slv

We will be renting a car in Frankfurt and have 7 days to explore Germany and/or Austria in July 2003. Places that we are considering - Salzburg, Hallstatt, Munich. We are stuck at the moment and would appreciate any suggestions.

slv

Since the posting, we've had time to explore more on travel talk, and have a rough itinerary:

We will fly into Frankfurt and staying 2 nights before we begin our exploration.
Erlangen - 1 night
Salzburg - 1 night
Hallstadt - 2 nights
Innsbruck - 1 night
Fussen/Oberammergau/Garmisch-Partenkirchen - 2 nights

Thoughts? Suggestions?

bob_brown

I would opt for Munich rather than Innsbruck. More to see. Innsbruck seems to attract people, including me. But after going there, I personally think Munich is more interesting.

And we can reopen the virtues of the Grossglockner Hochslpenstrasse debate.
But let me get my two cents in.
Head south of Salzburg on the autobahn and drive over the Grossglockner road to Heilgenblut. It is quaint little spot with great food at the hotel at the far end as you enter, just before you curve down the hill.
Landhotel Post is the name. Best wienerschitzel I had in Austria, including Vienna.
The road itself is a toll road and some say it is not worth it. I say no way.
You can easily make it from Heiligenblut back to Munich in about 5 - 6 hours.

nancy

From Salzburg to Hallstatt is only an hour's driving time so you don't necessarily have to spend a night there unless you want to kick back. I personally loved Hallstatt and wished I could stay there a couple of months, but for just site-seeing, a day will do. I would pass up Innsbruck and stay in Munich. Again, a terrific city and much to see.

As far as staying in Fussen, Oberammergau or Gar/Parsten (which is in the middle), Oberammergau is the most picturesque. If you would like my trip report thru So. Germany, which covers your areas (except Erlangen which I don't know), please e-mail me at [email protected].

Another note, unless you have to stay in Frankfurt for those first two days, you might head down to Rudesheim and take a boat trip along the Rhine with a get-off in St. Goar - a really nice day trip.

mr_compass

Sly, any speacial reason that you will be staying @ Frankfurt for 2 nights, it is not a tourist town and would rather see you head south and use the 2 days in Bavaria or even along the Rhine etc. If you go to Salzburg, ensure that you try bosna. a local special sausage, available only in the area.

rhkkmk

we always go to rothenburg o.b. tauber from frankfurt for first and last nites or both as frankfurt has little interest...mosel area is also interesting

slv

Thanks for the responses.. as for staying in the Frankfurt area, we will be visiting relatives that are moving there in June.

It seems that Innsbruck is something we can skip and not miss too much on. Instead, how about staying in Heiligenblut? We wouldn't mind doing some light hiking. Will traffic be a nightmare along the Grossglockener in early July?

Also, we would like to stay at B&Bs. Any recommendations for the cities we plan on visiting?

curmudgeon

For B&Bs, you can do pretty well in southern Germany and Austria looking in the smaller towns (follow the "yellow roads" on the map, and look for "Zimmer" signs). Most towns will have a tourist info center (follow the signs), which may have staff to help you find a place, or may just have a board with a map and descriptions. A phrase book can be a help sometimes; B&Bs may not have an english speaker around.

The Linderhof (?) castle on an island in Chiemsee lake is a nice spot to visit. Rothenburg is another. Tastes vary, but I found I enjoyed the villages and countryside of Germany much more than the cities (which felt too much like the US).

bmw732002

Sly:

Here is how would do it

But first a question:

Are you flying in and out of Frankfurt?
If that is so....then save staying in Frankfurt/relatives for end of trip!

2 nights Rothenburg on the Tauber
2 nights Garmisch
1 night Salzburg area
2 nights Munich
2 nights in Frankfurt for Relatives and close to flight home!
John

EmilyC

If you like hiking, then I suggest that you stay in the general area of Berchtesgaden. You could base yourself here for all of the nites and do plenty of day trip sightseeing. From this area, you can easily drive to Salzburg, Hallstadt, the Dachstein massif, Grossglockner and many other sights. On a rainy day, you can take the train or bus into Munich from downtown B'gaden. The hiking in this area cannot be beat! In general, the hotels and B and B's in the hiking areas prefer folks that are staying several nites. That doesn't mean that you won't get a room, I'd would just keep that in mind.

RufusTFirefly

Have you also considered places closer to Frankfurt? The Mosel and Rhein Rivers have many interesting sights. Or you could do a Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuernberg, Rothenburg circle.

slv

thanks for all the wonderful suggestions! Hallstatt and Salzburg sound wonderful so I think we will most likely consider staying in Salzburg for one night and staying in Hallstatt for 2 nights. Any lodging recommendations for either places?

Bootman4U

My only suggestion re Salzburg if you are only staying one night is try to get there early in the day so you can have most of a full day to see everything. I would definitely recommend a stop in the cathedral and also the Vasserspiel at the nearby Hellbrun Castle among other sites. I also like Rothenburg if you are still planning to see it since it is rather unique..the walls, the moat, etc., etc., ..a lot of folks think it is "touristy" whatever that means (lots of Rick Steves guidebooks??? who knows??)..anyway certainly worth a visit but that is a place that can more easily be seen in one day and I really don't know that you'd want two nights there. But, in the end, you'll have a great time in all these places and discovering for yourself what was good and what was bad and what was touristy makes your trip more memorable, I think. Enjoy!

robbydee

I would avoid Innsbruck but stay near it -- Hall or somewhere higher up in the mountains.

One night in Hallstatt is plenty -- it's gorgeous but tiny.

Spend a night in the Salzkammergut -- St. Wolfgang is very nice, but you really can't go wrong anywhere on one of the lakes.

Two nights is too much for Fussen, etc. I'd go to Munich and head for a biergarten instead.

wolflady26

You might try taking a look at Regensburg, which is a beautiful and not very touristy city about an hour north of Munich. It began as a Celtic city, and then was a Roman fortification. It has a bride built 800 years ago by the Romans, which is still stable enough for busses and taxis to drive over it, a gorgeous cathedral, parts of the original Roman wall, and the Danube winding through it. To be honest, I like it even more than Munich, though you can't pass up Munich if you visit. From Regensburg, you can take day trips to Walhalla, a reproduction of the Greek Parthenon, ruined castles, and Kelheim, which is a small but really cool town.

There is a site about Regensburg here:
http://www.regensburg.de/tourismus/i...sh/index.shtml
and some good pictures here:
www.regensburg.de

hardwater

Having been in Regensburg and Kelheim I want to echo wolflady's opinion. These are wonderful cities to visit. If you make it that far slip on down to Passau at the confluence of 3 rivers and Austria. Beautiful city. Take the half hour boat trip in Kelheim up to the Kloister Weltenburg, a large monestary on a large bend of the Danube. They have a fabulous chapel and grounds and have been making beer since 1050. We were there for their 950 anniversary in 2000. Wonderful food and atmosphere. The dome monument built to honor the victories over Napoleon in Kelheim is breathtaking, sitting over 1000 feet above the Danube and filled with white marble statues. Do not miss this.

Peep

I love Innsbruck! It has a quaint, old downtown and is set amongst towering mountains (great hiking). As for scenery, it beats Munich, hands down! Munich has more museums, true.

ChuckW

As I lived in Salzburg for two years I can suggest a couple of great pensions just outside the city. Both of them lie on the Moostrasse and are about a 20 minute walk, 2 minute drive, or 5 minute bus ride from the city center. Pension Ballwein and Pension Frauenschuh www.frauenschuh.at. Both are right down the road from the house used in the Sound of Music and have great views of the Untersberg and surrounding Alps.