My husband and I (mid-50s) are considering a trip to Austria in early November (Vienna, Melk, Salzburg, Hallstatt, and a detour into Bavaria) and would appreciate some insight regarding the weather and visiting points of interest.

We plan on renting a car to give us flexibility to travel at our own pace and meander a bit. I've seen average temperatures listed on the internet, but can anyone tell me about the precipitation; snow and rain? Can we anticipate driving on slick, wet/snowy roads? Are many of the museums, palaces, restaurants, etc. closed by November for the winter?

If November is a lousy time of year to visit Austria and spring would be better, we'd like your opinion. We prefer traveling in the "shoulder seasons".

Lastly, I'd appreciate some advice on how many days/nights in Melk, Hallstatt, and Bavaria (Kings Castles area). For example, I was thinking of 1 night in Melk and 2 nights in Hallstatt, not sure about Bavaria. Too much or too little? Any tips would be appreciated!

I love travel in Europe in November. The scenery can be quite beautiful and the weather surprisingly mild (but no guarantees!). We have been to Austria in November and really enjoyed it. The only obvious downside for your itinerary is that the Schloss Hellbrunn in Salzburg closes after November 1. After Nov 5, to see Melk Abbey you have to take a guided tour.

If you could start your trip, at least the Salzburg portion of it, in late October, I would recommend that.

We were in Salzburg and Vienna many years ago in November, and while we enjoyed our trip, we enjoyed it more with greenery. The fall colors were not great compared to New England, and it was cold and rainy on many days. The funicular up to the fortress was not running, not sure whether or not it was just that day or for the month of November.

Unfortunately, the fall colors in Europe are never going to rival those in New England:
http://www.livescience.com/5749-fall-colors-europe.html and I found this piece when I was wondering if we should travel over for them at that time of year.

We've been to Switzerland and Austria in November and agree with WeisserTee's assessment completely.

I spent two Novembers in Vienna and both times it was cold and snowy. I still loved it though!! I didn't notice any restrictions on museums etc except those mentioned already.

We have lived in Vienna for 5 years. Early November can be spectacular, and it can be terrible. We've had one snowy and cold November (with snow on Halloween!) and three "Meh," in terms of fall colors. The vineyards are barren, or almost barren by then; the harvest festivals fall between mid-September and mid-October, generally. The Almabtrieb are over, as well; and, the beginning of November is too early for Christmas markets.

To be honest, November and February are my least favorite months to be in Central Europe. Castles/Abbeys/Palaces are closed or have limited hours; very few museums are offering new exhibits; and in Vienna, outdoor tables from 1 November to 31 March are prohibited, so even if the weather is pleasant there is nowhere to enjoy a sunny table (though, I think the prohibition has been lifted, so we'll see.)

Thank you very much for the honest and helpful feedback. We will take this information into consideration as we plan our trip.