Austria blends imperial grandeur, baroque elegance, and alpine drama—everything within comfortable train rides. From Vienna’s Habsburg palaces and world-class museums to Salzburg’s Mozart heritage and Innsbruck’s jagged peaks, this 10-day itinerary balances culture, cuisine, and mountain air.

Expect coffee houses with centuries of literary gossip, schnitzel that crackles at first bite, and galleries where Klimt’s gold still glows. Intercity travel is efficient and scenic, making it easy to fit in a Danube day trip or a lakeside detour to Hallstatt.

Practical notes: Trains run frequently and are easiest to book on Omio Trains (also check Trip.com Trains). Flights to or within Europe are searchable on Omio Flights, and intercity buses on Omio Buses. City transit passes (like Vienna City Card) often pay off if you ride daily; always check seasonal hours for Danube cruises and ice caves.

Vienna

Vienna is a living salon: imperial residences, Klimt and Schiele in bright conversation, and coffee houses where newspapers are still on wooden racks. Its core sights cluster around the Ringstrasse, while leafy neighborhoods hide heuriger wine taverns that feel like a citywide backyard.

Top highlights include Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg and Spanish Riding School, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Belvedere (home to “The Kiss”), the MuseumsQuartier, and the Prater’s giant ferris wheel. Food-wise, think schnitzel, tafelspitz, pastries, and vibrant market stalls at the Naschmarkt.

• Stay: Search central stays near Innere Stadt or artsy Neubau on VRBO Vienna or hotels on Hotels.com Vienna.
• Arriving in Vienna: Compare flights on Omio Flights. If coming by rail from nearby countries, use Omio Trains (or Trip.com Trains).

Day 1: Arrival and the Historic Core

Morning: Fly or train into Vienna. If early, drop bags and stretch your legs with a quick espresso and almond croissant at Joseph Brot’s bakery counter—excellent sourdough and local grains.

Afternoon: Start at St. Stephen’s Cathedral; climb the tower for city views. Wander the Graben and Kohlmarkt to peek at imperial-era façades, then pause at Café Central—order a velvety Einspänner and a slice of Dobos or Apfelstrudel in a room where Trotsky once read the news.

Evening: Dinner at Figlmüller Wollzeile for wafer-thin Vienna schnitzel that spills over the plate; pair with potato salad brightened with pumpkin-seed oil. Nightcap at the petite, wood-paneled Loos American Bar or craft cocktails at Kleinod—both capture Vienna’s polished nightlife.

Day 2: Hofburg, Museums & Music

Morning: Coffee at Balthasar Kaffee Bar—light-roast filter and flaky pain au chocolat. Tour the Hofburg complex; if schedules align, watch morning exercises at the Spanish Riding School, then step into the Imperial Apartments and Sisi Museum for Habsburg lore.

Afternoon: Head to the MuseumsQuartier. Choose the Leopold Museum for Egon Schiele’s intense portraits and Viennese Modernism; the courtyard’s loungers make a perfect break. Late-lunch at Glacis Beisl hidden behind the MQ—seasonal Viennese plates in a garden setting.

Evening: Dress up for a concert: the Musikverein’s Golden Hall hosts superb programs; alternatively, the Kursalon often features Strauss and Mozart. Pre- or post-show, sip wine at Palmenhaus, a glasshouse brasserie edging the Burggarten.

Day 3: Schönbrunn, Belvedere & Naschmarkt

Morning: Grab a quick breakfast at Café Sperl (biedermeier elegance, marzipan tortes), then tour Schönbrunn Palace—the Grand Tour traces court life, while the hilltop Gloriette rewards with sweeping views. Stroll the gardens and peek at the orangery.

Afternoon: Tram to the Belvedere: see Klimt’s “The Kiss,” then Schiele and Kokoschka in the Upper and Lower Belvedere. Wander the Naschmarkt afterward—graze at NENI for sabich and spicy shakshuka or pick up Austrian cheeses and pickles from longtime stalls.

Evening: Dinner at Plachutta Wollzeile for classic tafelspitz simmered in fragrant broth, served with apple-horseradish and chive sauce. Finish with a rooftop drink at Dachboden (25hours Hotel) overlooking the city’s spires.

Day 4: Wachau Valley Day Trip (Melk–Dürnstein–Wines)

Morning: Train to Melk (about 1h from Vienna; book on Omio Trains). Tour Melk Abbey’s baroque library and frescoed church. In cruising season (roughly Apr–Oct), board a Danube boat to Dürnstein; off-season, connect by train/bus along the valley.

Afternoon: Explore Dürnstein’s blue-towered abbey and cobbled lanes; taste Grüner Veltliner and Riesling at a local heuriger. Light lunch on local specialties—Liptauer spread, cured meats, and Wachauer Laberl rolls.

Evening: Back in Vienna, celebrate at a heuriger in Grinzing or Heiligenstadt (Mayer am Pfarrplatz is atmospheric; check hours). Rustic spreads, new wine, and live Schrammelmusik make a convivial finale to Vienna.

Salzburg

Salzburg is a baroque jewel box straddling the Salzach River, framed by fortress walls and the Untersberg. Mozart’s birthplace hums with music: buskers in Residenzplatz, concerts in Mirabell, and festivals that fill its churches with choral echoes.

Top sights include Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mozart’s Birthplace and Residence, Mirabell Gardens, St. Peter’s Abbey, and Sound of Music film locations. The food is hearty and regional—dumplings, roasts, and the fluffy, shareable Salzburger Nockerl.

• Stay: Base in the Altstadt or near Mirabell for easy walking. See VRBO Salzburg and Hotels.com Salzburg.
• Vienna → Salzburg: Morning Railjet is ~2h20–2h40, usually €25–45 if booked early. Reserve on Omio Trains.

Day 5: Transfer to Salzburg, Old Town Orientation

Morning: Train to Salzburg; snack on a kaisersemme sandwich and coffee on board. Drop bags and fuel up at 220GRAD—specialty roaster with standout cappuccinos and brioche French toast.

Afternoon: Stroll Getreidegasse (note wrought-iron guild signs) into Mozart’s Birthplace. Cross into Kapitelplatz and Residenzplatz, then slip into St. Peter’s Cemetery—medieval arcades and catacombs tucked into the rock.

Evening: Dinner at Bärenwirt for crispy Backhendl (fried chicken) and bread dumplings. For dessert, Café Tomaselli—an 18th-century institution—where waitresses still present trays of tortes to choose from. Optional: a chamber concert at Mirabell Palace.

Day 6: Fortress, Mirabell & Monastic Flavors

Morning: Coffee at Café Fingerlos (excellent pastries), then funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress for alpine panoramas. Explore the princely chambers and museum nooks atop the city.

Afternoon: Walk to St. Peter Stiftskeller—often called Europe’s oldest restaurant—for a lunch of trout with browned butter or venison in season. Meander through Mirabell Gardens: Pegasus Fountain, Dwarf Garden, and the rose-lined paths familiar from film scenes.

Evening: Casual brewery fare at Die Weisse—order a Weissbier and käsespätzle. Continue to Augustiner Bräustübl in Mülln: pick a stein size, have it rinsed, and fill with malty Märzen; graze from wood-fired sausages and pretzels at the indoor market stalls.

Day 7: Hallstatt & Salzkammergut Lakes Day Trip

Morning: Early train/bus combo to Hallstatt (~2–2.5h; book via Omio Trains). Start with the Skywalk for lake-and-alps views; if open, tour the Salt Mine—underground slides and Austria’s mining origins.

Afternoon: Lakeside stroll and a short boat ride across Hallstätter See. Lunch on lake fish (forelle) and potato rosti at a local gasthof; grab a kaiserschmarrn to share.

Evening: Return to Salzburg. Dinner in the Altstadt at Gasthof Goldgasse—refined takes on regional classics—or at cozy Zum Zirkelwirt for pork roast with crackling. Nightcap at Alchimiste Belge for Belgian ales in an intimate, wood-lined bar.

Innsbruck

Innsbruck knits a medieval Altstadt to modern alpine design, with the Nordkette rise-and-ride cable car lifting you from pastel lanes to 2,300 meters in under an hour. Expect Tyrolean hearth cooking, contemporary architecture, and easy day access to valleys and glaciers.

Don’t miss the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), Hofkirche with its striking bronze “Schwarzmander,” Ambras Castle, Zaha Hadid’s Bergisel Ski Jump, and the Nordkette panorama points at Seegrube and Hafelekar. The city’s riverside promenades glow at sunset.

• Stay: Aim for the Altstadt or along Maria-Theresien-Straße. Browse VRBO Innsbruck or Hotels.com Innsbruck.
• Salzburg → Innsbruck: The EuroCity/Railjet run is ~1h45–2h, generally €19–30. Book on Omio Trains.

Day 8: Transfer, Old Town Icons & Tyrolean Flavors

Morning: Train to Innsbruck through river valleys and mountain tunnels. On arrival, brunch at Breakfast Club—hearty scrambles, pancakes, and good espresso.

Afternoon: Explore the Altstadt: Golden Roof, Helblinghaus stucco flourishes, and the Hofkirche’s somber bronze guards around Emperor Maximilian’s cenotaph. Walk the Inn River embankment for colorful house views.

Evening: Dinner at Die Wilderin—farm-to-table Tyrolean cooking with a short, seasonal menu (think char, root veg, wild herbs). For a casual follow-up, share a flight at Tribaun, Innsbruck’s craft-beer hub.

Day 9: Nordkette Heights & Castle Culture

Morning: Coffee and a sweet at Café Munding (Innsbruck’s oldest patisserie). Ride the Hungerburgbahn and cable cars to Seegrube and, weather permitting, Hafelekar for knife-edge ridgelines; allow time for a short panorama walk. Lunch at Seegrube Restaurant—dumplings and panoramic windows.

Afternoon: Return to visit Schloss Ambras—Renaissance halls, curiosities, and Spanish Hall portraits. Alternatively, if you’re an architecture fan, tour the Zaha Hadid–designed Hungerburg stations on the way down.

Evening: Tyrolean classics at Gasthaus Anich—speckknödel soup, gröstl with fried egg. End with cocktails at Liquid Diary, where bartenders build inventive drinks with alpine botanicals.

Day 10: Bergisel, Crystals or Spa—Then Depart

Morning: Cappuccino and bircher muesli at Haepinest, then head to the Bergisel Ski Jump for a lift to the viewing platform and museum—sport history with city-and-peak views. If time allows, continue to Swarovski Kristallwelten in nearby Wattens (shuttle buses run regularly).

Afternoon: Lunch in the arcades at Stiftskeller Innsbruck (roasts and dumplings), quick souvenir stop for mountain herb tea or Tyrolean honey, then depart. Trains to Vienna, Munich, or Zurich are frequent; check Omio Trains for schedules.

Evening: In transit. If overnighting, consider a late stroll along Maria-Theresien-Straße, gelato in hand, with the Nordkette glowing at dusk.

Getting Around & Booking Tips

• Trains: Austria’s Railjet/EuroCity lines are fast and scenic. Typical fares: Vienna–Salzburg (~2h30, €25–45), Salzburg–Innsbruck (~1h50, €19–30). Compare and book on Omio Trains or Trip.com Trains.
• Flights: For inbound/outbound European routes and multi-city tickets, check Omio Flights.
• Buses: Some routes can be cheaper by coach; browse Omio Buses.
• Where to stay: Central, walkable bases save time. Browse apartments on VRBO Vienna, VRBO Salzburg, VRBO Innsbruck, or hotels via Hotels.com Vienna, Hotels.com Salzburg, Hotels.com Innsbruck.
• Seasonal notes: Danube cruises (Wachau) and ice caves (Eisriesenwelt) are typically spring–autumn; winter brings Christmas markets and skiing. Always confirm hours a few days before.

In ten days you’ll have traced Austria’s golden arc—from Vienna’s salons and palaces to Salzburg’s bell towers and Innsbruck’s razorback peaks. With great trains, thoughtful meals, and a few well-placed viewpoints, this route captures the country’s art, music, and mountain light in equal measure.