We will be visiting Vienna, Salzburg and Munich this July. We'll be in each city for about 2-3 days. I know, I know, not enough time...What are your favorite sites to visit in each? Restaurants (1 of us is a meat eater, the other isn't but will each chicken/fish)...parts of the city to explore? I welcome your suggestions as this is our first time in each place. We love to walk, explore, visit castles, and have no limitations. THANKS!

I'm going this March and will have some updated info on the castles. You can talk to ten people and get ten different answers on what/where is the best thing to do while in that area.
But overall Neuschwantein Castle is a must see for any first time traveler. It is near the town of Fussen in southern Germany a short tain ride from Munich.
Also i get more people telling me that Salzburg is so interesting that three to four days in the city is still not long enough to see the sites around the area.
Anyway I will let someone with more knowledge comment-
Good Travels!

For general sighseeing take a look at Fodor's suggestions:
http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/a...p_2191981.html
While 3 days will keep you probably focused on the usual subjects, you could give some extra information if you have a certain preference re. arts/museums.
2012 is Klimt year and if you like that painter, you will find excellent exhibitions at the Belvedere (upper & lower) and at the MuseumsQuartier.

Typical Viennese would be:
> Klimt and the Secession artists (Vienna's art deco)
> The Third Man (underground walking tours)
> Coffee Houses (not just for having afternoon coffee and cake!)
> Candy & Pastry shops or bakeries
> Exploring the city with the extensive tram & bus network (not necessarily the overpriced tourist tram that circles the Ring or the expensive Fiakers)
> Grinzing and its wine cellars & garden restaurants. If you want more of a view, take the (rather steep) walk up to Cobenzl castle from Grinzig (or wait for the next 38A bus) and enjoy a panoramic view of Vienna and the vineyards from up there at the café.
http://www.cobenzl.at/schloss/cafe?lang=en

In the immediate vicinity:
> Klosterneuburg monastery (And its wine shop! Zweigelt is a typical Austrian red grape, if you want something local)
http://www.stift-klosterneuburg.at/en

Salzburg

Augustiner Braugasthof Krimpelstatter
Mullner Hauptstrasse 31,
Tel: +43 662 43 22 74

Saran
Salzburg, Judengasse 10
Tel. 0662 846628

St Peter’s
Zum Gulenspiegel
Salzburg, Hagenauerplatz 2
Tel: 0062 8431 80


Hotel

Weisse Taube
Kaigasse 9



Vienna

Griechenbeisl
A-1010, Fleischmarkt 11
Tel: +43/1/533 19 77

Da Capo Ristorante Pizzeria
Schulerstrasse 18
Tel: 512 44 91

Ilona Stuberl
Wien, Braunerstrasse 2
Tel. ++43 (1) 533 90 29

Pizza Bizi
Wien, RotenturmstraBe 4
Tel. 513 37 05

1516 Brew Company
Krugerstrasse 18
Schwarzenberstrasse 2
Tel: 43-1-961-1516

Trattoria Santo Stefano
Dorotheergasse 3

Zum Basiliskin
Schonlaterngasse 3

Germany

Hofbrauhaus Keller
LankesbergstraBe 5, Freising
Tel. 08161/938800

a little farther afield
south of Munich
Andechs, a beer brewing monastery, with GREAT food as well

I would suggest to stay the shortest time in Munich, do 2 days in Salzburg and the rest save for Vienna...

Vienna - I would like to add the following to the Cowboy1968’s suggestions.
Do not miss - Kunsthistorisches Museum if the you like old masters.
do see Schoenbrunn Palace and its gardens.
Make sure you try famous Sacher Torte at one of the cafes
and in the evening go to either a Mozart or a Strauss concert - dressed up people sell the tickets to these all around the old town. You will stumble on them sooner or later or rather they will find you...

Munich: do see the Alte Pinakothek - again if you like old masters...

Salzburg: well, I got to go there still myself...

Wow, great suggestions, everyone. Thank you so much. Keep 'em coming! Any more restaurants to suggest...and any website links? Cufflinks, any of those you listed that are your favorites?

"You can talk to ten people and get ten different answers on what/where is the best thing to do while in that area.
But overall Neuschwantein Castle is a must see for any first time traveler."

Your rule about answers applies to N'stein too, pbt40. Having returned there twice myself to figure out what the pull is, I still can't say why anyone who has seen some of the real castles scattered around Germany would call it a "must-see." It's unique, but it's not a castle, rather a late-19th-century residence; the tour is weak and short, not that lengthening it would help, and I suspect that the tourism ant-hill there has to do with the association of N'stein with Cinderella and Disneyland more than anything else.

And in the OP's case, it would require a full day's outing from Munich on a trip that is already short on time.

Hohensalzburg in Salzburg and Hohenwerfen (yep - in nearby Werfen) are far more interesting, IMO; Hohenwerfen has a raptor show as well:

http://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/

Hi syn,

Considering how little time you have, I suggest splitting your time equally between Munich and Vienna. Visit Salzburg as a daytrip from Munich.

Dachau is about 1/2 hr from Munich. I suggest you take a half day to see it.
http://www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/index-e.html

I think that Neuchwanstein is overrated. My wife and I much prefer Linderhof especially the grotto. http://www.linderhof.de/

Enjoy your visit.

I don't talk down Neuschwanstein as much as some others, but I would never rate it as a must see for a first time visitor to Germany.

Sure, it's not a "real" castle, but it has an interesting history and who says that visitors must spend their time seeing things that have a richer histories and served a true defensive purpose.

It's a nice house on a hill with some great scenic views around. If you are in the area, stop in. The problem is that it's not really in an area that I think a lot of people would be in for any other reason.

I adore the cemetery at Stiftskirche St. Peter, in Salzburg. What a great place to lay down ones weary bones - literally.

Favorites

Augustiner Braugasthof Krimpelstatter
Mullner Hauptstrasse 31,
Tel: +43 662 43 22 74

Da Capo Ristorante Pizzeria
Schulerstrasse 18
Tel: 512 44 91

Pizza Bizi
Wien, RotenturmstraBe 4
Tel. 513 37 05

Griechenbeisl
A-1010, Fleischmarkt 11
Tel: +43/1/533 19 77

Having toured many 'real' castles in England (and I love seeing castles), I appreciate the discussions seeing Neuchwanstein and whether it's worth it...especially wtih the little amount of time we have. You are all great with your suggestions and links. Thank you, again.

I thought the highlights of my week in Salzburg were

- the Salzburg city museum (for the recent complete renovation which is very well done) English version of website is http://www.salzburgmuseum.at/173.0.html

- the Mozart birth house (for the creative way he is "invoked" there even though there is really nothing left of his but the house itself) English version of website is http://www.salzburg.info/en/sights/m...rts_birthplace

- the modern art museum (for the great setting up on one of Salzburg's hills) English version of the web site for that location is http://www.museumdermoderne.at/en/th...m-moenchsberg/