Twelve nights across five countries — Vienna, then later Salzburg and Innsbruck in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Vaduz in Liechtenstein, and a last night in Zurich, Switzerland, timed around the international flights. Connected entirely by train, with one short bus into Liechtenstein. No car required.
A day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia happened from Vienna, and a day trip to Hallstatt happened from Salzburg — see those two stops below for how each fit into the schedule.
| Stop | Dates | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| Vienna | Nov 9–13 | 4 |
| Budapest | Nov 13–15 | 2 |
| Salzburg | Nov 15–17 | 2 |
| Innsbruck | Nov 17–19 | 2 |
| Vaduz | Nov 19–20 | 1 |
| Zurich | Nov 20–21 | 1 |
Four nights built around Vienna's café culture, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and a day trip across the border to Bratislava.
Four nights in Vienna after a long haul in from Dallas by way of London — Vienna was the arrival city for this whole five-country trip. The plan leaned on a free walking tour, the Naschmarkt, and a climb up St. Stephen's Cathedral's north tower (the south tower has a much narrower staircase and a worse view, by every local recommendation I found). Rathausplatz's Christmas Market happened to open its 2023 season the same weekend, so that got folded in too. One full day went to Bratislava, Slovakia — an hour-plus train ride each way for a free walking tour, the Main Square, and the Cumil the Sewer Worker statue, timed to be back in Vienna by mid-afternoon for an FK Austria Wien match at Generali Arena. Restaurant Fuhrich, an Austrian kitchen with GF options clearly marked on the menu, and Gasthaus Zum Wohl, fully GF and lactose-free, were the two dinners I felt most confident about going in.
Full Vienna guide →Fisherman's Bastion, a Danube prosecco cruise, and some of the strongest dedicated gluten-free dining of the whole trip.
Two nights after a two-hour-plus train from Vienna on Austrian Railways' Railjet Express, with a bus substitution built into the plan in case of track construction along the route. The stay covered a free walking tour, Fisherman's Bastion and Buda Castle across the river, the Shoes on the Danube memorial, and an evening prosecco cruise along the river booked in advance through Viator. Budapest turned out to be the strongest link in this trip for dedicated gluten-free food — herBar and Kata Restaurant are both fully GF, and Monkey's, also 100% GF, sat close enough to the hotel to be an easy default. Szimpla Kert, the city's best-known ruin pub, and the Széchenyi Thermal Baths were both on the list if time allowed between everything else.
Full Budapest guide →Mozart's hometown, Fortress Hohensalzburg's viewpoint, and a day trip to Hallstatt's salt mines.
Two nights after a five-hour, non-stop train from Budapest. Salzburg's Old Town anchored the one full day — a walking tour through the Mirabell Gardens and Getreidegasse, then the short uphill walk to Fortress Hohensalzburg for the best view of the city. The other day went to Hallstatt: two trains and a short cash-only ferry across the lake, then a guided tour through the salt mine, including its Skywalk lookout and a ride on the underground mine train. There isn't much food in Hallstatt itself, so the plan was to pack a lunch from a Salzburg grocery store before leaving. Back in Salzburg, Die Weisse stood out for GF beer with genuinely good reviews, on top of a GF-marked menu.
Full Salzburg guide →The Alps up close — a funicular and cable car ride into the Nordkette range, with the Golden Roof in the old town below.
Two nights in the Alps after a roughly two-hour train from Salzburg. The main event was the Hungerburgbahn funicular connecting to the Nordkette cable car, climbing out of the city center into the mountains in under 20 minutes combined, with hiking trails and a restaurant waiting at the top. Innsbruck's compact old town covered the rest: the Golden Roof, the Triumphal Arch, and a free walking tour that starts at the Leopoldsbrunnen fountain (book it ahead — it fills up). Restaurant Thai Li's allergen guide and Ludwig's dedicated fryer for its GF burger options were the two food stops I felt best about.
Full Innsbruck guide →One night in Liechtenstein — hiking viewpoints, a princely wine cellar, and an evening soccer match.
Just one night, reached by train to Feldkirch, Austria, then a connecting bus across the border to Vaduz's Stadtle stop — Liechtenstein has no train station of its own near the capital. The short stay covered the country's hiking viewpoints and the Cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein winery, plus a soccer match that evening with tickets bought in advance. Liechtenstein switches currency to the Swiss Franc, worth knowing before crossing over from euro-using Austria. Adler, with gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu, was the most reliable dinner option in a country with only a handful of restaurants to choose from in the first place.
Full Vaduz guide →A last night before flying home — dinner along the river before an early train to the airport.
One night, the last stop before flying home, reached by two short trains from Vaduz by way of Sargans. This wasn't a full Zurich visit so much as a strategic overnight — the return flight to Dallas connected through Philadelphia out of Zurich Airport, so staying in the city the night before made for an easier morning than a same-day connection from Liechtenstein would have. Dinner was at Swiss Chuchi, a reservation made in advance for classic Swiss dishes. The hotel sat a six-minute walk from Zurich HB, which made the early train to the airport the next morning simple.
Full Zurich guide →