Who has been to Austria?

[ChipBeck]

Gentlemen,

After a decade of taking my son Charley to Africa every couple of years to go on safari, it's past time for me to take Veronica someplace where I won't be killing the local wildlife. She wanted to go to Austria so I'm taking her to Vienna and Salzburg a week from today. Neither of us have been there before. I know a lot of my highflying friends on this Forum have already been there so perhaps you can help me out.

For those members who have spent time in those two cities, what did you like best, and what would you avoid if you went back.

We'll have four or five days in each city, and I'll have my own car. Unfortunately, it won't be a Ford GT. The trip is for Veronica's benefit. What would she enjoy that would be tolerable for me as well. :lol Help me out here gentlemen.

Chip

 

[Neilda]

I don't know Austria, but if you find yourself in London, give me a yell!

 

[nthfinity]

I really enjoyed Insbruck; great countryside if thats the kind of thing you enjoy.

 

[jaxgt]

Haven't been to Salzburg, but have heard nice things about it.
I went some 4 years ago to Vienna. I loved it. Felt a lot like Paris. The Opera house is worth a visit - lovely. Classical music performances are all around town. Some great museums there too - particularly the Belvedere (if you like Klimpt - it's a must) and the Secession. We travelled from Vienna to Prague and Budapest. Both great cities, especially Prague, and if I recall, not too far by train from Vienna. I don't think you'll need a car unless you plan on exploring the country side.

 

[HHGT]

Seriously Chip, call the embassy. You'll be surprised of the benefits.

 

[Chris A.]

Chip, I've been to both places and I can tell you unequivocally it was the best trip I've ever taken in my life. You can't go wrong. We had no agenda and had fun every time we turned a corner.

 

[427Aggie]

Went back in Highschool...neat neat neat part of the world. If you can jump over to Germany go see Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the castle that Disney used to model Cinderella's after...

 

[Superfly]

Castle Schunbrun (exactly the same as Versaille [or is the Louvre? I can't recall] in France).

Von Trapp castle from the Sound of Music.

A coffee and a Sacher Torte from the Sacher Hotel in Vienna.

The museums.

And soak in the culture from those two beautiful cities and their incredible architecture. :thumbsup

If you're into shopping, there's the Meisterstrasse where there are some incredible jewelry stores, and of course Austria is famous for it's handpainted porcelain.

Other than that, I suppose one could arrange a hunt for a Krampusse in the Austrian Alps. :wink

 

[RALPHIE]

Chip -

I studied for a semester in Salzburg and have been to quite a few places in Vienna. Salzburg is Mozart's birthplace and has many beautiful attractions. Vienna has just as many. Believe the travel and tourist books on the more famous places, as even they don't do justice to the places covered. You'll have a great time!

Ralphie

PS - The beer is very good, too!

 

[TEXAS GT]

I'm doing almost the exact trip in October. Vienna and Salzburg. That's why I can't make Rally IV, we leave on the 16th.:frown

When you get back please PM me with your experiences and suggestions.

You gonna hit the autobahn with your rental car?:lol

 

[RALPHIE]

Chip -

When traveling between Salzburg and Vienna, instead of using the Autobahn the whole way, take the road through the Salzkammergut region - a series of beautiful lakes in fantastic mountain valleys. Take lots of pictures!

Google "Salzkammergut"

 

[Piccola]

Went back in Highschool...neat neat neat part of the world. If you can jump over to Germany go see Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the castle that Disney used to model Cinderella's after...

I second that Matt!! I spent a few months in Europe in '05 and enjoyed Austria very much! My favorite place (right next door to Vienna) was Fusson, which can be gotten to by train or car and is amazing! I think Veronica would adore it! Vienna is great and all, but after city after city, I personally love to see what natural beauty each country holds and get out into the open. The castle Matt talks about has tours in different languages, and there is a short hike to a bridge that offers a great view for taking pictures of it. When you are there, and see this castle in the mountains, you will feel like you are in a fairy tale. :wink

Then a few miles from there you can take paragliding lessons (or ride tandem) for about $280 Euros (if you don't mind running off the cliff of a mountain). You will feel young and alive, guaranteed! The ride lasts about an hour - much longer than a skydive and more relaxing as you can see a lot of Austria and Germany from the sky and you don't have to do anything but enjoy the view in a reclined position.

In that same small country town, you can also motorcycle (and probably drive) up the winding mountain roads. My paragliding instructor took me up one of the roads on his bike and it was exciting and beautiful. It was about 95 degrees at the bottom in summer with snow at the top!!! Did I mention the view? And in the small "downtown" part of the village, there are cool places to shop and a very memorable ice cream place, where they make wild ice cream designs.

Whatever you decide to do, Veronica will have a wonderful time!! Much more so than a hunting trip. :lol Great choice Chip!!!!

 

[fjpikul]

You'll have to get used to the toilets with pans (or maybe a shelf Ralphie) in them.

 

[AlohaGT]

I'm doing almost the exact trip in October. Vienna and Salzburg. That's why I can't make Rally IV, we leave on the 16th.:frown

When you get back please PM me with your experiences and suggestions.

You gonna hit the autobahn with your rental car?:lol

If not the autobahn, then the autostrada.

Chip, you & Veronica will have a wonderful time. Austria is a beautiful country, nice people and incredible history. I remember enjoying Salzburg very much. I'm afraid I can remember few specifics but do recall never being disappointed, including some high speed driving between Austria and Switzerland.

 

[Mark06GT]

Salzburg is perhaps the cleanest city I've ever been in; no trash, no graffiti, no pigeons...

What a big difference that was compared to Italy and Greece.

The last time we were over there, we used Berchtesgaden Germany as our home base and drove into Austria. If you want to see part of Germany, Berchtesgaden is close by and beautiful. The Zugspitze is a roughly 10,000 ft mountain on the border of Germany & Austria. Very pretty and definitely worth the trip.

 

[Kayvan]

Be sure to stop by The Hotel Sacher for lunch or dinner....its one of Europes best

Their Sacher-Torte dessert is world famous.....sorta like the NY Cheesecake or Boston Cream Pie

 

[ChipBeck]

This is great stuff!

Gentlemen,

Thank you for the tips. Please keep them coming. Before I launch on Monday morning I'm printing out this entire thread and taking it with me. :cheers

Chip

 

[GT38]

Chip -

When traveling between Salzburg and Vienna, instead of using the Autobahn the whole way, take the road through the Salzkammergut region - a series of beautiful lakes in fantastic mountain valleys. Take lots of pictures!

Google "Salzkammergut"

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

Haven't been to Austria yet, but we spent three weeks driving similar geography in Switzerland and in the Italian Alps last summer, much of it off the main roads. You will not regret the extra time it takes to travel the smaller roads. "Spectacular" is a completely inadequate word to describe what you'll stumble across. If you can, build in extra time while driving to stop, relax, and enjoy the view or explore something unexpected - and HAVE FUN!! :cheers

 

[AtomicGT]

Been there quite a few times, rent a car, tons of small villages around Salzburg, also a nice jaunt down to Venice on the train, incredible vistas, different Alps than Switzerland, Austrian Alps have trees to the tops of the mountains. Hapsburgs, Mozart, Beethoven, they were all there. Vienna is a fantastic place. Perfect destination.

Start practicing your Sound of Music tracks, send video of the Chipmeister singing Do Re Me!!!

Looks a little like the "von Beck Family Singers?? Ist es nicht? Chip is in the middle in the suit sitting on the step.

 

[ChipBeck]

Von Trapp home.

Been there quite a few times, rent a car, tons of small villages around Salzburg, also a nice jaunt down to Venice on the train, incredible vistas, different Alps than Switzerland, Austrian Alps have trees to the tops of the mountains. Hapsburgs, Mozart, Beethoven, they were all there. Vienna is a fantastic place. Perfect destination.

Start practicing your Sound of Music tracks, send video of the Chipmeister singing Do Re Me!!!

Looks a little like the "von Beck Family Singers?? Ist es nicht? Chip is in the middle in the suit sitting on the step.

Atomic,

While in Salzburg we will be staying in that family's old house, the Von Trapp family mansion (Villa Trapp). Now that the Nazi's are no longer using it, a portion of it can be rented. The hills are alive.....and all that rot. A lot of great ideas on this thread thanks to the GT Forum travel advisory board!

Chip