tomarkot

We're planning a trip to "the Alps" regions of Austria, Italy, and Switzerland the latter part of August and early September. We''ve gotten some valuable ideas from guidebooks, combing the many TRs from Fodorites, as well as various threads, We appreciate all the information. However, we still have a few remaining questions to which we'd appreciate help.

We'll have 25 days in the area,, after which we'll spend a few days in Paris en route home. We're flying into Munich and renting a car, our preferred manner of travel since do not intend to visit big cities. The only mid-sized town we'll visit is Salzburg. We were there on a former trip, but the weather was so rainy and foggy that we could not appreciate the town, nor the surrounding mountains.

We'd like to stay in Salzburg Old Town 2 or 3 nights. Our intention is to choose a hotel with parking; not drive in the town. Any suggestions would be appreciated. We'd like the experience of staying in the town, having a later dinner, or strolling the streets at night. After staying in Salzburg city itself, we'd like to choose a location in the surrounding area, possibly St. Gilgen, and stay 3 or so more nights to do some day trips. We're wondering if Hallstatt is a day trip, or is that a side trip all its own, suggesting an overnight?

We're planning to spend one night in Zell Am See, hoping to drive the Grossglockner the following day. Of course, in all of our planning, weather is, unfortunately, the one thing we can't control! And we're wondering what things there are to do for a Plan B in case we run into inclement weather.

We're limiting this thread to the Austria part of our trip, intending to post other questions on Italy or Switzerland. We appreciate any tips and or suggestions that anyone familiar with the area can share. Thanks so much!

pja1

Hi,

I think it would be easier to tag the thread with the 3 countries at the same time, instead of breaking it into 3 different parts. The entire trip would be easier to follow and advise on.

If you're not using the car in your first destination, Salzburg, maybe it's easier to train there and then either rent the car in Austria, or rent it in nearby Freilassing, Germany, just outside of Salzburg. You don't say where you'd end the trip or return the car.

St. Gilgen is maybe an hour from Salzburg. Hallstatt is less than 1:30 from Salzburg. We thought Hallstatt was good for a day trip. I may be in the minority here, but I'd do these as day trips from Salzburg and add a night to Salzburg for them. Then spend a few nights in the Berchtesgaden area, just 30 minutes from Salzburg.

Zell am See, we'll worth staying here. We loved our 2 brief stays in Zell am See.

If the Grossglockner drive is one of your "must sees" , you could leave where your staying (Salzburg area) early and head to Zell am Zee, and if the weather is clear, head over the Grossglockner and stay at the southern end of the drive in the extremely scenic village of Heiligenblut. In other words, if it's a clear day, seize the moment, you never know what the next day will bring. That and winding up in Heiligenblut isn't a plan B at all.

You didn't say anything further, but I'd be guessing you're heading into the Italian Dolomites after the Grossglockner? It's logical and we've done this trip in both directions.

Paul

tomarkot

Hi Paul,

Thanks so much for your helpful response! We're re-doing our thread, as you suggest, and tagging it for the three countries involved. You're right on about our plans to move into the Dolomites after the Grossglockner.

Using FF miles, plans are to fly in and out of Munich. On our return trip, we're able to spend a few days in Paris (our fav city) before our non-stop home.

We're renting a car from the Munich airport, and have a hotel
the first night in nearby Freising. Depending on how we feel that first day, after getting settled, we'll explore Freising, or train into Munich for a brief visit to Marienplatz, etc. We've visited Munich in past travels so do not plan to spend more time there now.

Next day we were planning to drive to Salzburg Old Town for two nights and then move for several nights to an area out of the city where we can do day trips in the mountains. But after checking for hotels in Salzburg on the nights of Aug. 22 and 23 (a weekend) and finding the ones we'd like booked, we're wondering about driving from Munich to the Berchtesgaten area for two nights, and moving on to Old Salzburg on the 24th, a Monday. Do you have any thoughts about Munich to Berchtesgaden? (Moving hotels is not an issue with us.)

Once we get these first few days of lodging booked, we'll be planning lodging for other areas. Although we like to remain somewhat flexible, (i.e.spontaneous) in our travels, this area around Salzburg seems to have a lot more visitors at this time than we had anticipated.

If you see this post, we'd appreciate any thoughts you have. Soon we hope to have another thread started with the three countries tagged. Again, thanks so much Paul!

pja1

Hi,

Munich airport to Freising is maybe 15 minutes drive.


We've done many driving trips starting from and ending at Munich airport. Berchtesgaden and Salzburg are less than a 30 min. drive from each other.

Munich to Berchtesgaden makes sense. An easy 2 hour drive. If interested, half way along this drive is the Chiemsee and "Mad" King Ludwig's amazing Herrenchiemsee palace.

http://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisc...lace/index.htm

We prefer to stay in the Berchtesgaden area for our visits which include Salzburg. We stayed in the Berchtesgaden area in '06, '07, '09, '10 and '13 for a total of 17 nights. Beautiful area. We stay in nice, family owned/run B&B's. Great people, fantastic scenery, good breakfasts (incl. with room), etc. Our 2 favorites in the area are:

www.mayringerlehen.de
www.friedwiese.de/enska/isl.htm

Just an FYI, all the places on your list to visit are close enough for day trips from one central place. If you'd rather stay 2 nights in Salzburg, then drive an hour and stay somewhere else, that's simply a personal choice.

From our stays in the 2 places I listed above, we've visited:
Berchtesgaden, Bad Reichenhall, Salzburg, St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang, Hallstatt, Zell am See, Werfen, Hallein, Konigsee, Herrenchiemsee, etc., etc.

IF staying in the Berchtesgaden area, you might like the cruise on the Konigsee or a drive along the Rossfeld Panorama Road. There's also the Eagle's Nest, Jennerbahn cable car, Salt Mine tours, Sommerrodelbahns (luge rides) and so much more.

If interested, we have pic's at:

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html

tomarkot

Hi again, Paul,

Great, great ideas! Also, we'll really enjoy looking at and gaining some tips from your pix. Are "on the run" now, but in a few hours will get back to you. Just wanted you to know we appreciate your interest and are excited to study your ideas more carefully. Will respond later. Thanks again.

tomarkot

We have been engrossed in checking out your TRs and pix from your trips, Paul. Based on all your suggestions for the interesting things to pursue from the Berchtesgaten area, we've decided to drive from Munich to this area, and spend three nights there. We've copied many of the websites you provided, even those in the Dolomites. We continue to appreciate your input, Paul. Soon we hope to begin a new thread, tagging it to the countries we want to visit, as you suggest. Stay tuned.

maitaitom

We liked Hallstatt a lot...spent one night there...did the salt mine tour (fun) and
Hallstatt Ossuary. Beautiful little town. Where are you headed in Switzerland? I love that part of the world (well, I guess I love them all).

tomarkot

Maitaitom, good to see your input on our thread here, as we enjoy sipping a vino. In fact, your input about Hallstatt is so well-timed, as we were just in the throes of a decision. Now we'll definitely do an overnight there.

As to our plans for Switzerland, we're headed to the Berner Oberland. . .in fact, have already booked three nights in Lauterbrunnen. Before that, we're wending our way through a bit of the Dolomites, and not quite sure yet about our route to the BO. As we move on with our plans, we'll appreciate your input on that. We reviewed, (and enjoyed!) your 2003 TR and pix, and noted some hotels, restaurants, and sites to our cache of ideas.

We just returned two weeks ago from a trip to NY, both Manhattan and the Hudson River Valley. (No time for TR yet.
The harsh winter has taken its toll there, and on our own landscaped "gardens", as the English say. So we're now working like mad to get things ready for summer enjoyment. We haven't had time to focus too much on trip planning, and hope to get more serious about it in the coming days.

But from June 17-23 we'll have a break in the action here at home when we get our annual CA fix, going to North Star in Tahoe, through the generosity of our sister who owns a vacay condo there.

We're still hoping to meet up with you and Tracy in Paris. As you noted on your Paris thread, it seems that our last full day is your first day. So. . .whatever could work with your location and schedule, we can easily accommodate. Everybody has their own way of scheduling that first day jetlag. Late lunch? Wine bar? Nap first, early dinner?? Whatever time and place is good for you works for us. We'll come to your area. As our trips get closer, you may have a suggestion for communicating our plans? We'll stay in touch.

And we'll continue to appreciate input on our upcoming plans.

nytraveler

Not sure about parking cars in the Old Town hotels. We stayed at the Sacher, which is directly across the river from the Old Town with a bridge right next door - and a lovely hotel - which has plenty of parking.

ashwinb

I really loved Halstatt, I would stay there, but since I haven;t been to St.Gilgen I cant say which is better. However, the area around Halstatt is a lot more beautiful, in my opinion. Bigger mountains, plus you've got a lot of things around, like Halstatt itself, the caves, Five Fingers, the boat ride, its not easy to do all this in a day.
You can have a look at my page on Austria here : ashwinbahulkar.wordpress.com/my-travels-2/central-europe-austria-and-czech-republic/austria-and-prague/
I've been to Salzburg in the second week of September, it rained quite a bit, but the rainfall averages for September are definitely lower than most other months.

tomarkot

NYtraveler, thanks for your interest in our Salzburg stay. The hotel we booked in Salzburg, Hotel Mozart, is across the river, near Mirabel Gardens, supposedly within walking distance of the bridge to Old Town. Nearby parking is E15 per day. So we'll see. It's only for two nights. We hope to get into Salzburg early in the day and have almost two full days in the town. We'll have an additional four nights in surrounding areas. And. . .off-topic on this thread, we'll be posting a short TR of our recent trip to NYC and Hudson River area. We were encouraged by your posting that spring had sprung in Central Park!

Ashwinb, thanks so much for your remarks, especially about Hallstatt. We enjoyed your entire TR and pix from Austria. We are hoping for better weather than you experienced. We, too, know Salzburg in the rain and fog from a previous trip.

tomarkot

We've begun a new thread for "Input into the Alps", tagging it with the four countries involved. Thanks to all for the responses given here. And thanks again, Paul, for the suggestion to begin the new thread.