Obertraun/Hallstatt or Berchtesgaden for a week
Oct 12th, 2006, 06:27 PM
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Obertraun/Hallstatt or Berchtesgaden for a week
We are planning a 3-4 week trip to Germany /Austria next June/July - 2 adults and 2 teenage daughters (13 and 15). We visited Europe this summer and found staying in self contained apartments for 5 - 7 days at a location very successful. This gave us plenty of opportunity to get to know the area and travel out in various directions to see the local sights.
Generally we prefer staying out of big cities and travel in as needed, but this is not always practical.We would like to spend a week in the Salzberg area. We would like to see Salzburg, so not too far away for a day trip. We are currently deciding whether to stay in the Obertraun/Hallstatt area or the Berchtesgaden area. Any feedback from someone who has been there?
As far as the rest of the trip is concerned, we are in the very early stages of planning but are considering the following areas: (1) the bottom end of the Romantic Road around Garmisch Partenkirchen - perhaps located to travel into Munich and see some of the castles; (2) the Danube around Melk and Krems; (3) Vienna; and (4) Prague.
On our last trip I posted my questions after we were already committed to various accomodation and flights. This time the questions are earlier, so all comments welcome.
Generally we prefer staying out of big cities and travel in as needed, but this is not always practical.We would like to spend a week in the Salzberg area. We would like to see Salzburg, so not too far away for a day trip. We are currently deciding whether to stay in the Obertraun/Hallstatt area or the Berchtesgaden area. Any feedback from someone who has been there?
As far as the rest of the trip is concerned, we are in the very early stages of planning but are considering the following areas: (1) the bottom end of the Romantic Road around Garmisch Partenkirchen - perhaps located to travel into Munich and see some of the castles; (2) the Danube around Melk and Krems; (3) Vienna; and (4) Prague.
On our last trip I posted my questions after we were already committed to various accomodation and flights. This time the questions are earlier, so all comments welcome.
Oct 12th, 2006, 06:41 PM
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Well I can tell you that we rented an apartment in Garmisch for a week, and didn't have nearly enough time to do all we were trying to do and see. Great spot for an apartment stay. Our stay in Munich was separate from that week, however.
We also did a four night stay in Berchtesgaden which we enjoyed greatly, but of the two, I preferred Garmish-Partenkirchen.
We also did a four night stay in Berchtesgaden which we enjoyed greatly, but of the two, I preferred Garmish-Partenkirchen.
Oct 12th, 2006, 07:07 PM
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Our family spent two weeks in St. Gilgen in July 2005, surrounded by lakes and mountains. We rented a small apartment. Our daughter turned 12 while we were there, and we thought it was a great place for an active summer stay. St. Gilgen is an easy 30 minute drive to Salzburg, a trip we made several times during our 2 weeks. We also made a couple trips over to Berchtesgaden. I would favor staying in St. Gilgen over Berchtesgaden.
I personally think that Halstatt is too isolated for an extended base (though would be a fun day trip from St. Gilgen) and getting into Salzburg or over to Berchtesgaden would be more complicated from Hallstatt.
We have also stayed several times in Oberammergau (near Garmisch) and really enjoy that part of the Bavarian Alps. Garmisch or Oberammergau would be an ideal second base and open up an entirely different area to explore. There are quite a few rentals in Oberammergau and we were very pleased with ours.
If you want to read more about our stay in St. Gilgen and what we found to do in that area, see my blog here: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/kaydee/...es/000927.html. There's a link in the blog to a photo album.
Your trip sounds great!!!
Kathy
I personally think that Halstatt is too isolated for an extended base (though would be a fun day trip from St. Gilgen) and getting into Salzburg or over to Berchtesgaden would be more complicated from Hallstatt.
We have also stayed several times in Oberammergau (near Garmisch) and really enjoy that part of the Bavarian Alps. Garmisch or Oberammergau would be an ideal second base and open up an entirely different area to explore. There are quite a few rentals in Oberammergau and we were very pleased with ours.
If you want to read more about our stay in St. Gilgen and what we found to do in that area, see my blog here: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/kaydee/...es/000927.html. There's a link in the blog to a photo album.
Your trip sounds great!!!
Kathy
Oct 14th, 2006, 06:42 PM
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St Gilgen sounds like a fantastic location, but we are struggling to find 2 bedroom self catering accomodation in the area. Ideally a washing machine would be great too (perhaps a little more sophisticated than the one you had Kathy!) Has anyone got any feedback on self catering apartments in this area?
Thanks for the feedback to date.
Thanks for the feedback to date.
Oct 14th, 2006, 06:58 PM
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We stayed in a little village near St. Gilgen called Faistenau at a 2-bedroom apartment which I would stay there again. http://www.vacationvillas.net/Austri...nau/p22001.htm 
Oct 15th, 2006, 07:54 AM
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It is much more difficult for English-speaking travelers to find rentals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland than it is to find places in Italy, France or (of course!) England. I don't think many English-speaking people own places in these Germanic countries and I don't think they are as heavily marketed to the English speakers. So you have to dig more to find rentals, and the websites frequently have much less information.
http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a...21#28010590121 This posting on another message board will eventually lead you to a list of websites where you might find rentals.
If I was going to St. Gilgen again (which I would love to do), I would contact the local tourist office and ask them for recommendations. The Wolfgangsee tourist bureau puts out a fabulous guide to hotels, B&B rooms, rental apartments and rental houses that will give you some resources. I would focus on places that at least have a small website (usually no photos of rooms though), speak some English, and can get an e-mail. Try to be walking distance to the village and ideally a place with a view.
http://www.wolfgangsee.at/alias/wolfgangsee/en This is the English website for the Wolfgangsee. You can look up listings for "holiday homes" and perhaps find something. You can order the accommodations brochure through this website (I would definitely do this!!!) and you could send a message to the tourist office through the website asking for any other list or recommendations.
http://www.mozartblick.at/e_pension.phpThis is one place I just found through the website. It looks promising to me.
Our family would be open to stay in our same apartment again, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to a four-person family with teenagers. And I would do the things I've just described to you to see if I could find an equally situated place that perhaps had a bit more local charm and more space.
Now I don't know if you'll find a washing machine, but perhaps you'll find a kind landlady who would do a load or two. At our rental in Oberammergau (which I WOULD definitely recommend for your family), the owner did laundry for us and returned it beautifully folded, for a very reasonable price. (Here's a link if you are interested: http://www.slowtrav.com/other/vr/review.asp?n=1500 I believe they would do a rental for less than a week too..)
Kathy
http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a...21#28010590121 This posting on another message board will eventually lead you to a list of websites where you might find rentals.
If I was going to St. Gilgen again (which I would love to do), I would contact the local tourist office and ask them for recommendations. The Wolfgangsee tourist bureau puts out a fabulous guide to hotels, B&B rooms, rental apartments and rental houses that will give you some resources. I would focus on places that at least have a small website (usually no photos of rooms though), speak some English, and can get an e-mail. Try to be walking distance to the village and ideally a place with a view.
http://www.wolfgangsee.at/alias/wolfgangsee/en This is the English website for the Wolfgangsee. You can look up listings for "holiday homes" and perhaps find something. You can order the accommodations brochure through this website (I would definitely do this!!!) and you could send a message to the tourist office through the website asking for any other list or recommendations.
http://www.mozartblick.at/e_pension.phpThis is one place I just found through the website. It looks promising to me.
Our family would be open to stay in our same apartment again, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to a four-person family with teenagers. And I would do the things I've just described to you to see if I could find an equally situated place that perhaps had a bit more local charm and more space.
Now I don't know if you'll find a washing machine, but perhaps you'll find a kind landlady who would do a load or two. At our rental in Oberammergau (which I WOULD definitely recommend for your family), the owner did laundry for us and returned it beautifully folded, for a very reasonable price. (Here's a link if you are interested: http://www.slowtrav.com/other/vr/review.asp?n=1500 I believe they would do a rental for less than a week too..)
Kathy
Oct 15th, 2006, 06:33 PM
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Thanks everyone for the great websites/ links - you have taken hours off my research time! Budman, I love the look of the apartment at Faistenau, and as a family friend is thinking of travelling with us, it looks large enough to accomodate us all - I had thought we may need to get two separate places. Kathy, I will certainly be investigating both Garmish and Oberammergau - your apartment there sounded wonderful too. I have really appreciated all the help.
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