CookeeMonster

Hi everyone -

Each year my husband and I go to Europe and I spend a lot of time reading your suggestions and experiences. April 2007 our trip will be a little different for two reasons; 1) we are renting a car and making a road trip out of it instead of our usual train travel and 2) we are taking two other couples who have never been out of the US.

We have our itinerary down but I have two questions...

1) One day we are driving from Rothenburg, Germany to Vienna, Austria. This is kind of a long day (5 hours with no traffic) and we would love any suggestion for places to stop for lunch, sites that we don't want to pass by or any other secrets you have discovered in this area.

2) Same question but for the drive from Vienna, Austria to Venice, Italy.

We have never driven through either of these regions and can’t wait to do a little exploring. Any advice is appreciated!!

Thanks

TuckH

For #1 - Salzburg and the Salzkammergut area is about halfway.

For #2 - The Dolomites and Cortina d'Ampezzo, etc.

In each case I'd suggest an overnight stop instead of the 'long day' idea of yours...

Castleblanca

A stop in Melk would be nice. However, you don't seem to have enough time to properly visit this Danube town and its famous and beautiful abbey.

Or stop on the north side of the Danube and have lunch from on high in Dürnstein overlooking the Danube. This is where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned. Great food and view in the Richard Löwenherz Hotel restaurant. Do yourself a favor and spend the night.

http://www.richardloewenherz.at/

http://www.richardloewenherz.at/restaurant/index.php

CookeeMonster

Thanks Tuck - We were considering staying the night in Salzburg so that suggestion is going back on our list of options!

TuckH

If you're staying a night, then shoot for Hallstatt!!! A nice (and beautiful) contrast after Rothenburg.

CookeeMonster

Excellent - We will look into that!

Thanks also for the great lunch suggestion Castleblanca

ira

Hi Cookie,

If you are going to pick up your car in Germany and drop it off in Italy, there will be a hefty dropoff fee.

You will need an International Driver's Permit in both Austria and Italy.

You will have to have a road tax sticker to drive the car in Austria.

Have a nice trip.

bettyk

Hi. You do need to consider the cost of dropping off the car in another country. It can be pretty expensive.

I agree with overnighting in Hallstatt. We've been half a dozen times and never get tired of this beautiful lakeside town. April should be nice because there won't be so many tourists.

CookeeMonster

Thanks for the heads up on the drop off fee, we are going in and out of Munich for that very reason.

My husband just got the drivers permit taken care of but we will look into the stickers as well, thanks.

It sounds like Hallstatt will be our overnight stop!

Thanks again