We've just returned from an early fall trip which included hiking out of Lech, Austria; a return to a favorite place in the Dolomites; and a first visit to Vienna.

By way of introduction DH and I are in our early seventies, and we’re transitioning to no driving for most international travel. We enjoy hiking as well as museums and gardens, and we like to end the day with a fine meal. "Night life" for us means a stroll back to our hotel. We prefer to stay at least 3 nights in any one place, and try to limit one night stays. We have always traveled independently, but in the past few years we have looked into small tours, as well as getting from point to point by train. So far it is working out for us.

itinerary:
2 nights - Innsbruck, Leipziger Hof
7 nights - Lech Am Arlberg, Austria, Haldenhof
3 nights - Brixen/Bressanone, Adler Historic Guesthouse
5 nights - La Villa (in Alta Badia) Italy, Miraval Natur Hotel
6 nights - Vienna, Air BnB rental

This is the second time we have booked an extra seat - the middle seat in between us - and this "poor man's business class" has made all the difference in tolerating a long flight. While it's no bed, we were both able to catch some sleep and arrive a bit less bleary eyed. We flew into Munich, took the train into the central station, and caught our reserved train to Innsbruck.

I had booked the Leipziger Hof in part because they have a spa with sauna and steam room, something I thought we would relish after our long travel. Shortly before the free cancellation period was up we were informed that the spa was being renovated and the restaurant was closed. I contacted the hotel and was told that if the spa was still closed during our stay we would be reimbursed a reasonable amount per person per night so we decided to leave things as booked. The hotel is on the other side of the train station from the old town, but it's on a direct bus line to both, and the hotel provided a free bus pass.

Our room was ready by our late afternoon arrival, the spa was blessedly open, and we took full advantage of both the steam and sauna rooms. Our search for a quick, nearby dinner was not as easy as we hoped. The acclaimed restaurant on the corner had permanently closed for retirement the evening before. We didn't have the energy to go into the main part of town, so we ended up in a falafel/kebap place. Short on atmosphere, we were pleasantly served large portions of tasty food. We hit the wall of sleeplessness, and returned to the hotel looking forward to seeing Innsbruck on the following day.

on for the ride

My knees are on for the ride, too.

Looking forward to your TR, also love La Villa/Stern (and all of the Dolomites!).

I’m here for it, too!

Tuned in!

I sympathise with any knee issues, mine is a pain too.

Day One - Innsbruck
Small miracle, but we both slept all night - in two hour increments.
Breakfast at the hotel was good and plentiful, with a cooked eggs option. The breakfast room staff were energetic, attentive to empty coffee cups, and almost overly pleasant for this night owl.

We had no firm plan for Innsbruck. We just thought it would be a soft landing after a long flight from SFO to Munich. And this beautiful little city proved to be just that. We headed to the old town via a quick tram ride which dropped us off at the beginning of Maria Theresien st. We had a walking tour of the town in mind, but the walking path along the river called first. The day was sunny and bright, the flowers in their beds along the paths had not yet lost their colors to autumn, and the fresh air was exactly what was called for.

After a lengthy riverside walk we headed into the market hall. We both found this market to be subdued, almost as if it were just for show. The produce stands had very limited quantities, all artfully arranged, but no buyers. Perhaps it was the time of day, or perhaps the residents do their marketing someplace else.

We then spent our time wandering along Maria Theresien Strasse, a pedestrian shopping street filled with cafes, from the beginning until the Triumphal Arch, and back to the famous Golden Roof. Meandering away from the main street, we found ourselves checking out all the sporting goods stores advertising 0% off.

The Museum of Tyrolian Folk Craft and the Hof Kirche were up next. A radio station was holding some type of program in the courtyard so admission was free. At least we think that is why. When we asked why it was a free day, the attendant shrugged and said they didn't know. So we entered the church to the sounds of the Beatles on one side of the door, and were immediately surrounded by the sounds of organ practice for an upcoming competition. Evidently this organ is one of the oldest playable organs in the world. The church is fairly small and intimate feeling, but lest you get too comfortable, you are surrounded by 28 enormous bronze statues of Habsburgs and role models. I was pleased to see that some of the giants were women. The detailing, such as the brocade fabric, was definitely worth spending time to look at. The museum's brochure is an excellent primer. The primary purpose for the building of this church, other than further glorifying the empire, was to house the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I. It's definitely worth a visit.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in the Museum of Tyrolian Folk Craft. It was enlightening to see the beautiful crafts, and to learn more about the traditions and culture of the mountains. DH thought there were too many stubes (the wood- lined gathering room warmed by tiled stoves) on display, but I was fascinated by the variety and the incredible decoration on the beams and joins of the rooms. I imagine the fancy work was accomplished on long winter nights over long periods of time. Nonetheless, the design of the museum makes it easy enough to skip some of the stubes if you've had your fill. Another room that caught my fancy, and found DH waiting in the lobby for me, was the costume room. The models in the center of the room in all their fancy dress are surrounded by cabinet filled walls with drawers full of accessories. Heaven for someone who has a passion for the textile arts.

It was time for some fresh air and refreshment. We walked through part of the Hof Garden, and then back to Maria Theresien Strasse for an unremarkable cold drink at one of the plaza cafes. Dinner was at Restaurant Cafe Arkadenhof. We shared a salad, perch for DH and the seasonal pasta for me. The pasta portion was enormous. All was tasty, and the service was pleasant.

Beautiful flower beds along the Inns river walk.

Late summer on Maria Theresien Strass

One of many bronze statues in the Hof Kirche

Sled runner ornaments - Tyrolian Folk Craft Museum

These unhappy knees are tuning in from Switzerland. Look forward to reading more about your trip.

I am enjoying reading about Innsbruck. Looks like a lovely city. We haven't been to Switzerland yet, except to change planes in Zurich. Hope to get there some day.

Day two – Travel day to Lech am Arlberg

Why Lech? This is a somewhat long story, so if you aren’t interested, skip this paragraph. Many years ago (2017) we were in Capetown, and shared travel stories with a young British couple who lived in Berlin. They told us that if we loved the Dolomites, that we would love hiking in Austria. When they returned home they sent us a list of their top five places. In 2019 when we returned to the Dolomites we added a week at their favorite spot in Kals am Grossglockner. Indeed, it was lovely. Fast forward, and DH’s sister and brother-in-law, who are younger and sportier than we are, decided to replicate our trip. However, the first choice spot was booked, so they went with the next in line – Haldenhof in Lech. They liked it so much that they have been twice to hike, and once to ski, and have another trip coming up next year. Thus our decision to try it out. Meeting people from all over the world, and getting their tips is one of my favorite parts about traveling.

On to our travel day. It was an absolutely stunning late summer day, and we hoped it would hold for the higher mountains. We had two travel options to get to Lech without a car: train from Innsbruck to San Anton, then bus to Lech; or train from Innsbruck to Langen, then bus to Lech. The San Anton option was $18 euros less expensive, but there were fewer buses. We opted for it as the train and bus schedules seemed to align. Ha ha ha… echoing through-out the Alps.

We knew before we left our hotel that our train was delayed. At the station our train was the only one on the board showing as delayed, and the delay kept creeping up. By the time the train approached we figured we would have 4 minutes to get off in San Anton and catch the bus, but the arrival time continued to grow later and later. The ride itself was beautiful as it passed along a string of villages which over time have grown closer together, differentiated by one onion-steepled church after another. The sides of the track were covered with yellow and purple flowers – I’m guessing ragweed and wolfsbane.

As you have suspected, we did miss the bus – by quite a lot - and had an hour and a half until the next one. While DH purchased tickets I joined 3 others to hold up the wall at the bus stop. But wait, another couple were having a lengthy discussion with a taxi driver. One of the wall holders meandered over to get the scoop. He returned to ask if we were willing to split the cost 5 ways, the driver was leaving ASAP. Heck, yes. DH was going, “But I bought tickets for the bus.” I told him to give them to the remaining couple who were still holding up the wall. They looked a bit dazed when DH gave them our bus tickets, and when they tried to pay, he asked them to pay it forward by possibly making a donation to a food bank.

While we ended up paying twice to get to Lech, our ride in the van was really interesting. The other 3 persons were all on their way to Lech to participate in the Transalpine Run. The woman who had negotiated the taxi fare was bound and determined she was not going to miss a moment of pre-run activity now that she was so close. This was her third attempt at the run – the first was canceled due to COVID, the second try was scrubbed due to a leg injury. We felt compelled to show up to cheer them on the morning the run began. Following is a brief description of the run:

“There may be no more famous stage trail race in the world than the Transalpine Run. The Dynafit Transalpine Run includes eight villages, and runs through some of the most scenic areas of the Alps, from Germany to Austria and finishing in Italy. The course varies each year, and often includes Switzerland. Runners can enter as a two-person team or solo, and the event is fully supported, with supplies and baggage moved daily from town to town. Covering over 250 km of the Alps, this race has it all, from forests to high alpine passes, cruising through pastures, tough uphill pushes– you name it. Famously well supported, the Transalpine run is considered one of the all-time classic Alp trail running events.”

Upon arrival in Lech we found our hotel, Haldenhof, to be about 4 minutes away across the river. Our corner room had two balconies with mountain and river views, and plenty of space to spread out for the week including a sofa, armchair and ottoman. Dinner for the week would consist of a two part appetizer, a soup option, the main course, and dessert. That night we were served a gazpacho type salad with a tasty quiche, beef broth with shredded pancake, a choice of fish and chips or pasta. The pasta was an enormous portion of very tasty mac’n’cheese which would have been perfect for a cold winter night which this wasn’t. Overall, we found the food to be good to quite good, the service to be warm, and the surroundings to be comfortably elegant. A good place to land.


The view from one of our balconies at Haldenhof in Lech.

Austria is so beautiful!

Very much enjoying this report. Please keep writing.

Hello and thanks to those of you following along!
Day 3 – Lech

This was to be our first day of hiking after an ample and tasty breakfast. We’d purchased our Lech cards with a senior discount that covered all the lifts in the region as well as the hiking buses. The clouds were low, and it was raining, but we were prepared with pack covers and jackets. Did the rain pants make it into the luggage? They did not. Did either of us remember even discussing whether or not to bring them? We did not. I guess we packed wishful thinking. We have always had perfect weather in the Dolomites on our previous trips, which didn’t do us much good at the moment in Austria. Much to the amusement of the people tucked into the hotel lounge lingering over second cups of coffee and game boards, we set out in search of a low elevation introductory walk, hats and gloves in place. We began by strolling along the river through town but neither gondola was running. We contemplated walking up to Oberlech for some exercise, but the steady drizzle was wind blown into our faces, and it was cold. Unlike some intrepid Fodorites like Melnq8 who always seems to be prepared with foul weather gear, we decided to pack it in.

We spent a leisurely few hours reading and playing cards, but by mid-afternoon the sun was out, and so were we. We opted for the Lechuferweg Riverside trail, a lovely meander along the river through the woods to Zug. We thought about taking the Zugerbergbahn cable car up, but it was already late afternoon, so we headed back to Lech on the return in-and-out trail. It’s a very mellow walk, perfect when the trails are wet. At one point there was a large bench at the river’s edge which enticed us to bask in the late afternoon sun until the chill set in.

Back at Haldenhof we enjoyed afternoon cake and cappuccinos on the terrace before indulging in a sauna. Dinner was a bit quirky as it was Thai inspired, without the balance of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter that Thai food is known for. However, the kitchen did a pretty decent job with grilled pork belly and a papaya salad to start, a soup, and then a classic “street food” dish of rice topped with seasoned ground meat and fried egg. I didn’t make a note of dessert, but I think it was mango in some form.


What a difference a day makes, but the view is still gorgeous!

Day 4 – Lech

Today was the start of the Transalpine Run, and I’d said that if I was awake at 8 I’d go to the starting line to cheer the runners on. We both felt like we’d been awake most of the night, so there was no problem getting up in time. We bundled up in all our warmest clothes for the short walk across the river to the starting area. It was a cold, frosty 35 degrees, and we had nothing but sympathy for the runners who were in lightweight running shorts and sleeveless jerseys. Once we realized that the runners would pass directly underneath our balcony we opted to return to the warmth of our room until the starting gun. It was a 5 minute party as the hotel staff and guests emerged to whistle, cheer and clap for the runners as they passed us by, and began to set their paces for the day. I didn’t catch sight of our van pool companions, but I thought of them many times through-out the week. Then we settled into a lavish, hot breakfast in the pretty dining room as the sun began to break through the cloud cover.

Our hike for the day was on the Tannberg Trail. We started at the Warth end of the trail so that we could end back in Lech without a wait for the bus at the end of the day. We took the #709 bus to the end of the line, past Warth where the trail began at the parking lot. This was a good test for how much my knee could handle. (I assume many of you are in a similar boat with arthritis making steep downhills miserable, but just before we left on this trip my left knee became unstable. It was concerning enough that I wore a compression sleeve and signed up for Team Tylenol.)

The weather was perfect for hiking as the sun came out full on, and the temps were shirt sleeve pleasant. The rains of the previous few days and nights hadn’t impacted the trail conditions except for one short stretch of single track across and down a rocky, tree-root snarled path that was slippery. It opened up into a long meadow before heading down into Oberlech.

The descent into Oberlech was harder for me than it should have been, but I knew there was a reward up ahead. We located the Petersboden lift which took us up to a road leading to the Kriegeralpe Hutte. The walk up took longer than we were led to believe by DH’s sister – she being younger and sportier, but a final turn revealed the hut, and we found a seat at an outdoor table which we shared with a German family on holiday. We were looking forward to trying Kaiserschmarrn, a thick pancake which is caramelized, cut into chunks and served with jam – rhubarb in this case. Our order arrived in a large cast iron skillet which we eagerly attacked. We couldn’t finish our shared portion, but our table companions ordered one each. It was a delightful treat, although I think it would not be the best thing if you plan to head uphill afterward.

We walked back down to the Petersboden lift for the ride down to the Bergbahn Oberlech cable car, which deposited us on the main street of Lech near the information center. It was our first truly full day of hiking, and we were tired. It was time for a sauna and rest. Overall, this was a beautiful, easy hike even with the knee which slowed me down.

Dinner was a starter of beef carpaccio with coleslaw, then beet soup followed by Artic Char with lemon pasta. Dessert was crème brulee.


Heading to Lake Kalbelesee on the Tannberg - DH photo

Kaiserschmarrn - our 1st but not the last! - DH photo

Day 5 – Lech

We got a late start, not getting to breakfast until 9. Then we took the Rufikopf cable car up to take in the incredible 360 degree views. Contemplating which trails to undertake, we immediately ruled out a few in consideration of my knee, and headed off on the trail to Zurs. We knew that the end section of this trail was steep, but our intention was to turn around at some point. Some minutes along we came to an intersection sign post for the Geoweg. This trail actually begins near the top of the cable car station, and the sign post we were at was the end of the loop but it turned out to be the best direction for us. At the end of the day we found that the trail head at the station was a scree-strewn steep descent. The trail around the limestone plateau is filled with geologic markers. The area used to be undersea, and the fossils of prehistoric mussels and squid are clearly visible. It was a fascinating walk to be surrounded by beautiful alpine peaks amid the fossils of ancient sea life.

Having completed the circular walk, and the last scramble up to the Rufikopf station, we had a late lunch of soup at the Rufi Panorama restaurant: cream of potato with porcini for me and beef broth with canederli (Tyrolian dumplings) for DH, with a beer and a glass of gruner veltliner. Then it was back down to town for cards and cake on the terrace, followed by laundry and a sauna.

We had a good time at dinner quizzing each other on the artist and song title of the restaurant’s playlist for the evening. Up to this point we had listened to a pleasant stream of Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra, and a few Billy Joel numbers mixed in. This night the music was in the classic vinyl genre, and we joked that it must be the night off for the older staff, and the kids were in charge. Dinner was a green bean and radiccio salad, a mystery option that we passed on during the morning’s ordering (more on that in a minute), tomato soup with basil cream, roast chicken, and an amazing tiramisu.

Each morning the evening’s dinner choices are made, and this morning there was an appetizer listed that we could not find a translation for. One of the kitchen staff came out to tell us it was beef cheek. Alright then, yes please. Then someone else came to the table to tell us no, it wasn’t beef cheek, it was beef lung. Alright then, no thank you. Sometime far later in the evening, I realized that it was probably beef tongue, but lost in translation! High marks for the entire staff who more than likely spoke several languages, and this was the only time we noticed any misunderstanding in communication.


The Rufikopf Geoweg trail which wanders through a limestone plateau and marks geologic and fossil specimens.

The Rufikopf Geoweg

The Rufikopf Geoweg

Looking forward to your trip report on Switzerland, Mel!

Day 6 – Lech

We are continuing a pattern of little to no sleep. I hate to admit it, but I think jet lag and sleep adjustment is harder the older we get. I would love to have something else to blame it on, but our room and the bed at Haldenhof are exceedingly comfortable. We were in the breakfast room at 7:30 for an early start as the forecast was for late afternoon clouds.

The hike today would be another beginning from the Rufikopf, hiking down across a valley, up to a saddle and down to the Stuttgarter Hutte, and then on into Zurs to catch a bus back to Lech. This hike is classified as easy to moderate, but with the warning that the last half is a solid downhill with many steep switchbacks. I put the compression sleeve on my knee, grabbed my poles and we were off.

https://www.lechzuers.com/en/stuttga....1856/10.18365

The first part of the hike was a beautiful valley walk hugged in by mountains all around and facing the slope that ascends to a saddle. Once on top, Stuttgarter Hutte can be seen far below. After a short descent, the trail leveled out until the last small uphill push to the hut. We stopped for lunch at the hut with its Nepalese staff, and I should have ordered the momos. Instead I had the canederli in brodo, which was the first time I have had a canederli I didn’t like. These were far more dense than the ones I have been served in the Dolomites, somewhat like the difference between matzo ball floaters and sinkers.

After lunch we faced the long downhill portion of the hike. Parts of the trail were loose rock, making for slow going on my part. After descending into the valley and crossing a bridged river there was a short uphill section before reaching first a gravel, and then a paved, road down into Zurs. This road was the steepest road I have ever seen. I lost count of the hairpin turns down to the highway. It was a killer on the knees, so much so that I walked the last part of it backwards. With the road’s edge to guide me so that I didn’t have to look over my shoulder it was a faster and pain free way to finally reach Zurs. We had seen the bus go by while we were still several switchbacks up the cliffside so we knew we had at least thirty minutes to wait in what had become a cold, gloomy day. Zurs is a ski town, totally dead in the summer months, so not a cup of coffee or glass of wine to be had. We both agreed that the best part of the trail was the first portion, and if we were to do it again we would go in as far as Stuttgarter Hutte and back to the Rufikopf. DH’s sister classifies this hike as easy, but as described before, she is younger and sportier.

We had another nice dinner: a green salad (finally!) and trout, cheese dumplings in beef broth, duck breast with pasta, and a lemon tart with blood orange sorbet. It is the last week the hotel is open for the summer season, and there are fewer and fewer tables in the dining room. We played cards in the lounge after dinner. I won.


Down into the valley and up to the saddle - Rufikopf to Zurs

Beautiful campanula along the way

From Stuttgarter Hutte it's downhill all the way to Zurs

Day 7 – Lech

Clouds and light rain are forecast, so our original thinking is to stay low for our walks, but then it was decided my knee could benefit from a rest day. (I’ve been very cautious this trip having suffered through shin splints on our first trip to the Dolomites in 2016.) After a very leisurely breakfast we spent the remainder of the morning running a few errands – chocolate, please. We caught up on photos and notes, and did some advance research on Vienna restaurants.

There was no need for lunch, but we did manage cake and tea in the afternoon, and then spent more time playing cards. I lost. We’ve learned that one member of the younger, sportier couple we are meeting up with in a few days just got a steroid shot for his bad knee. Perhaps we will all be a bit slower on the trails in the days to come.

Dinner was excellent: crispy potato things like arancini, cauliflower soup, roast pork loin with bread dumplings and kraut (the waiter double-checked that there was no sour kraut on my plate while my Pennsylvania Dutch nana spun in her grave), apricot dumpling for dessert.



Day 8 – Lech

We woke to another cold, drizzly day, but just after noon it let up somewhat, and with some long-distance encouragement from the younger, sportier couple to just grab an umbrella and go, we did.

Plan 1 was to head out from Lech to Warth, turning around after an hour or so, just to get some fresh air. Plan 1A was to walk toward Warth until we hit the marker for Boden Alpe, have a snack and take the bus back from there.

The rain stopped almost immediately after we set out. It was cool, gray, with very low clouds, and refreshing! The trail quickly became not as described. There were lots of steep ups and downs, it was muddy with exposed tree roots, and was hard going. When we got to the turn-off for the Boden Alpe the trail looked to be a straight slide down in mud, and as the day was quite nice by this time we opted for Plan 2 which was to walk the remaining 1-½ hours into Warth. It was pretty, and pretty gnarly with the mud. This is the trail that the younger, sportier one (DH’s sister) said was easy, and a good one to do on a low visibility day. The last part of the route up to Warth was very steep. This part we knew about. We arrived just before 4, and were chilled after the climb, but the only place that looked like it might be open to grab a hot drink was nowhere near the bus stop. As the bus comes once an hour we did not want to take a chance of missing it. Fortunately for us, a Post Bus came after a short wait, and we were able to get on it with our Lech cards. I think it may have been the driver’s last run of the day because he drove the narrow, winding road down into Lech like a maniac! Either that or he knew the oncoming bus’s schedule and was aiming to meet it on a straight away.

Our longer than anticipated walk called for beers and a sauna. Dinner was very nice, and subdued. I was almost too tired for wine! We were served: couscous salad, “gyoza” with pinto beans (I assume maybe the kitchen couldn’t get adzuki?), a tomato consomme with a cheese dumpling, rack of lamb with polenta and peppers, and a chocolate lava cake.



Thoughts about Lech

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in this new-to-us part of the world. The scenery is beautiful, the hikes are varied, although I think the trails may be in better shape in the summer as opposed to after the heavy rains we had. A car isn’t required. It was easy enough to get there, and the hiking buses make getting to and from trail heads a snap, as long as you don’t miss the last one! We loved Haldenhof. It’s a family run hotel with a lovely staff. The meals can be somewhat quirky, but they are ample and tasty. The public areas are pleasant, and the room we had was exceptionally comfortable.


Looking back to Lech on the way to Warth

Up and down, around and over to Warth

I have been Googling Lech, since reading this, looks like a great place to base. Beautiful photos.