Help me get to Vienna and Salzburg
 

Can someone recommend a company where I can purchase a package that will take my sister and I to Vienna and Salzburg in the first week or two of December (travelling from New York). I need air, hotel and transfers. The rest we can manage independently. I have looked around and Club ABC has one but they don't offer travel in November and December for this package. We want to see the Christmas markets. We seem to find it easier to buy packages where the components are put together for you. Thank for any help.

Expedia?

I know a few companies that do those kind of packages, but I'm afraid a lot of companies don't run packages during the beginning of December. You can check these out:<BR>www.bluedanubeholidays.com<BR>www.tulipstr avel.com<BR>www.gotoday.com<BR><BR>Also, Delta airlines has packages to those places.<BR>

If you cannot find an acceptable tour, I think you will find that both cities are very easy to do on your own. I have been to Salzburg 4 times and Vienna twice on my own. (And I am not a young man anymore.) Armed with a good guide book and maps, both cities can be navigated by taxi as well as public transportation. <BR><BR>The old city part of Salzburg, which contains most of the tourist attractions, is relatively small, and it can be toured mostly on foot. <BR>Schloss Heilbrunn, Mirabell Gardens, and the Marionette Theater are a little farther away, but Mirabell is still walkable although perhaps not in the winter chill.<BR><BR>Vienna is of course one of the major cities of Europe and requires a little more preparation, but there are city tours that you can take. <BR><BR>Hotels recommendations are plentiful on this Forum and it is easy to find the names of 3 or 4 places to stay that would probably fit your needs.<BR><BR>In saying this, I realize that some people shy away from the challenge of visiting a foreign city for the first time on their own where they may not speak the language. I have found that many people in Austria speak English, particularly in Salzburg and Vienna.<BR>Most Austrian students take at least 4 years of English and those finishing a college preparatory program often have 8 years of English, with high learning standards.<BR><BR>For example, at the Das Haus der Music (House of Music) I found English explanations and guidelines in quite a few places. Many of the museums, particularly Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace, have audio devices in English and many members of the staff speak multiple languages. I remember seeing staff members with language badges on that identified which languages the staff member spoke. I noticed badges for German, English, French, Italian, Hungarian, Turkish, and Russian.<BR>

Collette Vacations has a couple of Christmas tours that might fit your needs.<BR><BR>Their website is http://www.collettevacations.com.