Lake Wolfgangsee: A Fairytale Day Trip from Bad Ischl to St. Gilgen and St. Wolfgang

We woke to find the rain was gone. It’s going to be a sunny day in the mid-to-high 20s—perfect for seeing the towns on Lake Wolfgangsee, such as St. Gilgen, Fürberg, St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut, and Strobl.

We decided to leave a little later this morning to ensure the shops would be open when we arrived, so we aimed for the 8:50 AM bus to St. Gilgen to start our day. We made our way to the train station and needed to catch the 150 bus, which idling and ready to go. The bus driver gave me a bit of a funny look when I told him I wanted to go to a town that didn’t even exist on his route, but I quickly corrected myself and we found our seats. Again, mind-blowing countryside along the journey to St. Gilgen, with short stops along the way to pick up and drop off other passengers until we reached our destination.

Lovely restaurant on the shores of St. Gilgen

St. Gilgen Postcard Perfect

The bus dropped us off at the edge of town, right next to a cable car station where the carriages disappear into the mountain forests high above. A quick look at Google Maps—and we were at the top of town within minutes. We rounded the first corner and were absolutely blown away by the beauty of this place. OMG, it was another “Who the hell put me in a fairytale book!” moment.

Stunning is the only word for it: hanging baskets overflowing from balconies, planter boxes bursting with colourful flowers, and those classic Austrian half cedar houses lining the streets like something straight out of a storybook.

I turned around and Leanne’s gone again, madly snapping photos of this lovely place. We slowly make our way down to the lake, and if arriving in town didn’t blow you away, this certainly did. We’d picked the perfect day for our walk— the lake was at its absolute best, not a wave in sight, just the occasional ripple from a ferry that had passed twenty minutes earlier breaking on the shore. It was picture‑perfect. I can’t explain it much better than that, but the photos tell the story.

We called into a small café back in town and grabbed a coffee (and pastries) before heading off on our walk from St. Gilgen to Fürberg. I’d spotted this walk on a blog I read last year by a solo traveler who highly recommended it, so I bookmarked it and added it to our itinerary, it was something we were keen to do.

The Best Walking Trail in Austria: St. Gilgen to Fürberg

After leaving the café, we followed the road that headed toward the lake but also wound its way into a suburban area, climbing gently uphill. The road curved around the foreshore and then up into the forest, passing several beautiful timber houses along the way. At this stage, I couldn’t hear any grumbling from behind me—Leanne was still happily snapping photos, and I’m pretty sure that kept her mind off the “slight incline” we were tackling.

Not too far along, we veered right, and to my delight there was a sign that said “No Bicycles.” Finally—a pedestrians‑only pathway! We ran into a lady who must have been in her late seventies or early eighties, walking sticks in hand, who kindly pointed us in the right direction. She was originally from the Netherlands and now lives in Vienna, but she calls this place her second home because she loves the beauty and the walking trails it offers.

We were now on the path to Fürberg, with crystal‑clear aqua water shimmering beneath the shade of the forest. You could actually see fish swimming metres below the surface. The path hugs the edge of the lake, and it has to be the best walking trail we’ve ever come across. The views back toward St. Gilgen, and the mountain peaks rising across the lake, are the sort that stop you in your tracks.

We continued this breathtaking walk all the way to Fürberg, and with photo stops along the way it took about 45 minutes. The trail does continue on to St. Wolfgang, which takes about another hour, but there are some steep sections along the way apparently. Still If we had more time it's something I'd do.

Amazing views along the walking trail from St. Gilgen to Fürberg

Drinks With A View at St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut

The ferry arrived after about a fifteen‑minute wait. We boarded and began the short journey to St. Wolfgang—around twenty minutes, with one small port stop along the way. The ride was incredibly smooth, and the scenery from the boat was stunning, but it was definitely time for a beer. I checked my watch: 11:45. Close enough.

We ended up chatting with a couple from the Isle of Man who told us we had to take the gondola and the cogwheel train up the mountain once we reached St. Wolfgang. From the top, they said, you can see all seven lakes, with some lovely walking trails and even a restaurant up there.

As we disembarked at St. Wolfgang, (1st Ferry stop) it was yet another picture‑perfect moment. We spotted a bar on the lake called “Sloopy Joe’s,” Also known as the Water Ski School and Lakeside Bar, so we grabbed a table over looking the lake—it was definitely time for a couple of cold drinks while we people‑watched and just soaked in the scenery. What surprised us both was how few people were swimming. I’d felt the water earlier and it was perfect, and if I’d brought my swimmers I would’ve gone straight in.

From our perch at the bar, a water‑skier took off from the pontoon, another guy dove in for a swim, and we… well, we drank beer.

Just picture perfect at St. Wolfgang - Sloopy Joe's Beach Bar

After a couple of cold drinks we walked into town and took plenty of photos, and then Leanne decided she wanted to hire an electric boat to cruise along the foreshore. I wasn't all for it but she twisted my arm.

There was a vendor sitting under an umbrella on a nearby dock, so we slipped him 19 euros for a 30‑minute ride and off we went. I’m so glad we did—it gives you a completely different perspective of the town, and you get so much closer to the shoreline. People were stretched out on sun lounges under umbrellas reading, paddle boards drifted by, swimmers were enjoying the water, and yet it was all so peaceful. No Jet Skis tearing up the lake or a hundred speedboats like you’d find in Australia—it was serene.

I Gave in to Hiring an Electric Boat

St. Wolfgang has two ferry docks. The one we arrived at is about a ten‑minute walk into town—assuming you don’t stop for any photos or window‑shopping, which of course we did. St. Wolfgang itself is another beautiful town nestled on the banks of Lake Wolfgangsee and just as scenic. maybe slight more, than St. Gilgen.

As we powered along in our electric boat, there were a couple of private beaches and docks along the way, with boats moored inside their little boat sheds and lifted up out of the water. Large double sun lounges were set out overlooking the lake, and even the odd bloke was casually changing out of his swimmers in full public view. After our 30 minutes, we returned the boat and made our way back to “Sloopy Joe’s” for another drink before the ferry arrived, however it was full and there was no seating.

The ferries here hold up to 350 people, with comfortable seating on both decks along with a full bar menu and some of the best views of the lake you will see. 

Our couple of hours in St. Wolfgang and a day on the lake were absolutely worth it, and honestly, we could have stayed much longer—maybe even skipped Ebensee altogether if we’d known how lovely it was. Once again, it wasn’t overcrowded, which makes me think this might be one of those corners of the world people haven’t quite discovered yet.

Everyone seems to flock to Hallstatt, but we gave it a miss. We just didn’t feel like battling crowds for that one famous photo opportunity—which you may or may not even manage to capture—and we’d been told that after about 45 minutes you’ve seen everything anyway, unless you’re planning to do the salt mine.

The shoreline of Strobl - Lake Wolfgangsee

We caught the ferry to another little lakeside town called Strobl. Arriving in Strobl felt like stepping into another ghost town. We were both getting hungry, but nothing seemed to be open. I’m pretty sure they were still in their siesta hours—which happens a lot in Austria. Shops close from 2 PM until 4 PM, or whenever they feel like reopening… or not reopening at all. With no food in sight, we gave up the hunt, boarded the 150 bus, and headed back to Bad Ischl.

We both agreed that Lake Wolfgangsee is a place we’d happily come back to. It’s so peaceful, with beautiful towns and truly amazing views. It feels like the kind of place where the locals spend their summers lazing by the water, and honestly, who could blame them.

Eating and Drinking Like a Local at the Local!

The same goes for Bad Ischl as well. There’s either a shortage of restaurants, or they’re all still in their siesta hours. By the time it was creeping toward 6 PM—I know, still early—we finally stumbled upon a place called Gasthaus zur Salzmühle, which I’m guessing roughly translates to “Guesthouse.” This place is about as authentic as it gets.

The bar is run by a couple of older men who still take your order on a notepad or a beer coaster, do the math, show you the total, and then you pay. They know a little English—just enough to get by—or you simply nod and smile your way through. It looks like their wives are in the kitchen doing the cooking, and maybe their daughter too, judging by her age.

There are a number of locals here just enjoying beers at the bar along with a couple of tourists like ourselves. it's not a fancy place by any means, but a genuine down to earth Austrian pub with home cooked meals.

Out the back was a small courtyard with white‑washed walls and timber bench seating. Around us sat a mix of diners—mostly family groups and friends, though I’d say about 85% were over the age of sixty‑five. Plates coming out of the kitchen ranged from bratwurst dipped into sauerkraut with a bread roll, to beef goulash, schnitzels, and various soups with floating dumplings. I ordered the veal schnitzel, and Leanne went for the frankfurters with sauce—which is exactly what arrived: sausages with sauce on a plate. My schnitzel was delicious—tender, perfectly cooked, and served with potatoes and a small salad and local hospitality.

The locals were enjoying themselves and looked well and truly settled in. I’d worked my way through all the beers on tap and even tried the local red wine—which I couldn’t begin to pronounce—but it tasted a bit like a Shiraz and wasn’t bad at all. And at 3 euros a glass, with beers about the same, there was nothing to complain about. We could easily have settled in for a long session, but with an early departure the next day, we didn’t want to end up crook.

Everything was so reasonably priced for the locals, and that’s exactly how it should be. We were lucky to stumble across the place and were treated with genuine hospitality. Apparently, this guesthouse really fires up on some nights with live music and singing, but after a day like ours, us oldies would’ve been tucked up in bed long before the first song started.

Tomorrow we head to Vienna. I’ve been a bit nervous about the nine‑minute train change at Attnang‑Puchheim, but the reviews all say it’s easy enough—as long as there are no delays.