never be again.

Salt Mine Berchtesgaden was our second stop of the day, and a welcome bit of fun following Hitler's Eagle's Nest. The salt mine has been in operation since 1517, with tours of the mine taking you by train, boat, and slide to subterannean salt lakes, salt cathedrals, and more. It's cold in the salt mines, so you get to wear fancy coveralls, too!

Day 5 | Hallstatt, St. Wolfgang, & St. Gilgen

Hallstatt is the literal thing of fairytales. A picturesque town situated around a lake (Halstatt See) at the base of a dramatic mountain range (Dachstein Mountains). It's full of local shops, cafes, and a bone house. Yes, you read that right...

Home to the world's oldest saltmine (Salzwelten), there's evidence of people living in Hallstatt over 7,000 years ago and theory that Hallstatt holds the key to Celtic origins. Whatever the history, of all the places I visited in Austria, this is the place that continues to enchant me almost a decade later.

The Hallstatt Charnel House (aka Hallstatt Beinhaus, aka Ossuary, aka Bone House), sits behind the Hallstatt Catholic Church, and is simply the result of lakeside/cliffside living being short on burial ground space.

The Charnel House dates back to 1700s when locals began exhuming bodies to make space for new burials. Painstakingly cleaned, the boes of the dead were relocated by family members to the Bone House. Painting and engraving of the bones began a short time later in the 1720s, with much of the practice dying out in the 1960s, and the last bone placement being completed in 1995.

From Hallstatt, we made our way to St. Wolfgang, named for Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg, then crossed the Wolfgangsee by boat to St. Gilgen. Woflgang of Regenbsurg is a Catholic saint and his tomb is associatd to many healings. Both villages are similarly situated long the lake with beatiful mountain backdrops, and defintely worth a visit, but neither holds a candle to Hallstatt.

Day 6 | Nymphenburg Palace, Dacchau & Deggendorf

Today, we departed Salzburg and made our way to Deggendorf with stops at Nymphenburg Palace, and Dachau Concentration Camp.

Nymphenburg Palace was built in 1664 with its central pavilion completed a little over a decade later. The palace served as a summer residence for the rulers of Bavaria and continued to expand over time to include more buildings and an extensive park.

The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is free to visit and meant to serve as a reminder of the over 200,000 people who were imprisoned there and the over 40,000 people who were murdered there during the Holocaust. Dachau was one of the first operational concentration camps and the longest running.

After an emotional day, we made our way to Deggendorf, a small and traditional German town on the banks of the Danube between Passau and Regensburg. Our home away from home in Deggensburg was the Hotel Gasthof Höttl, situated right in the city center.

Day 7 | Deggendorf & Passau

Here's where spontaneity (or bad decisions) comes into play... We were supposed to join the group for a boat ride from Deggendorf to Passau today, but a late night in Deggendorf left us a little worse for the wear. We decided it was the perfect day to sleep in, enjoy a mimosa on a sunny patio, and do a little exploring on foot.

Day 8 | Walhalla & Regensburg

We were back at full energy today for visits to Walhalla and Regensburg!

Walhalla, a Parthenon replica located in Donaustauf, Germany, is a hall of fame monument honoring German politicians, scientists, artists and more. Tickets as of the time of this post are around $6 USD. If history and architecture are your jam, the monument was constructed between 1830 and 1840 and the style of architecture is neoclassical/Greek revival. If you're more about the views and photographic moments, Walhalla has those, too.

After Walhalla, we headed to Regensburg in eastern Bavaria. The city is situated on the banks of the Danube and known for it's well-preserved medieval city center which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006. Regensburg boasts 12th-13th century stone bridges, archways, a stunning cathedral, and Historische Wurstkuchl - Germany's oldest sausage kitchen!

Day 9 | Crystal Road & Penniger Blutwurz

After several days exploring castles, mountains, and Sound of Music landmarks, we shifted gears with a visit along the Crystal Road, a tourism route celebrating Bavaria’s glassmaking heritage. We even tried our hand at making blown-glass orb plant waterers — and as I write this nearly a decade later, I still have mine, a small reminder of this trip that made it back home in one piece.

Our next stop was Penniger Blutwurz, a distillery known for its herbal schnapps made from bloodroot. The on-site tour offered an interesting look at how this traditional digestive is produced, and the tasting room was generous with samples (yay!). Definitely worth a stop if you want an authentic Bavarian experience.

Day 10 | Schloss Egg & Oktoberfest

We started our last full day at Schloss Egg, a medieval castle with a past straight out of a Brother's Grimm fairy tale... The castle itself was built in the 12th century and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Within it, though, is the Hunger Tower — where people who didn’t pay their dues were thrown down to die on top of the skeletons of those who went before them. When the castle was prepped for tourism, they removed three full loads of skeletons from the bottom of the tower. A little macabre, but highly memorable!

From Schloss Egg, we carried on to Munich for more sightseeing by bus. We made a brief stop at the Michael Jackson tribute site — a shrine of candles, flowers, and handwritten notes that fans maintain in his honor (gives me the ick now). Beyond that, I couldn’t tell you much else about the tour, although I'm pretty sure we stopped by St. Peter's Church. Jet lag? Beer lag? Maybe both.

The big event of the day was, of course, Oktoberfest. Bucket list moment, right? Eh… sort of.

I think Oktoberfest would have been an amazing experience if we'd been allowed more time to soak it all in, but our group was older and the trip organizers gave us two hours and sternly warned that if we were late to the bus, we’d basically be left behind to fend for ourselves in Munich. That sort of pressure doesn’t exactly pair well with a good time.

By the time we figured out how to navigate the massive crowds, we were already down to about 45 minutes. The tents were packed, the lines were long, and we never even got a beer (just a memorabilia stein). If you want the real experience, plan ahead, reserve your spot in a tent, and don’t go with a tour company that treats it like a quick photo op.

Day 11

Like all great adventures, this one had to end. We packed our bags, grabbed one last bite of spätzle, and said servus to Bavaria with full hearts, tired feet, and way too many bottles of schnapps. Until next time!