5 days Venice to Salzburg
 

I have 5 days to spend getting from Venice and Salzburg during the last week of February. Any thoghts on good stops along the way. Austria or Switzerland? My wife is pregnant, so we will not be doing any skiing.
Should we travel by train or car? Is a car safe in the mountains this time of year? As for hotels, any reccommendations for truly fabulous places would be appreciated.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Switzerland is way out of the way. I do not know the Dolomites (in any season), nor the wonderful Alto Adige in February specifically. I love that stretch from Verona to Innsbruck, but it's somewhat out of the way.

A car might be more prohibitive (cost) than you think, if you are not returning it to Italy.

Maybe train to Klagenfurt, and then rent, returning it to Salzburg? I have not been to Klagenfurt, nor any of Carinthia - - but we absolutely adored Graz this past May. Klagenfurt has gotten some good remarks, even if it considerably less visited. Maybe it is also one of those less discovered gems of Austria, like Graz is.

Best wishes,

Rex

Sasbury - You could easily spend 5 days in the spectacular Dolomites!

February is a wonderful time to go - although it's high season of course. But that applies to anywhere in the Alps.

My personal favourite of the Dolomite villages is ORTISEI in Val gardena. There are at least two renowned 5 star hotels there (Hotel Gardena and Adler) - if that's what you're looking for.

http://www.gardena.it/eng/index.html
http://www.hotel-adler.com/index-en.htm

From there you could continue to Salzburg via Innsbruck, with maybe a stop there or in Kitzbuhel.

Alternatively you could head for CORTINA for a few nights, then continue via Lienz.

Whatever you choose you can't go wrong - the Dolomites are magnificent in winter.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

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I suggest that you make your way via beautiful Ljubljana and then to interesting Graz. We encountered very hilly driving from Zagreb to Rijeka and I think it is the same in Slovenia, though I don't have a vivid recollection.

Alternative: One Christmas we drove up fom Verona and overnighted in Bolzano/Bozen on the way to Hall in Tyrol, just east of Innsbruck. Hall is a beautiful little speck of a village. The Swarovski crystal factory is between Innsbruck and Hall.

Normally I would say take the train, but for your trip, train or auto is about equal. Austria is a pleasure for drivers and the roads are well maintained. There is a fee for using the expressways in Austria. You'll have more opportunity to see the Alps if you drive.

ttt

How about a stop at Berchtesgaden- Great salt mine tour, Eagle's Nest, pretty area.