10-Day Austria Travel Guide for Couples: Tips, Tricks and Must-Knows

Posted August 21, 2025 by Prairie Wife -

Here it is…Your 10-Day Austria Travel Guide for Couples: Tips, Tricks, and Must-Knows!

In June, The Cowboy and I took a much-needed trip away from our beloved Wyoming. We had actually planned to take this trip in the Summer of 2024 to celebrate our 20-year wedding anniversary, but due to a family situation, we didn’t feel comfortable leaving. As part of keeping our marriage strong, The Cowboy and I make an effort to travel annually without the Cowkids. This was a lot easier when the Cowkids were younger. Now that we have multiple kids in high school and active in sports, we find that we miss SO much when we sneak away. BUT as easy as it would have been to keep pushing this planned trip off indefinitely, we made a promise that we would make the time in 2025. We believe that prioritizing our marriage is incredibly important, and this trip, with the time it would give us to reconnect and create new memories to share for years to come, was vital!

Why did we pick Austria?

I wish I had an amazing answer to this question, like it was on our bucket list… or we had always dreamed of a trip to Austria. However, the reason we picked Austria can be summed up in one word: COMPROMISE!

We knew we wanted to go somewhere in Europe, but we also wanted to visit a place neither of us had been to before. That meant England, France, and Italy were out of the question. The Cowboy wanted to go to Prague to see the unique architecture and soak in the vastly different culture. I had my heart set on Switzerland and frolicking through the Alps and oohing and ahhing at the adorable little mountain villages. So, looking at the map, The Cowboy saw that Austria was right in the middle and offered a little bit of something we both wanted!

How did we decide what cities we wanted to visit?

Once we picked our location, The Cowboy and I spent quite a bit of time researching what there was to do in Austria. The Cowboy’s preferred method was researching and reading every Austria travel guide for couples he could find online, as well as talking to friends he knew who had traveled to the country. I checked social media (specifically Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest) to find places that looked amazing! Then we sat down one evening with our lists and decided what places were must-sees for both of us:

  • Vienna
  • Salzburg
  • Innsbruck
  • Hallstatt

 

Pro Tip: You won’t be able to see all of Austria in 10 days without becoming exhausted and cranky, so pick your top three must-visit places and go from there!

How did we plan the perfect itinerary?

When traveling as a couple, it’s crucial to be brutally honest with what you enjoy, what you can tolerate, and what will make you miserable. I love to lounge and read, sleep in, wander for miles through the streets, and soak up the atmosphere of a new culture. The Cowboy likes to wake up with the sun (or before it), eat a variety of local food, soak in the local culture, try every kind of gelato he can find, and go to bed early. We both enjoy learning about the history of each place we visit, stopping at every single Catholic church we see (this includes attending Sunday Mass), and we are fans of museums but prefer to tour them at our own pace. We also enjoy talking to locals to learn about modern daily life. We don’t drink alcohol, so brewery tours and nightclubs weren’t on our to-do list. While we appreciate music, we aren’t massive classical music aficionados, so we didn’t take any tours focused on that topic. We weren’t there to meet new friends, so large group tours were also a no for us.

Once you’ve narrowed down the cities you want to visit and identified the must-do activities for your couple’s vacation, it’s time to decide where you want to start and end your trip, and begin to fill in your daily schedule.

When traveling overseas, I recommend planning no more than three must-see or must-do activities in one day. You don’t want to rush and constantly be watching the time. Keeping a few open spots in your day allows you the freedom to take an afternoon nap, stop and linger at the quaint market you stumbled upon, or sit for hours in the fabulous restaurant you heard about from your guide.

Pro Tip: Never plan any must-do activity for the day that you land. With the current state of air travel, you MUST prepare for delays. The stress of trying to arrive anywhere on time, compounded by jet lag and travel issues, isn’t worth it.

What were your favorite things to do in Austria?

Vienna (we stayed at the Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth)

  • Explore Stephansplatz and the surrounding area
  • Attend a show at The Vienna Opera House  (we went to a ballet)
    • There is no official dress code, but I encourage you to dress up
    • They take their art seriously: you cannot be late, you cannot come back in during the middle of the program, and you MUST be quiet
  • Walking tour of Vienna
    • We had a private guide for this, and I loved learning all about the history of Vienna from the Romans to modern day
  • Schonbrunn Palace
    • Famous Art
    • Stunning decor
    • The Rose Garden (there is an extra fee to go through the gardens, but it’s worth it)
    • Make sure you get the audio tour on this trip; there aren’t many written descriptions of what you see
  • Eat at Lindenkeller
    • Serving traditional Austrian food since 1435

 

Hallstatt

  • This is a place where you drive to it on the way to somewhere else, stay for a few hours, and then leave
    • There are numerous food stalls and restaurants to choose from, but they will likely be packed.
    • Take the time to walk up to the waterfall
    • Be prepared to say “oh my gosh, this is adorable” 87 times
    • BE RESPECTFUL OF THE LOCALS

 

Salzburg (we stayed at the Hotel Stein)

  • Sound of Music Tour
    • This was 100% for me and not The Cowboy, but he made it through
    • We had a personal tour guide because The Cowboy could not have survived one of the singing bus tours
    • This was a great way to learn about the history of the area, not just the musical
  • Hohensalzburg Fortress
    • Take the FestungsBahn funicular to get to the top and back down
      • You’ll need to purchase a ticket
    • Fabulous views, but you likely won’t spend more than 30 minutes at the actual Fortress
    • Once at the top, you CAN walk around to various other historical sites and museums
  • Salzburg Cathedral Music at Noon Concert
    • Amazing Organ concert
    • Purchase a ticket
    • Go early so you can take yourself on a tour of the church ahead of time
  • Walking Tour
    • We had a private guide for this, but then spent hours each day exploring the city on our own
    • Mirabell Palace and Gardens
    • Getreidegasse and Steingasse are must-see, charming medieval streets
    • Stop into as many churches as you can; you won’t be disappointed
    • Eat ice cream whenever possible
  • The Eagles Nest
    • Technically, this is in Germany
    • We had a private driver and guide for this tour
      • The drive up is amazing and he taught us SO much about the area and history
      • He knew how to get us past all the lines
    • Take the time to hike up the mountain trail before/after you look at the Eagles Nest
      • Stunning views
    • You’ll be going through a long, damp tunnel and be in a small elevator with lots of people
      • Don’t do this if you don’t like small places (Fun Fact: Hitler hated the tunnel and elevator, and only went here himself a few times; it was used the most by his mistress and their friends)
    • MAKE THE TIME FOR THE OBERSALBERG DOCUMENT CENTER
      • This museum is phenomenal and was one of the best things we did
      • If I went again, I would do the more extended audio tour rather than the shorter one we picked
      • Take the time to tour the Bunkers
      • If you are a WWII history buff, this needs to be on your bucket list
  • Eat at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium
    • The oldest restaurant in Europe, serving since 803
    • One of the best things I have ever eaten in my life was their Carpaccio vom Simmentaler Bio-Rinderfilet
  • Enjoy a meal at the Rooftop bar of Hotel Stein

 

Innsbruck (we stayed at The Penz Hotel)

  • Walking Tour
    • We didn’t have a guide, but took time to explore on our own
      • Walk along the river for stunning views
      • Maria-Theresien-Strasse is a great place to people watch
      • Herzog-Friedrich-Straße looked like it was out of Harry Potter, with its’ fun twists and turns and architecture
  • Hike In The Alps
    • For this, we had a guide, and I am so glad we did (she was amazing and taught us so much)
      • There are lots of rules to follow as you hike in Austria
        • DO NOT GO OFF THE TRAILS
    • Stop at the many “huts” for a full-blown traditional Austrian meal
      • This is where you have access to a bathroom
    • For this Wyoming gal, the altitude was not a problem
      • The Peak is at 7,657 feet
  • Take the Innsbrucker Nordkettenbahnen to the top of the mountain
        • Hafelekar Peak will offer amazing views

 

What else should you know about Austria?

For me, the language was utterly confusing, and even though I tried to learn a few basic phrases…Austrian/German is a challenging language to learn.

Austria tends to be a rainy country, so make sure to pack or purchase an umbrella and bring a waterproof coat.

Austrians tend to be more reserved than some cultures, which may initially appear less outwardly friendly. Don’t take it personally!

Austrian culture puts strong emphasis on respecting rules and traditions, and travelers will have a much better experience if they do the same. Please don’t ask them to make exceptions for you…it will be seen as incredibly rude and disrespectful.

Follow the basic rules of etiquette and manners when traveling to another country, and you’ll be fine!

I’m not sure I would recommend visiting Austria as a family. From what we saw and did, I don’t think it’s a trip that our children would have enjoyed as much as we did.

Austria is a truly breathtaking country, and I’m grateful we had the chance to experience it together. Starting in the vibrant streets of Vienna and ending in the peaceful charm of Innsbruck gave us not only incredible memories but also the chance to return home feeling refreshed and with a renewed sense of togetherness…and that’s what travel is all about!

NOTE: Although I usually plan our trips on my own, we enlisted the help of a travel agent for this trip. You can click this link to contact Taegen Walker of Get Lost Travel, and let her know I sent you.

*I was NOT compensated in any way to write this post

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