Holiday in Austria

Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 10:46 PM
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Holiday in Austria

My husband and I are planning a holiday in Austria in September 2016. We are in our mid 60s and would like to spend some time in the mountains ( perhaps a week) - riding lifts etc to the top where there is a restaurant and perhaps walking down at least part of the way. We would also like to do a little easy hiking (no strenuous climbing !!). Can you help with recommendations of where to base ourselves after spending a week in Salzburg? I have been looking at Hallstat or Bad Ischel as that is the area I thought we would visit before we move on to Innsbruck.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2015, 12:00 AM
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I'd put in a word for the Stubaital, near Innsbruck. Innsbruck is only half an hour away by excellent local public transport, but from a base like Neustift or Fulpmes you have several different cable car lifts (all reachable by bus) to the top of the glacier and other high points, and a wide range of walks back down. I've been for several years with my brother and sister-in-law (all also in your age-group). The villages have a thriving local non-tourist economy and facilities, with cafés and restaurants as well as a range of accommodation options (we stay in the same family-run half-board hotel).

The one thing is, I'm not sure how late their summer season goes.

http://www.stubai.at/en/
http://www.hotel-fernau.at/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57652585357814
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57645134684546
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57634297091715
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Old Nov 23rd, 2015, 02:17 PM
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Many thanks Patrick, being from Australia I don't know much about Austrian villages. Have also found Seefeld in my research. It sounds like a good base also.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2015, 10:11 PM
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I'd make sure to check about when summer seasons close. I know that plenty of places will close after the ski season for repairs and refurbishments and not open up again until mid-June; I don't know if they do anything similar to switch over from summer to winter sports mode, or if so, when.
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 03:11 PM
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Thanks, as you can see this holiday is in the early planning stage. We like to do a "slow travel" type of an approach. We intend to spend four weeks and will base ourselves for a week on four places. We will fly into Munich and stay in a self catering apartment possibly in the inner city then move on to Vienna for a similar stay. From there I am thinking of Salzburg or perhaps a nearby place in the mountains nearby so we can visit Salzburg and places like Hallstat. Our final stay will then be a week near or in Innsbruck.


We are leaning toward a mountain village for both of the last two as we are in Austria so we want to see mountains. We would like to travel up mountains in gondalas or funiculas etc and have the opportunity to do some gentle walking - not too much up but possibly down or even some circular walks that are not too challenging. We need to pick places that allow us to get to these chair lifts/gondalas and the like and that have facilities like supermarkets and restaurants so we can eat in or go out to eat sometimes.


If necessary we are prepared to hire a car but will be happy with easy public transport ( we do not speak German ).


Sorry to be so long winded !
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 02:54 PM
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Hi Hel,

Considering your desire to go up and down mountains without a great deal of effort,

May I suggest,

Fly into Vienna, visit Salzburg.
Train to Munich
Train to Innsbruck
Train to Lauterbrunnen: Lots of mountains, gondolas, cog railways, etc.

Enjoy your visit.

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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 04:34 PM
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 05:11 PM
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Hi Helsie,

We are Aussies of similar age and have had two recent visits to Seefeld - one last December and one for only four days in late July this year.
In July we did lots of walking and hiking and of course access was easy as all lifts etc were open.
This trip also saw us spend a week in the Dolomites at Ortisei - now that is a different type of mountain area but amazingly spectacular.
We have also had two week long holidays in Wengen - near Lauterbrunnen - and again this region is just wonderful for us Aussies.
You might like to think about flying home from Zurich if you go to Switzerland.
Or you might prefer to spend time in the mountains first and then move onto the cities.
So many choices!

I do know that a few of the hotels close for a few months at the end of summer but looking at the one we stayed at it was still offering summer packages in September.

http://www.haymon.at/en/

This is a link to the site for the area with information about cable cars and lifts.

http://www.seefeld-sports.at/en/berg.../opening_times

We loved our time in this region and have also spent lots of time in Vienna and Munich and Salzburg so it will be a lovely trip.

Search for trip reports on this site and you will have a wealth of material to add to your thinking and help with further research.

All the best and happy travel planning.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 05:12 PM
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Hi again Helsie,

Meant to add we used public transport - easy and convenient - but you have more time so might like a car.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 11:19 PM
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Certainly Stubaital would fit your plans to a T, and public transport there and in and around Innsbruck is very good - reliable, comfortable and well-integrated between buses and trains. I'd imagine that's much the same in any of the well-known tourist areas in Austria.
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Old Nov 27th, 2015, 07:07 PM
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These 2 albums contain photos from our last 2 trips, including Munich, Salzburg, Hallstatt,and the gorgeous walking trails in Berchtesgaden (Koenigsee, an easy visit from Salzburg, wonderful walking) and Mittenwald (in Germany, but on Austrian border, an easy train ride from Innsbruck or Munich). We are planning our 3rd visit to Mittenwald next year, so many great walks, a lovely town, forests, lakes, mountains.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskfL3qzw
https://flic.kr/s/aHskf6uyHF
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Old Nov 28th, 2015, 05:23 PM
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Your photos are terrific and look very much like what we want to see. We are flying into Munich - already have tickets - and plan for the final week of five weeks to be spent in Paris, so intend to spend 4 weeks in Austria/Germany. We prefer to base ourselves in one place for a week and go out from there so thought Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck. I as just thinking that perhaps we could stay outside Innsbruck and visit it for the day and then spend most of the time in the mountains. Mittenwald looks lovely and might be the answer or Seefeld ?
What about Salzburg? do you think we would be better off staying there and doing daytrips .. to places like Hallstat or would the travelling time be too long to make this an option?
Thanks for your advice, it is a great help.
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Old Nov 28th, 2015, 06:21 PM
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Helsie, which airport do you depart from? Also how do you plan to travel, by public transportation, by car or a combination of both?
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Old Nov 28th, 2015, 07:58 PM
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love_travel_Aus thanks for your input. We already have flights booked ( see reply above)and have been to Switzerland and the places you mentioned. Seefeld sounds just right and I will check the site you have given me. We always stay in holiday apartments, the big decision is where to base ourselves and the thought of these mountain villages holds a lot of appeal as long as we can get around OK. Perhaps we should stay in Salzburg but in a village outside Innsbruck? See above reply
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Old Nov 28th, 2015, 08:16 PM
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Mimar
At the end of our holiday we fly home from Paris CDG airport after a week in Paris. We will move on to Paris ( probably from Munich but perhaps Innsbruck) at the end of our four weeks in this region of Austria/Germany, possibly by train or fly with EasyJet???
Have not decided about hiring a car or public transport but I am leaning towards public transport as we plan on doing all these trips on cable cars, funiculars etc and the car will just sit there unused. Also most day trips out of the cities seem to use trains.
Any suggestions?
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Old Nov 28th, 2015, 11:23 PM
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While public transport is pretty good to get to the tourist destinations in Austria, you can still consider to rent a car for 1-3 days.
The most obvious time slot for driving would be in between Salzburg and Innsbruck.
There are many scenic drives to give you access to the mountains, especially when you cannot do much hiking - also more diverse impressions than cable cars which, obviously, go up to one peak.

The Grossglockner Alpine Road is probably the most spectacular of them all - where you almost literally have a drive-in glacier at the top.
http://www.grossglockner.at/en/
But when you check out the navigation at the top of the website you find other "Spectacular Mountain Roads" in the region as well.

When you consider a base in a mountain village, you may want to check out the local travel options first. Many alpine resorts are in the valleys. And valleys often have only one road (or one railway line) leading in and out. Which can make exploring a bit tiresome when you always have to travel 20kms each way just to get access to the next major road or railway main line. If you are happy to stay more or less in the near vicinity that probably does not matter. But if you plan to explore a greater area, the hubs like Innsbruck will be more convenient to go to places.
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 12:11 AM
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Helsie, we travelled by train to Mittenwald (based there for walking), then went via Innsbruck train (can stop in Seefeld I'm sure), to Salzburg for our next base. Salzburg is a lovely base too, we visited Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden as day trips from Salzburg on bus/ train. All easy trips and have wonderful walking options. We didn't get to Werfen (near Salzburg), but I'd like to have walked that area too, amazing looking castle and some ice caves.
The Berchtesgaden trip is via a bus from Salzburg, only 40mins, and that lake trip is amazing, I've done it twice. Mt Jenner is nearby, if clear take cablecar up, can walk from the lake pier. We have never rented a car, train/ bus system so good.
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 11:42 PM
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Thanks everyone for all this information. I need to go away now and study all this wonderful information and try to map out our holiday before I settle down to searching for apartments in the areas I decide on. Cheers !
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Old Dec 10th, 2015, 03:27 AM
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OK, I have formulated a bit of a plan.

Fly to Munich ( already have purchased tickets ) . Stay 4 nights
Train to Vienna. Stay 4 nights
Hire car and drive to Bad Ischl. Stay a week.
Drive to Salzburg. Stay a week
Train to Mittenwald. Stay a week
Train from Innsbruck to Zurich then TGV to Paris. Stay a week
Home

I would be very happy to hear what you think .
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Old Dec 10th, 2015, 10:03 AM
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Well for trains: www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways official site has tasty discounted tickets if you book far enough ina dvance - as low as 29 euros or so vs much much more for full fare.

Innsbruck to Zurich check the official site of the Austrian Railways for similar discounts and www.voyages-sncf.com (French Railways) for Zurich to Paris.

For general info on trains check www.seat61.com - great info on discounted tickets; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Can save a ton by booking far in advance.

A week in Salzburg and nearby Bad Ischl? I can see Bad Ischl maybe but what are you plans - Bad Ischl itself is not nearly the dreamiest city in that area - nearby St Wolfgang would be prettier, being right on a lovely Alpine lake.

I would try to stay in Hallstatt half the time and St Wolfgang the other half.

Salzburg for a week? Well if doing day trips into Germany - say to Berchetsgaden or Hitler's Eagle Nest of Herrenchiemsee Palace on the Cchiemsee but a whole week in this rather small city?

Mittenwald fine if into skiing or hiking or again doing day trips like to the Zugspitze, Garmisch, Fussen, etc.
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