Mudpie Fridays >> Austria >> 3 Night Summer Itinerary in St JOhann Salzburg Austria

3 Night Summer Itinerary in St JOhann Salzburg Austria

Our first stop during our two-week visit to Austria was St JOhann. St JOhann is located in Salzburgerland and around 73km from the city of Salzburg. Staying at Tannenhof in Alpendorf which is a popular ski resort in the Winter. We found lots of fun things to do with a family in the Summer months, so much so that you could easily extend your stay in this area if you have more time. This itinerary would also work well for the shoulder season.

Table of Contents

Getting to St JOhann

We drove down to St JOhann from the UK. Taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais, and stopping overnight in Germany to break up the drive. The journey is around 1,660 km in total. We are lucky as the boys are very used to going on road trips in Europe and are not phased by a long journey.

If you are flying from the UK then the nearest airport to St JOhann is Salzburg. Part of the reason we drove is that you really do need a car to explore Austria properly. All the places we visited while staying in St JOhann are relatively close together and could be reached via taxi or bus. But having a car gives you much more flexibility. The roads are very good in Austria with clear markings and signage which is easy to understand.

We visited in the summer and so did not need Winter tyres. If you are planning on visiting earlier or later in the year then you need to check the dates that Winter tyres become mandatory as it may be earlier in the year than you think. If you are driving in Austria you need to buy a Vignette.

Austrian Vignette

If you are driving down like us then you can buy a Vignette when you cross over the border. Just look for the below sign and buy one in the petrol station or shop at the border. We missed the sign the first time we drove into Austria when staying on the Bodensee. So this time I brought ours in advance. It is really easy to do via the ASFINAG website. But you have do it at least a month in advance as a consumer since they have a 30-day refund policy.

If you buy it online then you are given a digital ticket to keep with you during your visit. If you buy a physical vignette then it is a sticker which you attach to your windscreen.

3-Night Summer Itinerary in St JOhann Salzburg Austria

Day One – Arrival & Tree Trail

Regardless of how you arrive in Austria and the St JOhann region it is likely that you will not reach your hotel until around lunchtime at the earliest. If you are staying in Alpendorf then head out to the bottom of the cable car station and pick up the tree trail. There have been thirty different Austrian varieties of trees have been planted. The hike is a moderate one so bear this in mind when visiting with children. It covers 3.67km and will take about an hour and a half. There are plaques which give details of the trees. You can download the trail directly from the tourist information website.

Entrance cost – free
Address – Starting at the lift car park, you will walk towards the restaurant Oberforsthof Alm. Pass it on your right and take the trail up towards Naturhotel Gut Berg. From there, you will continue towards Panorama Apartments Weitenmoos via Gut Berg Stadl. Along the section between Naturhotel Gut Berg and Panorama Apartments Weitenmoos, a tree trail has been planted.

Day Two – Morning Liechtenstein Gorge

Liechtenstein Gorge opens at 9 am in the morning and I would suggest that you get there for when it opens. As it is a very popular tourist spot and you can not book tickets in advance so it does mean that you will need to queue. There was only a short queue when we arrived a little after nine. But by the time we left, it was really long.

There are five free carparks on site but they fill up quickly, with the only alternative to park some distance away. When we visited we spent three hours exploring the gorge which has 400 steps. It is not suitable for buggies or toddlers unless they stay in a carrier. Although it is steep in parts and with all those steps it is a long way to carry them.

Make sure you have appropriate footwear, hiking boots or trainers are a must. As it is wet underfoot in places and can get slippery. But the views of the gorge, the sound of rushing water and the stunning cascading waterfall at the end are well worth the effort. Not to mention the impressive ‘Helix’ staircase that takes you down into the belly of the deepest gorge.

Check the weather forecast in advance as due to the nature of the attraction it can sometimes close at short notice.

There are several restaurants by the entrance to the gorge where you can pick up a light lunch. Or ice creams and drinks after exploring. Klammwirtin has a small play area and we found the prices to be very reasonable considering where it was located.

Entrance cost- 12€ for adults and 7€ for children
Address – Liechtensteinklammstrasse 123, 5600 St. Johann im Pongau
For more information and to read about our visit – Liechtenstein Gorge.

Day Two – Afternoon Lake Swimming & Tree Top Trail

Swim Lake Schlosshof

Very close to Liechtenstein Gorge is the swimming lake Plankenau. I can not think of a better way to cool off from the heat and relax than by a gentle dip in the lake.

You can park right next to the lake in a field which means it’s only a short walk for little legs. There is plenty of places to sit and sunbathe around the lake, which has lawned terraces on the far side. Parasols are readily available at no cost. There is also a small play area, volleyball court and trampolines. All are included in the entrance fee.

Water shoes are a must. The water is extremely clean being fed by a freshwater spring. Deep enough to swim comfortably but shallow on one side it is great for kids of all ages. We visited when it was quiet and practically had it to ourselves for most of our visit.

Entrance cost – free
Address – Liechtensteinklammstraße 142, 5600 St. Johann im Pongau

JODY’s Tree Trail

One of the things I really like about St JOhann is the number of free activities available for families. JODY’s Tree Trail is one of these and a great way to let off steam. The best way to reach the trail is to park in the Waldschwimmbad car park. Here you will find a picture of an owl. To reach the trail you need to follow little pictures of the owl. It is only a ten-minute walk through the woods to reach the first station.

There is a mix of metal nets and platforms suspended in the trees, along with lots of other play equipment all designed to work on skills such as balancing, climbing and shimmying. The tree trail does not require you to have a harness as the whole thing is encased in metal nets. It is free to enter and you can go on it as many times as you like.

There are four suspended areas (you need to follow the owl signs to find the others) with over 30 platforms. The boys thought it was excellent. Considering what these sorts of activities cost in the UK it is definitely worth a visit. I would allow two hours for this as a minimum. Don’t forget snacks and drinks because there are no facilities on site.

Entrance cost – free
Address – Badweg 5, 5600 St. Johann im Pongau
For more information and to read about our visit – JODY’s Tree Trail St JOhann

Day Three – Ghost Mountain

You need to allow a full day day to explore Ghost Mountain which is an absolute dream for kids. And parents!

Free parking is available at the Alpendorf cable car station. You can book tickets in advance which may be preferable for when it is busy as it means you can just go straight onto the cable car. It is a beautiful cable car ride up to the summit of the Geisterberg mountain. It takes around fifteen minutes and gives you stunning views across St JOhann, the mountain range, green ski slopes and mountain huts. From here you can catch the land train up to the very summit.

Either at the cash desk at the bottom or when you get off the cable car at the top you can pick up a gold medallion and stickers for the kids. There are 40 different play stations across the top of the mountain divided into twelve different spirits who are grouped together into air, water, fire and earth. At various points, the children need to line up their medallion and match a sticker to a number. Once they have all twelve then they can exchange it at the bottom for a certificate and small prize.

It is a good idea as it means that you see all of the activities. There is everything from pulling yourself across a lake, giant play forts, a smoke-breathing dragon, zip lines, climbing nets, treetop houses and water play. For the adults there is plenty of seating overlooking the best view, a lookout point and several restaurants. Plus plenty of picnic spot.

We had such a fun day on Ghost Mountain, there is so much to do I am not sure we managed it all. It was one of the best things we did during our trip.

Entrance cost – €34.50 for adults and €20.70 for children
Address – Alpendorf 2, 5600 St. Johann im Pongau
For more information and to read about our visit – Our visit to Ghost Mountain in Alpendorf

Day Four – Morning Adventure Mini Golf

The boys always enjoy a game of mini golf and there is a brilliant one located in St JOhann. JO Adventure Minigolf is part of the OPEN golf course it is easy to find and there is plenty of parking.

When we visited it looked almost brand new and is very well-kept. Each of the 18 holes depicts either something to do in the local area, an attraction or is linked to something specific about St Johann. There is a great variety of different holes and although challenging they are not impossible. Which hopefully keeps tantrums to a minimum. Everyone did manage a hole-in-one!

Purchase tickets from the main golf shop where you can also pick up clubs, balls and a scoring sheet. Of course, Harry won our game…

Entrance cost – €27 for a family ticket of two adults and two children for one round
Address – Urreiting 105, 5600 St Johann im pongau
For more information and to read about our visit – JO Adventure Minigolf

Day Four – Afternoon – Drive The High Alpine Road

About an hour south of St JOhann is Grossglockner The High Alpine Road we headed here directly after the mini golf and spent around six hours driving and exploring this amazing area.

You do need to pay to enter the National Park and need to pass through a toll booth. Here you are also given a map of the route which shows twelve different stopping places and things of interest. Several have places to eat, we stopped at station three to pick up lunch. And to look at the exhibition and the giant crystals. The road has over twenty switchbacks which makes it a thrilling drive and with so many different places to stop to take photos.

We stopped at most of the twelve, including stop eleven where we saw Marmots. There is also the chance to catch a funicular railway down to the Grossglockner glacier. We spent around six hours driving through the mountains (and back again). The route is around 48km. During our visit, we had everything from blue skies to a snowstorm even in July.

Entrance cost – 40€ for a car
Address – Grossglockner High Alpine Road 5661
For more information and to read about our visit – Driving The High Alpine Road