Overview
Walking the Austrian camino, aka the Way of St James or Jakobsweg, over eight days on a self-guided itinerary, is a perfect way to explore Austria’s Tyrol and pilgrimage heritage. Starting in Seekirchen am Wallersee, close to Salzburg, walk for six days on tranquil trails to St Johann. The Austrian camino also takes you into Salzburg where you spend a night in a four-star hotel. Then hop over the border into Bad Reichenhall, a traditional spa town in Bavaria for one night, followed by trails along the River Saalach in Austria, mountain towns and past ancient pilgrim places of worship. This classic Austrian pilgrimage route is also easily reachable by rail.
- Way of St James or Jakobsweg
- Salzburg
- Seekirchen am Wallersee
- Bad Reichenhall
- River Saalach
- Lofer
- St Johann
Itinerary
Day 1: Seekirchen am Wallersee
This iconic holiday walking the Austrian camino, also known as the Way of St James or Jakobsweg, starts in Seekirchen am Wallersee, so called because it’s on the shores of the lake of the same name. It is a tranquil and traditional place to start a pilgrimage. If you’re a fan of open water swimming, there is a lido on the lake too, as well as other water sports, and we also recommend a stroll to Seeburg Castle, or wander along the lakeshore to get acclimatised. Seekirchen am Wallersee is easily accessible by train from Salzburg (15mins).
- Accommodation in Seekirchen am Wallersee (Gasthof zur Post or similar)
Day 2: Oberhofen am Irrsee – Eugendorf | 22km
Take the train (12mins) to Oberhofen-Zell am Moos, which is the train station in Oberhofen am Irrsee, and where the Way of St James trailhead is located. Today’s trail is a perfect introduction to the luscious landscapes of this walking holiday, taking you through quiet meadows, hamlets and gently rolling hills back down to Wallersee. From here, the trail continues on the lakeshore to the hamlet of Eugendorf.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 6-7h, ↑450m ↓550m
- Accommodation in Eugendorf (Hotel Santner or similar)
Day 3: Eugendorf – Salzburg | 15km
Today’s walk on the Way of St James brings you to Salzburg, the treasured Austrian city that’s surrounded by mountains and the sound of much music. The walking trail from Eugendorf takes you past a fine collection of churches and religious monuments, all with the backdrop of the mountains which lie ahead of you on this joyous Jacobsweg. As you walk into Salzburg, one of the first ports of call is Maria Plain, a Baroque pilgrim church towering high over Salzburg. It involves a detour, but it’s worth it. As are all the other classical architectural and arts sights in the city.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 4h, ↑250m ↓350m
- Accommodation in Salzburg (Theater Hotel Salzburg or similar)
Day 4: Salzburg – Großgmain/Bad Reichenhall | 19km
Leaving Salzburg, pick up the Way of St James again and walk in the direction of Mount Untersberg, a prominent mountain massif straddling the border between Austria (Salzburg) and Bavaria in Germany. Cross the border into Germany at the small Austrian town of Großgmain, and head to the traditional spa town of Bad Reichenhall where you spend the night. This Alpine town is famous for its salt-producing heritage and wellbeing resorts that sprung up as a result, and you can visit its Old Salt Works (Alte Saline), a fine example of industrial heritage, commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1837. Bad Reichenhall is also home to the Predigtstuhlbahn, the world’s oldest originally preserved cable car, dating back to 1928.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 5-6h, ↑250m ↓200m
- Accommodation in Bad Reichenhall (Brauereigasthof Bürgerbräu, Bergfried & Schönblick or similar)
Day 5: Bad Reichenhall – Unken | 19km
Walk along the River Saalach on a route that leads you past lakelands and then deeper into the mountains, continuing along a remote river trail. Highlights on this section of the St James Way include Unterjettenberg bridge and chapel, the sight of Jakobskirche spire enveloped by mountains in the distance as well as the church itself when you get there.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 5-6h, ↑300m ↓200m
- Accommodation in Unken (Landhotel Kirchenwirt or similar)
Day 6: Unken – Waidring/St Ulrich | 22km
The route starts on the River Saalach again which leads you out of Unken, then opens into a wider valley around the mountain town of Lofer. Continue through this traditional town and head through Strub Pass into the Tyrol. This day of walking on the St James Way comes to a close in the scenic mountain valley resort of Waidring, or nearby St Ulrich, depending on accommodation, both enveloped by the Loferer Steinberge mountain range.
- Walking for the day: 22km, 6-7h, ↑500m ↓300m
- Accommodation in Waidring/St Ulrich (Hotel-Pension Gschwentner or similar)
Day 7: Waidring/St Ulrich – St Johann | 16/26km
Today you can choose one of two alternative routes. The shorter option takes you along a dyke path following the River Grossache, on a trail that is forested and shady for the most part. The longer option is more mountainous, taking you through Erpfendorf, Kirchdorf and the foothills of the Grenzberg and Buchsteinwand mountains. Your last night on the St James Way is in St Johann, a traditional Tyrolean town, where pilgrims like to visit Dekanatspfarrkirche St. Johann in Tirol to get their Pilgrim’s Passport stamped. Many also like to go and have a celebratory cleanse at the town’s Panorama Badewelt wellness centre, where the outdoor pool has a great view of the mountains.
- Walking for the day: 26km, 7h, ↑370m ↓500m (shorter option: 16km, 5h, ↑100m ↓200m)
- Accommodation in St Johann (Gasthof Mauth, Hotel Theresia or similar)
Day 8: Departure
Departure on your own or extension upon request.
What to expect
Accommodations
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses, as well as a four-star hotel in Salzburg. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view hotels for this trip
- Gasthof zur Post
- Hotel Santner
- Theater Hotel Salzburg
- Brauereigasthof Bürgerbräu
- Bergfried & Schönblick
- Landhotel Kirchenwirt
- Hotel-Pension Gschwentner
- Gasthof Mauth
- Hotel Theresia
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your hotel or restaurants in the village near your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain on the St James Way
The tour is suitable for experienced walkers and requires a good level of fitness. Total walking is 112km, on average 19km (6h) per walking day. Overall elevation gain is 1,850m, and the average elevation gain per walking day is 300m (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from the end of April until mid-October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date in the season – so please indicate desired beginning date when booking.
For more information, please visit our blogs Best time to go to Austria and Best time to go to Germany
Getting there
Our recommended airport for this tour is Salzburg Airport. Seekirchen is 15mins from Salzburg by train. The train ride from St Johann back to Salzburg takes 2-2.5h. OBB for up-to-date timetables and fares or check the Omio planner below.
Click to view travel options
By plane
If you are able to travel without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a railway stations in Seekirchen am Wallersee and St Johann in Tirol. For more details, see the national rail operator ÖBB or use the Omio planner above.
By train or bus
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights in a mix of three-star hotels, country hotels and guesthouses
- 1 night in a four-star hotel in Salzburg
- 7 breakfasts
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps
- Train fare Seekirchen – Oberhofen on day two
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece per person, up to 20kg)
- 24/7 assistance by phone
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Optional bus rides to shorten the walks
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and attractions’ entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights in Seekirchen, St. Johann in Tirol and Salzburg available upon request
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