The best places for a long weekend in Austria

Mondsee is a picturesque town in Austria, located in Upper Austria, named after the lake of the same name, Lake Mondsee.

Lake Mondsee, often described as one of the most beautiful lakes in Austria. This crystal clear lake, approximately 11 kilometres long and up to 2 kilometres wide, is surrounded by picturesque alpine hills, creating a truly breathtaking scenery.

Lake Mondsee is popular for many water sports and activities. In summer, the lake is a lively centre for swimming, sailing, windsurfing and fishing. Its warm and clear waters invite you to relax and swim, while the windy conditions are ideal for water sports enthusiasts.For those looking for relaxation, the surroundings of Lake Mondsee offer many idyllic places to picnic and relax. Cyclists and hikers can enjoy the many trails leading around the lake and through the surrounding countryside, providing spectacular views and the opportunity to explore the surrounding sights and sites.

Near the lake is the town of Mondsee, home to a historic abbey and church. The town offers a charming atmosphere with small cafes, restaurants and shops, allowing visitors to explore the local culture and gastronomy. We recommend an early breakfast on the promenade in this small town. You won’t regret it.

This place is suitable for all ages and all “types” of travellers. From Prague you can even get here very quickly and within 4 hours. Mondsee is also a beautiful area to explore during a long weekend.

Lake Atter, in German Attersee, is the 3rd largest lake in Austria. From Prague you can reach it in just 4 hours, which makes it an ideal destination for a long weekend. Its crystal clear water is a draw for divers, but if you’re just here for a swim or a paddleboard ride, you’ll be just as thrilled. The lake may be of glacial origin, but its temperature can reach a comfortable 25 degrees in summer. There are plenty of hiking and cycling trails around the Attersee. An active holiday is a green light here.

We also go to Attersee because of the nice ferrata, which rewards you with incredible views at the top. If you are interested in trying the ferrata, make sure you know your strength. The beginning of the ascent is quite a challenge even for more experienced climbers. In 2020, due to the large amount of rescue work, the difficulty has been changed to D/E and the ascent is in an overhang.

We recommend accommodation in one of the towns Unterach am Attersee, Steinbach am Attersee, Nußdorf am Attersee or St. Georgen im Attergau. Alternatively, take your motorhome to one of the well-equipped campsites.

TIP: We’ve written a list for you a detailed guide to campervan camping in Austria.

We return to the Gosauseen Lakes regularly, whether for the easy and fun ferrata over the lake or for a very nice hike around the lakes. They are kind of hidden in the mountains and surrounded by forests. Not many tourists head here, so you can enjoy a quiet walk, a swim in the lake, (if you don’t mind really cold water) and most of all, the divine views of the Dachstein glacier. The lake itself is also a great spot for diving. If you’re tempted you don’t need your own equipment, there are rentals right next to the parking lot.

The walk around all three mountain lakes takes about 4 hours (depending on how often you enjoy it) and you can do it even with a stroller. The last and furthest lake, Hinterer Gosausee, is slightly uphill and you can expect a total elevation gain of about 460 m. However, at the end of the trail you will be rewarded with a waterfall. Its strength is influenced by the melting of the Dachstein ice, so it varies depending on the season. The entire circuit from the first lake Vorderer Gosausee is at 14 km. You can shorten the circuit and walk only along the first lake – i.e. 5 km. Along the way you will come face to face with cowbirds, so we recommend looking underfoot especially in the meadows (cowbirds everywhere).

You won’t come across a mountain hut with food along the way, so we recommend a snack and especially a drink in your pack. There’s a guesthouse with a restaurant by the parking lot, where you’ll find a cold one when it’s steamy or a warm soup when the rain catches you. Just expect a high altitude surcharge. There are 5 car parks in total and all are free. Only the highest one for 130 cars is time-limited to 3 hours.

St. Wolfgang is a beautiful town on the shores of Wolfgangsee in Austria. You can walk through the town centre in less than an hour and all the time you will pass views of the beautiful lake and the surrounding mountains on one side or the other. Near the iconic church, which can be seen from many points around Wolfgangsee, there is a dock where several cruise ships depart from. If the weather cooperates and you have time for a cruise, definitely consider it. The town also has a museum dedicated to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who spent part of his childhood here.

In addition to the classic Austrian streets, the town offers many other activities, such as the famous Schafbergbahn, which basically takes you from the centre of St. Wolfgang up to 1793 metres above sea level on the mountain of the same name – Schafberg – in just a few dozen minutes.

Especially from spring to autumn, St. Wolfgang is a great starting point for trips to the surrounding area, whether on foot, by bike or by water.

St. Gilgen is another of the many beautiful small towns on the shores of the famous Lake Wolfgangsee. The town is located in the north of the lake and is similar in size to nearby St. Wolfgang. St. Gilgen is a very good starting point for excursions in the surrounding area, whether it be boating on the lake or hiking in the mountains. A cable car leads directly from the town to the 1,521-metre-high Zwölfehorn, which is a popular destination both in summer and winter.

The town offers typical Austrian streets, a church in the middle and a special building called the Mozarthaus. Although it might seem that this is the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born or lived, appearances are deceiving. It is “only” his mother’s birthplace and the famous composer is said never to have visited St. Gilgen. However, his roots certainly go back to this village.

When visiting this mountain town, we recommend not only walking the main streets and promenade around the lake, but also going to the already mentioned Zwölfehorn peak.

Around the Bürgl hill, on the shores of Lake Wolfgangsee, there is a beautiful trail with the local name Bürglstein. It is an easily accessible trail that combines asphalt, forest and a man-made wooden path above the shore of the lake. Along the whole path there are beautiful views not only of the Wolfgangsee, but also of nearby villages such as Strobl and St. Wolfgang. If the weather is nice, you can also get a view of the surrounding mountains – we weren’t quite so lucky.

The entire route around Bürgl is about 4 km with a slight elevation gain. The trail is suitable for children or dogs, but it can be a problem with a cat, especially because of the wooden paths.

The trail is easily accessible either from the nearby town of Strobl, where you can park near the main road between St. Wolfgang and Strobl, or from the hotel and campsite Berau, where you can also have a great meal in the Italian restaurant. After completing this trail, it will be a well-deserved reward.