5 day driving ideas out of Vienna and back. What would you do?
Sep 5th, 2013, 01:15 PM
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5 day driving ideas out of Vienna and back. What would you do?
Good day all, my husband and I are renting a car in Vienna October 11th and returning to that lovely city October 15th. We will already have spent considerable time in other large cities (getting about by train in between) and now want to spend 5 days seeing the sights from a car.
We don't want to do "hard" driving all day long. Our preference is a leisurely breakfast, then hit the road, maybe stop somewhere along the way to wander about and then a bit more driving before calling it quits late afternoon -- maybe 4 or so hours of actual "driving" a day. Then find a place to stay, spend an evening in some locale and then on again the next day. Or not...we could easily be talked into staying 1 place for a couple of days! Or having some place become the resting place from which day trips are done.
DH has said, "perhaps we should drive to, well meander to, Venice -- not to see Venice (!) -- just to have a destination and enjoy the journey through the Alps."
I decided I would put the question to you:
If you had this kind of time, were accustomed to driving in Europe and were looking to get out into the countryside after time in cities, where would you go? Is there a special event you know of that is going on within reasonable driving range that we might want to include in our perambulations?
Looking forward to your wisdom,
We don't want to do "hard" driving all day long. Our preference is a leisurely breakfast, then hit the road, maybe stop somewhere along the way to wander about and then a bit more driving before calling it quits late afternoon -- maybe 4 or so hours of actual "driving" a day. Then find a place to stay, spend an evening in some locale and then on again the next day. Or not...we could easily be talked into staying 1 place for a couple of days! Or having some place become the resting place from which day trips are done.
DH has said, "perhaps we should drive to, well meander to, Venice -- not to see Venice (!) -- just to have a destination and enjoy the journey through the Alps."
I decided I would put the question to you:
If you had this kind of time, were accustomed to driving in Europe and were looking to get out into the countryside after time in cities, where would you go? Is there a special event you know of that is going on within reasonable driving range that we might want to include in our perambulations?
Looking forward to your wisdom,
Sep 5th, 2013, 04:46 PM
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We have done numerous road trips in europe - usually with an "anchor" city on each end. But we generally have 9 or 10 days on the road.
I don;t think I would drive to Venice - unless you really want to spend time there.
I agree with the idea of spending no more than 4 hours on the road - so you can stop wherever you want for lunch, or whenever you see something that you think deserves exploration.
The first time we drove to Vienna we had not scheduled Melk - and it was fairly late by the time we wold have gotten to Vienna - so we ended up doing it as a boat/bus day trip.
With the limited time you have I would head for Salzurg - seeing Melk on the way. Spend a couple of nights there - one seeing the town and another seeing the mountains and surroundings. Mad Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee is easily visitable from there.
If you want you cold go as far as Innsbruck, which is a charming small town - but you cold just as easily do several different destination visits from Salzburg and then back to Vienna.
I don;t think I would drive to Venice - unless you really want to spend time there.
I agree with the idea of spending no more than 4 hours on the road - so you can stop wherever you want for lunch, or whenever you see something that you think deserves exploration.
The first time we drove to Vienna we had not scheduled Melk - and it was fairly late by the time we wold have gotten to Vienna - so we ended up doing it as a boat/bus day trip.
With the limited time you have I would head for Salzurg - seeing Melk on the way. Spend a couple of nights there - one seeing the town and another seeing the mountains and surroundings. Mad Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee is easily visitable from there.
If you want you cold go as far as Innsbruck, which is a charming small town - but you cold just as easily do several different destination visits from Salzburg and then back to Vienna.
Sep 5th, 2013, 08:16 PM
#4
tansay, we live in Vienna and are always taking day trips. You may find inspiration from our travels:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...beer-trail.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...order-zone.cfm
It is also possible to drive to Melk, tour the abbey, and then drive back to Vienna along the Wachau Valley, which will be pretty in October within an easy day.
Happy Travels!
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...beer-trail.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...order-zone.cfm
It is also possible to drive to Melk, tour the abbey, and then drive back to Vienna along the Wachau Valley, which will be pretty in October within an easy day.
Happy Travels!
Sep 6th, 2013, 12:43 PM
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Thanks also fourfortravel. Will definitely check out those links.
I have a question for nytraveler...
Why would you not choose to drive to Vienna? Is the route uninteresting or difficult? DH and I have enjoyed various drives for the scenery -- Going to the Sun road in Montana; Highway #1 through the Rocky Mountains in Canada; up the California coast; some of the route between Dijon and Geneva; the Camargue. Last fall we hoped to "see the colours" on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but left it too late to get reservations for places to stay. Ah well, another time.
I have a question for nytraveler...
Why would you not choose to drive to Vienna? Is the route uninteresting or difficult? DH and I have enjoyed various drives for the scenery -- Going to the Sun road in Montana; Highway #1 through the Rocky Mountains in Canada; up the California coast; some of the route between Dijon and Geneva; the Camargue. Last fall we hoped to "see the colours" on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but left it too late to get reservations for places to stay. Ah well, another time.
Sep 6th, 2013, 04:58 PM
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Also - if you pik up the car in Vienna and drop in Venice there will usually be a significant drop-off charge - usualy a couple of hundred euros.
Since we do road trips all the time we just include that as part of the cost of the trip (not much out of overall costs for 16 or 17 days) - but it can also depend on what type of car you rent and from what agency.
Since we do road trips all the time we just include that as part of the cost of the trip (not much out of overall costs for 16 or 17 days) - but it can also depend on what type of car you rent and from what agency.
Sep 7th, 2013, 06:00 AM
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Absolutely agree that drop off charges are just part of the cost of the vacation. In the current case we are looping back to Vienna as we have family there and will be spending time with them as well. I DO get that it would be a crime not to see Venice! Thx
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