tcreath's trip report: Germany, Austria and Switzerland
May 23rd, 2005, 09:17 AM
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tcreath's trip report: Germany, Austria and Switzerland
My husband and I returned from our 10-night trip last Wednesday, May 18th and I wanted to do a brief trip report as I don’t think I’m entertaining enough to do a full report! We had a fabulous time and I want to go back already! I found so much great information and received great advice from this board so I wanted to post our report and hopefully help answer any questions that others may have.
Here is basically our itinerary in a nutshell:
Day 1:
Fly into Nuremberg, pick up car and drive to Rothenburg. Stayed at the Hotel Kloster-Stuble
Day 2:
Drive to Schönau am Königssee (near Berchtesgaden). 6 nights in a Ferienwohnung (vacation apartment)
Day 3:
Explored Salzburg and drove through Salzkammergut to Hallstatt
Day 4:
Took boat ride on the Königssee and took the Jennerbahn up Mount Jenner
Day 5:
Daytrip to Cesky Krumlov; evening in Salzburg
Day 6:
Daytrip to Wachau Valley. Toured Melk Abbey. Drove car to Krems, picked up bike and biked to Spitz; boat back to Krems.
Day 7:
Took Jennerbahn to middle station of Mount Jenner and hiked down from there. Spent afternoon in Berchtesgaden.
Day 8:
Drove to Appenzell, Switzerland. 1 night at Gasthaus Lydia
Day 9:
Drove to Hohenschwangau, 1 night at Romantic Pension Albrecht
Day 10:
Explored Ludwig castles. Drove to Nuremberg. 1 night at the Mövenpick Hotel
Day 11:
Catch early flight home
Various comments:
You may recall that I posted about the weather right before I left. We had planned on hiking and biking and the forecast showed rain for everyday. Well, I’m happy to report that the weather wasn’t a problem! It was drizzling for the first few days, with short, sporadic showers here and there but nothing too bad. The weather cleared out nicely and we had many days of bright blue sunny skies.
We absolutely loved the region we stayed in. The mountains are lovely, with rolling meadows and wildflowers. Every town looked like a postcard. The Salzkammergut region was simply breathtaking. The lakes are crystal-clear and simply stunning.
Having an apartment was wonderful because we were able to live like temporary locals. Each morning we walked to the local bakery and picked up chocolate croissants and bread. The views from our balcony were just amazing, and the owner of the apartment was a very sweet older woman who didn’t speak a word of English but was still incredibly kind and it was fun trying to converse with her in the little German I know.
We regret flying into Nuremberg. The airport was great (very small; we picked up our bags and were out of the airport with the keys to our car within 20 minutes of landing) but we decided to fly into Nuremberg because it was about $300 cheaper than flying into Munich. The cost-cutting was obviously great, but we had two long drives because we spent a majority of our trip about 200 miles south of Nuremberg.
Another important lesson I learned: our daytrips were, indeed, too ambitious. I wish I would have followed the advice that I received here. Cesky Krumlov, for instance, was only 150 miles from where we were staying in Schönau. We thought it would be no big deal, an easy daytrip. However, we spent most of our time on a two-lane, windy road behind 3 semi-trucks and it was next to impossible to pass. To make a long story short, it took over 3 hours to get there. We both learned that things take a lot longer to get to in that area than they appear.
Appenzell was a great town but I wish we would have spent an extra night in the castle area instead. There was much more to do there than I thought, and we simply ran out of time. Appenzell was also a bummer for another reason: we got there on a Sunday and I knew everything would be closed. We window shopped and then found a great place for dinner (Hotel Sonne). The next morning we were ready to hit the shops, only to find out that it was a holiday (not mentioned in any of my guidebooks) and everything was closed. So basically we drove all the way to Appenzell for a great dinner and that’s about it. Still, the area was beautiful and it gives me reason to return! Lesson learned: make more of an effort to find out when holidays are.
Liechtenstein: Yes, I am one of those people who talked my husband into taking the long way to Appenzell so I could add another country to my list. This was not worth the hassle. The country is tiny and, from we saw, really not very picturesque or charming in the least. It added an hour to our drive, and finding the roads we needed to be on was confusing. If you are debating taking a drive through it, skip it. I read this, ignored it, and regretted it.
We wish we would have spent more time in Nuremberg. We spent the last afternoon and evening of the final day of our vacation in the alstadt (old town) area before our plane left the next morning. We were both surprised by how interesting the town is. The old town is a cobbled pedestrian-only area filled with great restaurants and shopping, a beautiful cathedral and good views of the castle.
Restaurants:
My husband and I aren’t really foodies (were both, unfortunately, too picky) but we did eat at some great restaurants. I can’t remember the names of all of them, but here are a few that I do recall:
Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg:
My husband found this restaurant in a guidebook. Since we are both history buffs, we had to eat in the oldest restaurant in Europe! The restaurant has been around since 803 and supposedly Charlemagne himself ate there. The restaurant is easy to find (near the lift for the Salzburg fortress) and the food was quite good. We each had a turkey schnitzel that came with rosemary potatoes and a mixed salad. The apple strudel was particularly good.
Gasthof Nutkaser:
We found this in a guidebook. The restaurant is near Ramsau, way up in the mountains and would have been impossible to find without the directions from the book. The road was twisty and turny, but the food was worth it. It’s a gorgeous restaurant with huge panoramic windows that face the mountains. Again, we both had schnitzel (I know, we aren’t very adventurous!) and the food was really good.
Hotel Sacher Salzburg:
I know I am in the minority, but I love the Sacher torte! We had one in Vienna last year so I couldn’t pass up another slice when we spotted the Hotel Sacher in Salzburg. We also each had a nice cup of delicious hot chocolate.
Where We Stayed:
Rothenburg: Hotel Kloster-Stuble (http://www.klosterstueble.de/index_e.html)
We loved this hotel. Its got creaky old staircases and rambling halls, heavy woods and our room and restroom were both nicely sized. The hotel is only minutes from the main square.
Schönau: Ferienwohnung, owned by Familie Hinterbrandner (http://www.hinterbrandner.de/index.html). The apartment was wonderful. It was a one bedroom apartment with a small kitchen (with full appliances), living room, bathroom, and a balcony the length of the apartment. It was nicely decorated and very comfortable, perfect for us. The view was amazing!
Appenzell: Haus Lydia (http://www.hauslydia.ch/English/home_e.htm)
We found this guesthouse in the Rick Steves guidebook. The house is a very cute house, typical of the area. Our room was in the attic and gorgeous, with cedar (I think) walls and floor, cute furniture, a wonderful view, and a private bathroom just outside our room. The house is about a 20 minute walk from the center of town.
Hohenschwangau: Romantic-Pension Albrecht (http://www.albrecht-neuschwanstein.de/index2.html)
This pension was recommended to me by RufusTFirefly and I thank him for his suggestion! The pension is very nice and in an incredible location. Our room was done in a more modern style but was very big. The best part was the balcony with views of Neuschwanstein castle. The breakfast was wonderful and the pension is extremely close to the castle ticket office.
Nuremberg: Movenpick Hotel (http://www.moevenpick-hotels.com/hot...telWelcome.htm)
We picked this hotel because its located at the Nuremberg airport. Since we had a 7:00 a.m. flight, we thought it would be best to stay at the airport. The hotel was actually very nice, and the service outstanding. They offer free underground passes and gave us advice on what to see in Nuremberg. They also offer a free continental breakfast (croissants, juice and coffee) from 4:30 – 6:30 a.m. for those flying early a.m. The room was typical of chain hotels, but having a bathtub was wonderful!
Overall we had a wonderful time and I thank everyone for all their helpful replies and advice to my posts. I’m sorry that I rambled on for so long. If anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them.
Thanks!
Tracy
Here is basically our itinerary in a nutshell:
Day 1:
Fly into Nuremberg, pick up car and drive to Rothenburg. Stayed at the Hotel Kloster-Stuble
Day 2:
Drive to Schönau am Königssee (near Berchtesgaden). 6 nights in a Ferienwohnung (vacation apartment)
Day 3:
Explored Salzburg and drove through Salzkammergut to Hallstatt
Day 4:
Took boat ride on the Königssee and took the Jennerbahn up Mount Jenner
Day 5:
Daytrip to Cesky Krumlov; evening in Salzburg
Day 6:
Daytrip to Wachau Valley. Toured Melk Abbey. Drove car to Krems, picked up bike and biked to Spitz; boat back to Krems.
Day 7:
Took Jennerbahn to middle station of Mount Jenner and hiked down from there. Spent afternoon in Berchtesgaden.
Day 8:
Drove to Appenzell, Switzerland. 1 night at Gasthaus Lydia
Day 9:
Drove to Hohenschwangau, 1 night at Romantic Pension Albrecht
Day 10:
Explored Ludwig castles. Drove to Nuremberg. 1 night at the Mövenpick Hotel
Day 11:
Catch early flight home
Various comments:
You may recall that I posted about the weather right before I left. We had planned on hiking and biking and the forecast showed rain for everyday. Well, I’m happy to report that the weather wasn’t a problem! It was drizzling for the first few days, with short, sporadic showers here and there but nothing too bad. The weather cleared out nicely and we had many days of bright blue sunny skies.
We absolutely loved the region we stayed in. The mountains are lovely, with rolling meadows and wildflowers. Every town looked like a postcard. The Salzkammergut region was simply breathtaking. The lakes are crystal-clear and simply stunning.
Having an apartment was wonderful because we were able to live like temporary locals. Each morning we walked to the local bakery and picked up chocolate croissants and bread. The views from our balcony were just amazing, and the owner of the apartment was a very sweet older woman who didn’t speak a word of English but was still incredibly kind and it was fun trying to converse with her in the little German I know.
We regret flying into Nuremberg. The airport was great (very small; we picked up our bags and were out of the airport with the keys to our car within 20 minutes of landing) but we decided to fly into Nuremberg because it was about $300 cheaper than flying into Munich. The cost-cutting was obviously great, but we had two long drives because we spent a majority of our trip about 200 miles south of Nuremberg.
Another important lesson I learned: our daytrips were, indeed, too ambitious. I wish I would have followed the advice that I received here. Cesky Krumlov, for instance, was only 150 miles from where we were staying in Schönau. We thought it would be no big deal, an easy daytrip. However, we spent most of our time on a two-lane, windy road behind 3 semi-trucks and it was next to impossible to pass. To make a long story short, it took over 3 hours to get there. We both learned that things take a lot longer to get to in that area than they appear.
Appenzell was a great town but I wish we would have spent an extra night in the castle area instead. There was much more to do there than I thought, and we simply ran out of time. Appenzell was also a bummer for another reason: we got there on a Sunday and I knew everything would be closed. We window shopped and then found a great place for dinner (Hotel Sonne). The next morning we were ready to hit the shops, only to find out that it was a holiday (not mentioned in any of my guidebooks) and everything was closed. So basically we drove all the way to Appenzell for a great dinner and that’s about it. Still, the area was beautiful and it gives me reason to return! Lesson learned: make more of an effort to find out when holidays are.
Liechtenstein: Yes, I am one of those people who talked my husband into taking the long way to Appenzell so I could add another country to my list. This was not worth the hassle. The country is tiny and, from we saw, really not very picturesque or charming in the least. It added an hour to our drive, and finding the roads we needed to be on was confusing. If you are debating taking a drive through it, skip it. I read this, ignored it, and regretted it.
We wish we would have spent more time in Nuremberg. We spent the last afternoon and evening of the final day of our vacation in the alstadt (old town) area before our plane left the next morning. We were both surprised by how interesting the town is. The old town is a cobbled pedestrian-only area filled with great restaurants and shopping, a beautiful cathedral and good views of the castle.
Restaurants:
My husband and I aren’t really foodies (were both, unfortunately, too picky) but we did eat at some great restaurants. I can’t remember the names of all of them, but here are a few that I do recall:
Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg:
My husband found this restaurant in a guidebook. Since we are both history buffs, we had to eat in the oldest restaurant in Europe! The restaurant has been around since 803 and supposedly Charlemagne himself ate there. The restaurant is easy to find (near the lift for the Salzburg fortress) and the food was quite good. We each had a turkey schnitzel that came with rosemary potatoes and a mixed salad. The apple strudel was particularly good.
Gasthof Nutkaser:
We found this in a guidebook. The restaurant is near Ramsau, way up in the mountains and would have been impossible to find without the directions from the book. The road was twisty and turny, but the food was worth it. It’s a gorgeous restaurant with huge panoramic windows that face the mountains. Again, we both had schnitzel (I know, we aren’t very adventurous!) and the food was really good.
Hotel Sacher Salzburg:
I know I am in the minority, but I love the Sacher torte! We had one in Vienna last year so I couldn’t pass up another slice when we spotted the Hotel Sacher in Salzburg. We also each had a nice cup of delicious hot chocolate.
Where We Stayed:
Rothenburg: Hotel Kloster-Stuble (http://www.klosterstueble.de/index_e.html)
We loved this hotel. Its got creaky old staircases and rambling halls, heavy woods and our room and restroom were both nicely sized. The hotel is only minutes from the main square.
Schönau: Ferienwohnung, owned by Familie Hinterbrandner (http://www.hinterbrandner.de/index.html). The apartment was wonderful. It was a one bedroom apartment with a small kitchen (with full appliances), living room, bathroom, and a balcony the length of the apartment. It was nicely decorated and very comfortable, perfect for us. The view was amazing!
Appenzell: Haus Lydia (http://www.hauslydia.ch/English/home_e.htm)
We found this guesthouse in the Rick Steves guidebook. The house is a very cute house, typical of the area. Our room was in the attic and gorgeous, with cedar (I think) walls and floor, cute furniture, a wonderful view, and a private bathroom just outside our room. The house is about a 20 minute walk from the center of town.
Hohenschwangau: Romantic-Pension Albrecht (http://www.albrecht-neuschwanstein.de/index2.html)
This pension was recommended to me by RufusTFirefly and I thank him for his suggestion! The pension is very nice and in an incredible location. Our room was done in a more modern style but was very big. The best part was the balcony with views of Neuschwanstein castle. The breakfast was wonderful and the pension is extremely close to the castle ticket office.
Nuremberg: Movenpick Hotel (http://www.moevenpick-hotels.com/hot...telWelcome.htm)
We picked this hotel because its located at the Nuremberg airport. Since we had a 7:00 a.m. flight, we thought it would be best to stay at the airport. The hotel was actually very nice, and the service outstanding. They offer free underground passes and gave us advice on what to see in Nuremberg. They also offer a free continental breakfast (croissants, juice and coffee) from 4:30 – 6:30 a.m. for those flying early a.m. The room was typical of chain hotels, but having a bathtub was wonderful!
Overall we had a wonderful time and I thank everyone for all their helpful replies and advice to my posts. I’m sorry that I rambled on for so long. If anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them.
Thanks!
Tracy
May 23rd, 2005, 10:33 AM
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Hi Tracy -
Your tour of Germany, Austria & Switzerland sounded great. Many of the places that you visited are on our itinerary for a future trip - although we don't plan on biking or doing much hiking. Thanks for the reviews of the hotels. I'm making notes in my travel-plan book. Peace.
Robyn
>-
Your tour of Germany, Austria & Switzerland sounded great. Many of the places that you visited are on our itinerary for a future trip - although we don't plan on biking or doing much hiking. Thanks for the reviews of the hotels. I'm making notes in my travel-plan book. Peace.
Robyn
>-
May 23rd, 2005, 11:08 AM
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Hi tcreath - don't sell youself short - I really enjoyed your trip report! I'm envious, though. We came back from Amsterdam/Germany/Austria a week before you and we had really bad weather (high 30's to mid 50's only with rain every day). Austria sounded great - we only took a day trip. Now you've given me reasons to return! Thanks for taking the time to post your travels.
Jun 1st, 2005, 01:59 PM
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Thanks SRS! Thank you for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
RufusTFirefly, I should be thanking YOU for the suggestion! We really did enjoy the pension. The room was nice and large and the views from our balcony were unbeatable.
Tracy
RufusTFirefly, I should be thanking YOU for the suggestion! We really did enjoy the pension. The room was nice and large and the views from our balcony were unbeatable.
Tracy
Jun 3rd, 2005, 07:29 AM
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jmw44, I e-mailed the family who owned the apartments and asked them if they had a apartment available for our dates, and they responded that they had the Reiteralm available for us, so we didn't get to choose one.
The family owns two houses (next to each other) that the apartments are in. If you go back to the website and look at the home page, our apartment was in the house directly below the panorama picture. Our apartment spread the length of the house and the top balcony was ours. We had french doors in the living room area and the bedroom.
The apartment was wonderful. It is not one of the ones in the pictures, but it had everything. The small kitchen was fully stocked with cooking utensils, the living room had a futon and a small chair, along with a dinette set. The bedroom was very cozy and large. The hallway had wall hooks for jackets, purses and umbrellas, and a shoe rack for our shoes. The lady who lives in the house is extremely sweet and friendly and delivered homemade rolls each morning by hanging them on our doorknob. The doors leading to the balcony were great because the windows could also be popped open at night for fresh air without the door being open.
Sorry, I rattled on for too long! As you can see, we were quite fond of our apartment and would stay there again in a heartbeat. The town of Schonau is great, and very close (3 km) to the Jennerbahn/Konigssee area, and a short drive away from Berchtesgaden. I would highly recommend it!
If you have any other questions, please just let me know.
Tracy
The family owns two houses (next to each other) that the apartments are in. If you go back to the website and look at the home page, our apartment was in the house directly below the panorama picture. Our apartment spread the length of the house and the top balcony was ours. We had french doors in the living room area and the bedroom.
The apartment was wonderful. It is not one of the ones in the pictures, but it had everything. The small kitchen was fully stocked with cooking utensils, the living room had a futon and a small chair, along with a dinette set. The bedroom was very cozy and large. The hallway had wall hooks for jackets, purses and umbrellas, and a shoe rack for our shoes. The lady who lives in the house is extremely sweet and friendly and delivered homemade rolls each morning by hanging them on our doorknob. The doors leading to the balcony were great because the windows could also be popped open at night for fresh air without the door being open.
Sorry, I rattled on for too long! As you can see, we were quite fond of our apartment and would stay there again in a heartbeat. The town of Schonau is great, and very close (3 km) to the Jennerbahn/Konigssee area, and a short drive away from Berchtesgaden. I would highly recommend it!
If you have any other questions, please just let me know.
Tracy
Oct 3rd, 2007, 09:27 AM
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Hi Tracy,
I know it has been a while since you took this trip, but do you recall where you rented bicycles in Krems? Also, was it easy to park?
DH and I will be in Austria for 16 days in mid-May and we're planning on spending a couple nights in the Wachau Valley area. We're tentatively planning to stay at a winery/B&B just outside Durnstein so it would be a quick drive to Krems to pick up bicycles.
Did you and your DH ever decide on your next trip to Europe? Last I saw, you were debating between several itineraries. We've been "talked into" ( ;-) ) taking the family to Italy in November of 2008, so that along with the Austria trip will take up every day of our vacation next year... but in 2009, we're really hoping to make it to Croatia (largely because your trip report made it sound so wonderful!).
Anyway, hope your trip planning is going well for whatever y'all decided
-jill
I know it has been a while since you took this trip, but do you recall where you rented bicycles in Krems? Also, was it easy to park?
DH and I will be in Austria for 16 days in mid-May and we're planning on spending a couple nights in the Wachau Valley area. We're tentatively planning to stay at a winery/B&B just outside Durnstein so it would be a quick drive to Krems to pick up bicycles.
Did you and your DH ever decide on your next trip to Europe? Last I saw, you were debating between several itineraries. We've been "talked into" ( ;-) ) taking the family to Italy in November of 2008, so that along with the Austria trip will take up every day of our vacation next year... but in 2009, we're really hoping to make it to Croatia (largely because your trip report made it sound so wonderful!).
Anyway, hope your trip planning is going well for whatever y'all decided
-jill
Oct 3rd, 2007, 02:27 PM
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Hi Jill!
I loved the Wachau Valley, and I'm certain you will too! If I remember correctly, we picked up our bikes in Krems at the gas station directly across from where the boats dock. I think we found the information in a Rick Steves book. I don't recall their being a sign advertising bikes at the gas station, but we just went in and asked and the attendent walked to a door on the side of the station that held the bikes. There was a parking lot right at the boat dock so it was very easy. All in all it was a very lovely day and one of my favorite travel memories.
Austria is one of our favorite countries, so 16 days sounds magical! And Italy is always wonderful so that sounds fabulous as well!
Funny you mention Austria because now we are considering going there next year! We actually came up with a nice itinerary for a week and a half trip that included Switzerland (the BO) and northern Italy (Venice and the Lakes). We have our airfare booked and everything, but now we will have to change it! I just started working for a new company and won't have the vacation time to take two weeks off of work so we are back to square 1. Switzerland kind of fell off the list now because I found out that the weather won't be ideal for hiking and a lot of places will be closed because we would have been going between seasons (April/early May) so we decided to hold off until we can go when the weather is better.
Now we are considering going back to Austria (Vienna and the Salzkammergut) and Prague (which we have yet to visit) but are also considering southern France (the Dordogne) and Romania. Who knows where we will end up! We are leaving for Japan in a few weeks and my hubby told me that I'm not allowed to stress about it anymore until after our Japan trip!!
Croatia was amazing, and I have to talk myself out of going back next year because part of me would love to just recreate last years vacation! Its a wonderful place to go and I think you would have a great time.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!
Tracy
I loved the Wachau Valley, and I'm certain you will too! If I remember correctly, we picked up our bikes in Krems at the gas station directly across from where the boats dock. I think we found the information in a Rick Steves book. I don't recall their being a sign advertising bikes at the gas station, but we just went in and asked and the attendent walked to a door on the side of the station that held the bikes. There was a parking lot right at the boat dock so it was very easy. All in all it was a very lovely day and one of my favorite travel memories.
Austria is one of our favorite countries, so 16 days sounds magical! And Italy is always wonderful so that sounds fabulous as well!
Funny you mention Austria because now we are considering going there next year! We actually came up with a nice itinerary for a week and a half trip that included Switzerland (the BO) and northern Italy (Venice and the Lakes). We have our airfare booked and everything, but now we will have to change it! I just started working for a new company and won't have the vacation time to take two weeks off of work so we are back to square 1. Switzerland kind of fell off the list now because I found out that the weather won't be ideal for hiking and a lot of places will be closed because we would have been going between seasons (April/early May) so we decided to hold off until we can go when the weather is better.
Now we are considering going back to Austria (Vienna and the Salzkammergut) and Prague (which we have yet to visit) but are also considering southern France (the Dordogne) and Romania. Who knows where we will end up! We are leaving for Japan in a few weeks and my hubby told me that I'm not allowed to stress about it anymore until after our Japan trip!!
Croatia was amazing, and I have to talk myself out of going back next year because part of me would love to just recreate last years vacation! Its a wonderful place to go and I think you would have a great time.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!
Tracy
Oct 12th, 2007, 07:35 AM
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Jill,
Since I typed this message to you I started thinking more about Austria and so we talked ourselves into going again! So now we have our trip rebooked. We leave for Vienna on April 26th and out of Prague on May 5th, with three nights in the Salzkammergut in between. Not a lot of time, but as we had already been to Vienna and the Salzkammergut before so it should hopefully be pretty relaxing. So here we are leaving for Japan in exactly one week and I am sitting here researching places to stay for next years vacation...travel planning has become an addiction of mine!
Tracy
Since I typed this message to you I started thinking more about Austria and so we talked ourselves into going again! So now we have our trip rebooked. We leave for Vienna on April 26th and out of Prague on May 5th, with three nights in the Salzkammergut in between. Not a lot of time, but as we had already been to Vienna and the Salzkammergut before so it should hopefully be pretty relaxing. So here we are leaving for Japan in exactly one week and I am sitting here researching places to stay for next years vacation...travel planning has become an addiction of mine!
Tracy
Oct 12th, 2007, 08:15 AM
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Tracy, I always enjoy your trip reports and agree with aggiemom that you shouldn't sell yourself short.
This trip brought back fond memories of our first trip to Europe when we stayed along the Mosel then in Nuremburg and Norlingen in Germany before moving on to a tiny village on a mountain above Innsbrook. We even climbed to the top of that mountain. I had to keep going because there was "evidence" that cows and sheep had managed to make the climb so I felt obliged to do it too.
This trip brought back fond memories of our first trip to Europe when we stayed along the Mosel then in Nuremburg and Norlingen in Germany before moving on to a tiny village on a mountain above Innsbrook. We even climbed to the top of that mountain. I had to keep going because there was "evidence" that cows and sheep had managed to make the climb so I felt obliged to do it too.
Oct 12th, 2007, 09:43 AM
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LOL Moolyn...and you just brought back memories of my husband and I "trying" to hike down Mt. Jenner in Berchtesgaden! We took the ski lift up to the middle platform and assumed (we couldn't read our brochure because it was in German) that it was an easy hike down. Let me tell you, our little hike was beyond scary and definitely above our skill level and I'm thankful that I lived through it!
I loved staying in the little village of Schonau (not to be confused with the area of Schonau near the Konigssee) and we will definitely head back there next year when we are in the Salzkammergut because the little bakery there had the best chocolate croissants!
Tracy
I loved staying in the little village of Schonau (not to be confused with the area of Schonau near the Konigssee) and we will definitely head back there next year when we are in the Salzkammergut because the little bakery there had the best chocolate croissants!
Tracy
Oct 12th, 2007, 09:50 AM
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Tracy,
We're going to be in Salzburg for Christmas and I'm considering taking a trip to Berchtesgaden on Dec. 26. Do you think the town would be good to see in the winter? We can also go to the salt mine that day.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
We're going to be in Salzburg for Christmas and I'm considering taking a trip to Berchtesgaden on Dec. 26. Do you think the town would be good to see in the winter? We can also go to the salt mine that day.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Oct 12th, 2007, 09:58 AM
#15
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Images, we loved Berchtesgaden and I think it would be just lovely in the winter. Some think its too touristy but when we were there it must have still been off season because we didn't experience that at all. Not sure how Christmas would be, but the town setting itself is beautiful so I imagine it would be a great time to visit.
Tracy
Tracy
Oct 12th, 2007, 10:27 AM
#17
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Your very welcome! I love that area and think it would be magical at Christmastime. I keep telling my husband that one of these years we will have to visit some of the Christmas markets!
Thank you very much! This is our first trip to Asia and we are excited and a little nervous but I'm sure we will do fine. I'm looking forward to visiting a place so different from where we have been before.
Tracy
Thank you very much! This is our first trip to Asia and we are excited and a little nervous but I'm sure we will do fine. I'm looking forward to visiting a place so different from where we have been before.
Tracy
Oct 15th, 2007, 08:08 AM
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Hi Tracy!
Darn, we are just going to miss you!
We arrive in Vienna on May 8th and plan to stay 4 nights. Then we're thinking of 3-4 nights in the Wachau Valley area... biking, walking, visiting wineries/castles/abbeys. Then we're heading to Hallstatt for a couple nights. We spent a day there last June and loved the area so we wanted to return for more time. Then we're heading to Hall-in-Tirol and on to Reutte (another repeat) for a few nights. We'll end the trip in Salzburg.
I hope you have a WONDERFUL trip to Japan and I'm so looking forward to comparing "trip planning" notes on Austria in the months to come
Darn, we are just going to miss you!
We arrive in Vienna on May 8th and plan to stay 4 nights. Then we're thinking of 3-4 nights in the Wachau Valley area... biking, walking, visiting wineries/castles/abbeys. Then we're heading to Hallstatt for a couple nights. We spent a day there last June and loved the area so we wanted to return for more time. Then we're heading to Hall-in-Tirol and on to Reutte (another repeat) for a few nights. We'll end the trip in Salzburg.I hope you have a WONDERFUL trip to Japan and I'm so looking forward to comparing "trip planning" notes on Austria in the months to come
Oct 15th, 2007, 08:13 AM
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P.S. Thank you so much for the info on Krems! I've been in and out of the office over the past week so I haven't been able to do my normal amount of "Fodoring", but I totally appreciate the info 
Oct 15th, 2007, 09:56 AM
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Jill, your trip sounds wondeful! If we had more time I would have loved to spend time in the Tirol area. We spent a few hours in Hall en route to Appenzell and fell in love with the town and the area.
We love Vienna. We were there about 3 or 4 years ago, but it was February and beyond cold so it was too cold to just wander around too much. And on top of it all Matt got sick (he swears it was food poisoning from eating a slice of pizza, but I ate from the same slice and didn't get sick so I beg to differ) so in the end we really didn't get to see Vienna like we wanted to and have always wanted to go back. Hopefully this time around will be a better experience!
Tracy
We love Vienna. We were there about 3 or 4 years ago, but it was February and beyond cold so it was too cold to just wander around too much. And on top of it all Matt got sick (he swears it was food poisoning from eating a slice of pizza, but I ate from the same slice and didn't get sick so I beg to differ) so in the end we really didn't get to see Vienna like we wanted to and have always wanted to go back. Hopefully this time around will be a better experience!
Tracy
