Pegontheroad

I'm trying to decide where to go next June. I have decided I need to go somewhere I can speak a lot of German, and my choices are pretty much between southern Germany (Mittenwald, Lindau, Chiemsee, Murnau, Garmische, and Fussen) and small towns in Austria.

I have been to Vienna a bizillion times and also to Salzburg once. I'd like to visit charming small towns in Austria, as I don't know the rest of Austria that well.

I'd also like to go to Innsbruck. I think I visited Innsbruck back in the sixties, but I may only have gone through it on the way to some skiing destination.

So, who can recommend charming small towns in Austria?

Pegontheroad

Oh, I'm getting so d@mned old that this has to be a relaxing trip where I get to sit in sidewalk cafes a good deal.

I hate the fact that if I go sightseeing in the morning, I have to lie down in my room in the afternoon.

PalenQ

Zell am Zee - Hallstatt - the Sound of Music Country in the Lakes District - St Wolfgang - all are charmers - Hallstatt for the high Alps - lovingly set on a pristine Alpine lake. all easily accessible by train.

Trophywife007

Bookmarking.

Peg, we'll be in the Austrian Lakes district next June so perhaps our paths will cross!

elberko

Look into Carinthia (Karnten).
I don't have an exact town, because we always stayed with family in Pörtschacht, and I'm not sure it has enough to be a good place to stay.

Very few Americans, and a better chance of using your German. Beautiful lake and mountain area, too.

fourfortravel

The Pörtschach area is on Wörthersee in Kärnten; there are several resorts surrounding the lake, along with a boat to take you between the villages. Just my €0,02, but we spent Easter weekend at one of the larger resorts and hated it. The resort was teeming with unruly children, who made the dining room loud and turned the lovely reception area outside the main dining room into a personal playground while mommy and daddy sipped colorful drinks and did nothing. You might have better luck in June, since the summer break for most students does not begin until the end of the month.

Innsbruck and Hall in Tirol might be a good combination. Of course, anything in the Salzkammergut is bound to charm (St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang, Mondsee, Hallstatt). Alpbach charmed us this fall and is now our favorite "most charming" village of those we have visited. The Wachau Valley triplet of Melk/Krems/Durnstein should be considered, as well.

Happy Planning!

northie

Spent a number of

northie

Oops - in Graz which is charming , not much English and a pleasant train ride from Vienna

thursdaysd

I'm another fan of Graz. Also Zell-am-See - couple of good day trips. I enjoyed Innsbruck, which also is a base for day trips. Further off the English-speaking tourist trail consider Pertisau.

fourfortravel

I missed the part about wanting to speak a lot of German. There is considerable English spoken in practically every "charming" Austrian village we have visited, and especially in the state capitals of Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Klagenfurt. You're welcome to speak German, of course, though don't be surprised if you are responded to in English.

If you want to speak German and have greater confidence you won't be responded to in English, visit some of the castle villages in the Czech Republic along the Austria border, like Valtice, Lednice, Mikulov, etc.

PatrickLondon

I've been several years in a row to Neustift im Stubaital. Beautiful mountain scenery, regular buses to Innsbruck (where you can connect by train or bus to various other places of interests in the region), several other interesting villages on the route, plus the bus route also connects with cable gondolas up the mountains and on to the glacier. Although there are plenty of outdoor pursuits available, you can just as well stay in the cafe at the top stations, maybe have a short walk around to admire the views, and then take the gondola down again to the bus. Several places to eat out in the village (though I think most hotels will do half-board), and although lots of locals speak English, they seem to tolerate visitors speaking German to them. Bear in mind though that there are some differences in vocabulary and common phrases from Germany, and the more rural people around will have a very strong accent and dialect (I went round the local folk museum and I could only understand about one word in three from the enthusiastic farmer who guides people round).

http://www.stubai.at/en/
http://www.hotel-fernau.at/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57652585357814
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57645134684546
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57634297091715
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick...57630332394376

Amy

Kuchl is a great town in the Salzburg area, as is Werfen. I stayed in Pfarrwerfen for two weeks and took day trips out via train; we visited Zell am See which is great but definitely a touristy spot, along with other towns, Salzburg, and even Vienna. Really a lovely area.

Huggy

Might I suggest that you pick up a copy of a book by Gretel Beer, "Exploring Rural Austria" published by Passport Books. I have used it several times with good result. My paperback copy was about $12. It lists several towns and routes to tour. Doesn't seem to be in print but Amazon has a used copy listed for $4.12.

elberko

PatrickLondon makes a good point about Austrian German. My background is Austrian, and I have a lot of trouble understanding the German as spoken in upper Germany.

pja1

We love Hall in Tirol, Innsbruck, Zell am See, and Rattenberg. From a base in the Innsbruck area (meaning Hall in Tirol also), you can easily visit the very charming old towns of Sterzing/Vipiteno and Brixen/Bressanone over the border in Italy, where German is the predominant language. In this area each town has at least a German and an Italian name and sometimes a third, Ladin language name. As for extremely scenic alpine villages or very small towns, look into the Zillertal (Zell am Zillertal, Mayrhofen, Finkenberg, etc.) or the Oetztal (Oetz, Solden, etc.). We stayed in Solden and in Finkenberg we were absolutely were blown away by the high alpine scenery.

Paul

pja1

Hi again,

Just wanted to add if you're looking to speak German, stay in family Pensions and B&B type places. I speak German fairly well, and the places we stayed in Heiligenblut, Zell am See, Mittenwald and Finkenberg, no one spoke English. It was a lot of fun for me to use my German so much. We had many opportunities for conversations over breakfast and after our days out with the owner. They were as interested in our home towns and America in general as we were of where they lived.

aljo

From one oldie to another, here's my recommendation. In May of this year my husband and I spent one week in Bad Hofgastein. It is a lovely town, and is home to a wonderful spa called Alpentherme. We stayed in the Oesterreichisherhof Hotel and the hotel rate included a pass to this wonderful spa which consists of umpteen pools. regular and therapeutic, restaurants, spa treatments, etc. and lovely seating areas with the mountains in the background. Our hotel was connected underground to this spa, as were 4 other hotels which I assume were equally as good as the one we stayed at. We took half board and the meals were very good. One word of caution though, May and the first week of June is not the best time to visit as most restaurants and stores are closed. They were all re-opening the day after we left so if we had not taken half board finding a place for meals may have been a problem. The room rate also included a bus pass which we used to go visit Badgastein. It was very pleasant to take leisurely mountain walks and then spend time at the spa relaxing amid that gorgeous scenery.

PalenQ

I enjoyed very much my one night stay in Badgastein - a place like you're looking for.