mandavilla

Hey Everybody,

We have a 2-part trip to Switz and Austria next June, and I just posted re the Switz part of our trip. In this post, I'd love any of your input re the Saalbach & Zell am See area of Austria.

We're staying in Saalbach the third week of June in a RCI timeshare. So, we'll have a week to explore the area.

We are a husband/wife (I'm the wife part!) w/ 10 and 14 year old girls---we all like outdoor fun, activities (horseback riding, gondolas, sailing, "light" hiking, biking, etc), and being out in nature.

What would you all recommend for us to do in this area of Austria? I'm thinking about:

* a day in Salzburg (is a day enough?)
* a day on the Grossglockner Strasse (I think it's in the area of a day trip from Zell am See?)
* a day in Hallstadt
* a day going up a chair or gondola to the top of one of the ski slopes, and spending a day walking around on the top of the ski slopes)

How do these ideas sound?

Is Berechtsgarden worth going to, and within a reasonable distance for driving? Not sure that it'd be worth the drive, given all the other beautiful mts closer to Zell am See

Any other suggestions?

Thanks so much for all your help--it makes a huge difference as we begin planning this trip!!

Mandy (mandavilla)

vinolover

We spent a week in a RCI timeshare in Lofer (a short distance from Zell) last year and took many of those same day trips. It's a beautiful area and we really loved it.

We had been to Salzburg before so didn't spend much time there on this trip but if it's your first time you might want more than one day to explore that city. It's an easy drive from Zell or Saalbach. I don't know if the marionette theater is in season in June but your girls would probably love that. Actually it's not just a thing for children. When we were there the audience was mostly adults.

If you or the kids are Sound of Music fans the SOM tour is sort of hokey but fun.

We loved the Grossglockner road but only do that if it is nice weather.

You might also consider a salt mine tour. We did this in Berchtesgaden on a rainy day (might as well go underground if it's raining). There are others, one near Hallstadt. I've heard the ice caves are interesting but we didn't get a chance to do that.

Which timeshare? We loved the area and want to trade there again but Lofer is really hard to get so we are looking at Zell or Grundelsee.

Here's a link to our photos of our timeshare and the sights:
http://homepage.mac.com/mkcs1/
click on 25th Anniversary-Austria

mandavilla

Thanks so much for your response, vinolover!

I'll post later tonight w/ the name of our RCI timeshare, but can't find it right now.

Your online photo album is terrific. The pictures are excellent, and they make the area come alive.

Is the Gross Glocker Road in the Hohen Tauren National Forest? Your picture in the National Forest is gorgeous.

Is Heiligblut a day trip? Same w/ Hallstadt? Both look beautiful & interesting.

Any particular hiking trails that you'd recommend?

I love the cows and cowbells. Any recommendations for nice trails for cows??!!!! (I imagine we'll see them everywhere, but I would love to listen to the cow bells while walking/hiking around)

The Almatrieb parade was probably in the fall, but thought I'd ask just in case.

Then, your Swiss pics are incredible. Where is the Shilthorn, and what's your recommendation re a Switz itinerary?

For example, what hikes do you recommend? Or, what areas in the Swiss Alps do you especially recommend, especially in light of our having spent a week in the Zell am See area.

Did you cable car up to the Schilthorn, then walk to the Birg and then to Sonnenalp and then to Muerren all in one day? Manageable, do you think, for our 10 and 14 year old girls?

Is Shiltalp near Muerren?

Then did you do the train to Kleine Scheiddig, and is the Jungfraujoch there at Kleine Scheiddig?

I'm thinking that you stayed at Muerren a number of days, and did day trips from there to Kleine Scheiddig & the Jungfraujoch & maybe even the Moenchjoch?

These are probably way too many questions--sorry about that!--but both of your trips to the Zell area and the Muerren area seem phenomenal.

Thanks so much for all your help. Look back in a bit and I'll find the timeshare name.

Mandy (Mandavilla)

mandavilla

Vinolover & others interested:

Here's the name of the RCI time-share in Saalbach:

Hotel Interstar or officially the "LTH Resort at Alpin- & Golfhotel Interstar".

I'll report back to you all after we're there to let you know how it is.

Mandy (Mandavilla)

mandavilla

Hey Everybody,
I've been researching flights and rental cars, and am now back to planning our trip! THe fun part!

Appreciate the feedback in November, and now am continuing to think about what kinds of activities and day trips we can take from the Zell am See area for the week that we are there.

We're currently thinking:
.....Salzburg for a day (including marionette theater, if available)
......Berectsgarten
......salt mines
......Hallstadt
......Grossglockner Road

It'd probably be ideal for our day trips to be not more than 1-2 hours from Zell. My 10 year old has requested that we "maximize fun and minimize driving time" as much as possible.

THanks!

Mandavilla