Motorhome trip Austria | Tips, sights and activities

Austria was our first destination on our motorhome trip. We have seen a large part of Austria in a month. In this blog you can read information about a number of cities, tips for visiting nature and a number of other cool sights. In addition, we share a number of tips for motorhome pitches with you during your motorhome trip through Austria!

Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (1) | Traveling indefinitely: introduce yourself!
Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (2) | Selling a house and looking for a motorhome
Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (3) | Camper bought + features and upgrades
Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (4) | Camper insurance full-time living and travel
Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (5) | Final preparations and departure
Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (6) | Experiences and tips for motorhome travelers
Also read: Traveling with a motorhome (7) | Get fit and stay while traveling

Table of contents

The cities we have visited

We think Austria is a very beautiful country. More and more people are also choosing Austria as a destination for their motorhome trip. We love the beautiful, typical green landscapes with cows wearing bells around their necks. Soon we will take you more into nature, now first some information about a number of cities. We certainly enjoy visiting and discovering a city, we just love the hustle and bustle that can generally be found in a city. Maybe because we originally come from a village? The cities we have visited in Austria are all completely different, which has made it very nice and varied.

Vienna

Vienna is the capital of Austria. It is a big city with a lot to see. Vienna was our first destination on this motorhome trip. A city trip Vienna is a must, there is enough to see here to stay for a few days. It is certainly a beautiful city, but personally not our favorite.

Tip:: What we always like during a city trip is using a Hop-on-Hop-off buses (here to book). We have not used it now, but there are plenty of these buses in Vienna. Isn't it nice to be able to view the city while driving from the roof of the bus?

Graz

Graz is a smaller city, which we found very beautiful. We were there on a Sunday and at that time the shops were closed (usually in Austria on Sundays). This will undoubtedly have been less busy. We strolled through the streets and watched everything quietly. On top of a mountain is a clock tower, the 'Grazer Urturm'.
This is a must! You can walk up or use a lift for a fee. Once at the top you have a nice view over the city. If you really want to see the bell tower from the inside, this is possible for a small fee.

Salzburg

We found Salzburg very surprising, what a nice city! You can also enjoy yourself for several days in Salzburg. Some tips for Salzburg: 'Hohensalzburg Festival' visit, from here you immediately have a beautiful view over the city and you can take beautiful pictures. you can go to 'Mozart's birth place', the name says it all, Mozart was born in the city. Don't forget to visit the Salzburg Cathedral not. And for the people who like decorations for Easter and Christmas, the store 'Christmas In Salzburg' visits. A shop full of, among other things, Christmas balls and hand-painted real Easter eggs! (Unfortunately, taking pictures in the store is not allowed).

Additional tip: An absolute must to park the camper and spend the night in Salzburg can be found via Park4Night ID: #69353. Services are available, extremely friendly owners who do their best to find you a place and you pay a little less per night if you don't use electricity. The bus stop to the city is in front of the motorhome and a ticket can be bought on the bus.

Remark: During a motorhome trip, always pay attention to whether you are allowed to drive in a city! Often there are restrictions and/or environmental zones. In some countries you need a vignette, in Austria this is the case. A lot of information can be found via the ANWB, where you can also buy a vignette.

Innsbruck

Innsbruck we found very cozy. To start with, the colored houses on the water are a must for the eyes! In addition, there were a lot of cozy restaurants, terraces and bars that were all crowded. We found the architecture in Innsbruck very beautiful. Besides the nice colored houses you can also look for the house with the 'Golden Roof'. This is Innsbruck's most famous and photographed 'attraction'. The moment we asked each other where the 'Golden Roof' would be and we looked up at that moment, we turned out to be exactly under it!

Camping tip Innsbruck: camp Judenstein, can be found via Park4Night by ID: #51008. It is a somewhat outdated, simple and relatively small campsite, but with services and everything was clean. The staff were very friendly and helpful. With two nights we got the bus tickets for free to visit Innsbruck. The bus connection is well organized to and from the campsite!

Hallstatt

It's not a city, it's a village, but this is a place that you should not miss during your visit to Austria! Hallstatt is truly an idyllic spot. It is (hugely) touristic and that is why we would like to advise you to go there early in the morning to be able to view everything in peace. If you like photography, be sure to bring your camera! If you have a drone, you can leave it at home, because you are not allowed to use it.

The police were present when we were in Hallstatt and there were prohibition signs with the amounts of the fines, waste of money. Hallstatt is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and we think that is absolutely right! Did you know that they built a replica of Hallstatt in China?

Beautiful nature

If you like nature and hiking, Austria is the right place for you. There are a lot of hikes to be found. Many walks are indicated by signs, but you can also choose routes of your choice in apps such as: Wikiloc, all trails en Komoot.

Green Lake

An incredibly beautiful place in Austria. The name says it all, the water is green and it really is. At the time we were there there was just not as much water as the pictures on the internet show. Despite that it was still beautiful, the green water, the trees around it and the mountains in the background, a picture right?

There is plenty of space around the Grüner See for a lovely walk. Routes are indicated on signs.

Tip:: parking (also for campers) is possible in the parking lot before you enter the hiking area. It is paid parking. Unfortunately, overnight stays are not allowed.

Krimml waterfalls

Maybe you've heard of it? The Krimml waterfalls are 380 meters high and are located in the National Park 'High Tauern', near the village Krimml. The walk up consists of several floors. It can get crowded (and hot in the summer months), so we'd recommend getting into the park early.

The park opens at 9.00:5 AM. Please note, the park is not open all year round. Note: cash only! Admission to the park/the Krimml waterfalls was €XNUMX,- pp . in August

Tip:: There are sufficient parking spaces (P1 to P4) where it concerns paid parking. In some of these parking lots can you stay overnight with the camper (check with the parking attendant).

The road we drove to get to the Krimml waterfalls was a toll road. For the most recent information, take a look at: https://www.wasserwelten-krimml.at/wk/de/index

A perfect activity to add to your motorhome trip!

Sports activities and walks

Olpererhütte – Schlegeis Stausee

A possibility for walking is at the Schlegeis Stausee. If you really want to make a nice hike, walk up to the Olpererhutte (2389m). It is a good climb up mainly over stones and boulders, but it is breathtakingly beautiful! You walk up through beautiful scenery and regularly encounter a goat with a bell around its neck. Walking the route up takes about 1,5 to 2 hours. Take enough water with you, only at the top is a mountain hut! Once at the top you arrive at the suspension bridge with a beautiful view, which is worth a photo opportunity. This was really our most beautiful hike in Austria!

The suspension bridge at the Ölpererhutte

Tip:: The road from Mayrhofen to the Schlegeis Stausee is a toll road. Motorhomes are still allowed on the first part of the road, but not anymore. A place that we have looked at for campers, but have not used it ourselves can be found at Park4night by ID: #57798. You can then continue your journey by bus.

The beautiful landscape in Austria around the Ölpererhutte

More unique hikes and trails

Also read our previous blog about staying fit during your motorhome trip: Traveling with a motorhome (7) | Get fit and stay while traveling

Sigmund Thun Gorge

This gap can be found in Kaprun. There are plenty of (free) parking spaces nearby.
The entrance to the gorge is €6,50 pp. It is not very big, you can get through it in half an hour, but it is very beautiful. You will be guided through the beautiful gorge via stairs. There are several 'viewpoints' where you can take pictures. You could combine the visit to the gorge with a walk in the area around it.

Eisriesenwelt – a cold activity

Ice Caves is the longest ice cave in the world (42 km), of which you can view the first kilometer. You can park in one of the Eisriesenwelt parking lots. In the area you are not allowed to stand everywhere with the camper.

Tip:: walk in and ask the staff where you can park. We were kindly helped and the staff were informed that we had been allocated a parking space, so that the camper would not be towed!

The view before you enter the ice cave Eisriesenwelt

Make sure you have good mobility when you visit Eisriesenwelt. This is important for the walk there and also in the cave itself. Dress warmly as it is around freezing in the cave! You enter the cave with a group together with a guide, the languages spoken are English and German. Basically no pictures are allowed inside the cave because you have to be careful where you walk and they don't want you to hold up the group.

Tip:: get there early, if (one of the) first group(s), then you have the best chance of being allowed to take pictures and the groups are smaller than later in the day when it is busier.

Another tip: book your tickets online at: https://www.eisriesenwelt.at/de/tickets. The tickets online are a few euros cheaper than at the box office at Eisriesenwelt. You can buy tickets including access to the cable car to the cave. If you prefer to walk, this is also possible, we have no experience with this because we took the cable car. Given the signs we encountered on the way and few hikers, it will probably be a tough climb?

Driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road

Finally, a very cool tip! The Grossglockner High Alpine Road driving the route, yes also with the camper! We made it and what an incredibly beautiful route it is. The entrance to the Grossglockner High Alpine Road is paid. The price depends on the vehicle you are driving. You can also choose to buy a ticket that is valid for several days.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road during our motorhome trip

There is plenty to see during the entire Grossglockner High Alpine Road. You can take beautiful walks, there are viewpoints, picnic tables to drink a cup of coffee, restaurants, etc. At the entrance you will receive a map. At the end of the route we saw the Grossglockner, quite impressive to admire it in real life. We were lucky because we could even see the top, from a distance of course!

The Pasterze is a glacier that lies next to it. Unfortunately, the length of the glacier decreases every year. Our parents have been here about twenty years ago and the glacier is now a lot shorter. We made a nice walk down from the top. You can also use a gondola to get down and up, for a fee.

Parking with the camper was never a problem for us. There is ample parking and sometimes there are special places for motorhomes.

Tip:: The night before we started driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, we stayed overnight in a parking lot (free) in front of the entrance gates. This place can be found via Park4night with ID: #57200.

Conclusion

We loved spending a month in Austria! In addition to the above, there is of course much more to do in this beautiful country. If you go to Austria yourself (during your motorhome trip), enjoy all the beauty that Austria has to offer. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments!