.Hi all,

I'm in the process of finalizing my travel plans for Vienna, Salzburg and Munich and looking for some feedback or suggestions based on what I've put together quickly. Heads up this is a bit of a longer post, but appreciate and thank you all in advance for your input and feedback:

Vienna (3 days)

I think for the convenience of getting around and sightseeing, the Vienna Car for 72 hours would be the best option for me as well. My plan includes seeing:
� Schonbrunn Palace
� Hofburg Palace
� St. Stephen�s Cathedral (and tower for a view)
� Rathaus/Rathausplatz/Christmas Market
� Vienna State Opera
� Donauturm
� Parliament
� Belvedere Palace
� Walking tour
� Rinsgstrasse
� Perhaps experiencing a thermal spa (either Thermen Wien or SO at the Sofitel; or if anyone has any other recommendations) � or is it not worth it?

Salzburg (1 day)

As I�ll be taking the train from Vienna, I�ll arrive around noon to have the afternoon available for:
� Residenzplatz
� Mozartplatz
� Hohensalzburg Palace
� Salzburg Cathedeal
� Mozart�s Birthplace
� Strolling around Getreidagasse and the Christmas Market in the evening

I�ll be leaving for Munich on the following afternoon (3pm) to have the morning to see Mirabell Palace and Gardens and Mozart�s Residence.

My hotel will be around Mozartplatz and given that everything is so walk-able in Salzburg, I don�t think I�ll be opting for the Salzburg card for the short time I�ll be there.


Munich (4 days)

Been there twice already so I�ve seen most of the touristy things. But since this is my first time in the winter, I�m hoping to soak up some of the advent and Christmas atmosphere while also visiting some friends. My plan includes:
� Brewery Tour
� Christmas Markets
� Deutsches Museum
� BMW Plant Tour (already booked and confirmed)
� Bayerisches Museum
� Tollwood Winter Festival
� Munchner Stadtmuseum
� Neuschwanstein Castle Tour from Munich
� Perhaps a thermal spa close to the city center (within reasonable price) � or is it not worth it?
� There�s also a Deutsch Eishockey Liga game while I�m in town. As an NHL fan, does anyone think this might be worth attending?

In the past, I�ve always chosen a hotel right by the Hauptbahnhof. This time, I�m thinking of exploring and trying a different part of the city that�s still close to public transit. I found good hotel rates near the Ostbahnhof (one was on the west side of OBF and the other is on the east side of the station). Just wondering if anyone has any feedback on the area (safe, clean, busy/quiet) and any recommendations on things to do/see or places to eat nearby.

Thanks again for all your input

Apologies @Steve07 for hijacking your thread a bit....I'm curious to know if the Hohensalzburg Palace is a must-see in Salzburg. I read somewhere that the view from the fortress is great but seeing the fortress itself isn't really worth the entrance fee. What are the opinions of those of you who have been to this site? If visiting the inside of the fortress isn't highly recommended, are there still viewpoints that would be accessible without paying the entrance fee?

We lived in Vienna for seven years before moving to the U.S. in late June, and toured around with numerous visiting friends and family members (including Salzburg). Here are my thoughts.

​​​​​​Vienna

Your itinerary has considerable overlap and backtracking, so planning will be key. For example, you will “see” many of the places listed on the Walking Tour and then will have to revisit them in order to tour. The Inner Stadt is compact enough that you can easily wander on your own with a good guide book.

Vienna Card versus Vienna Pass. Compare the two cards against your itinerary. The “Card” offers only discounts; the “Pass” covers entry fees, allowing you to bypass ticket lines. Here is a great comparison for reference.

Ringstra�e. Touring this 5km loop can take a good half day on foot, if you plan to stop and admire the architecture. Here is a great DIY link. If architecture isn’t your focus, you’ll be seeing many of the highlight buildings (Parliament, Opera, Rathaus, Schloss Hofburg) as part of your proposed itinerary, anyway.

Speaking of Parliament. I don’t believe tours are offered during the renovation (so, exterior photos won't be memorable). Instead, there are tours of the parliamentary side of Hofburg (not Schloss Hofburg, which is on your itinerary.) I would pass on the parliament tours, personally.

Donauturm/Stephansdom Tower. Unless you have a thing for climbing towers, this isn’t worth your time. The Vienna skyline is not particularly attractive; and there are lots of construction cranes marring photos.

Christmas Markets. In addition to the Wiener Kristkindlmarkt at Rathaus, arguably the merriest and brightest (and also the most commercial), there are markets at Belvedere and Sch�nbrunn, so you might time your visits toward the end of the day when the markets are lit. Depending on the dates of your visit there may be some of the special Christmas markets that are only open on certain weekend, and well worth making time for.

Salzburg

​​​​​Consider purchasing the Salzburg Card. It will pay for itself in one day if you visit the Dom Quartier (plus you get to walk around the interior of the dome); take the funicular up to Hohensalzburg (spectacular views, and you can skip the queue); and drop in on the little Christmas Museum (30 minutes, tops).

It is not possible to get the views from the Fortress over Salzburg without paying. If you take the footpath up there are places where you can "view" Salzburg and surrounds, but it is not comparable to being at the top. Every time we visited Salzburg we went either up Untersberg or to Hohensalzburg for the views (only once touring the fortress. It was, well, fortress-y), so for us the views were worth the �25 or �10, respectively.

fourfortravel Thanks for all of your advice! Just one more question: what would be your must-do's for about 24 hours in Salzburg in December?

We'll be taking a morning train in from Munich on a Saturday and leaving Sunday on the 12:12 train. We're planning on a Sound of Music tour, seeing the cathedral, the view from the Winkler Terrace (or possibly the fortress if we decide we want to pay the entrance fee), and the main Christmas market. I thought my plans for Salzburg were set, but I'm suddenly finding more sites I wonder if I should incorporate (DomQuartier, St. Peter's Monastery, advent markets other than the one in the main square). I'm not sure if time will permit much more, but it may influence how early we catch the train from Munich.

I must admit that your time in Vienna seems short to me, given everything you plan to do there. Will you have jet lag when you arrive? If so, you may have even less time than you think, as that can easily eat a day. Also, I notice that you don't have the Kunsthistorisches Museum on your list for Vienna, and if art isn't your thing, that's understandable -- but I would note that the entry hall, with its Klimt decorations, is IMO exquisite.

I am a huge SOM fan and our first day trip to Salzburg was consumed with all things SOM, but that was in a springtime. Subsequent visits in December, especially with the Christmas markets meant our sightseeing was diverted. Having experienced the city over several visits and three seasons, for a first day-trip visit I would:

1) Catch the earliest train possible from Munich.
2) Take the SOM tour*
3) If the weather is nice, go to Hohensalzburg for the peeks and the snaps. If not, use the time for the Dom Quartier.
4) Visit the SternAdvent market at Stern Brau in late afternoon (make dinner reservations). I recall that you will be in Vienna, as well, so you can perhaps be a little more particular about the Christmas-marketing in Salzburg. The markets in Salzburg are nice, but I would not prioritize them necessarily, except for the SternAdvent and the market at Schloss Hellbrunn (a little challenging to reach on public).
5) The following morning, visit the Christmas Museum (it takes 30 minutes, tops, and is devoted to one woman's lovely personal collection of "All Things Austrian Christmas.") before heading to the train station. Sundays can be a bit sleepy in Austria.

*Alternatively, you can DIY with any of the tours out there on the Internet, and this one in particular, especially as you will be touring the city anyway.

I hope this is helpful.

fourfortravel Thank you!