My wife and I are planning a trip over Christmas-New Years. We have flights booked and a rough plan, and we're looking for thoughts on which towns in the mountains are good to visit at that time of year. We like the idea of being outdoors in the mountains (wandering around cute towns, snowshoeing, hiking maybe?) but she is not a skier. Some nice alpine views would be great.
Our current plan: fly into Budapest (3 nights), train to Vienna (3 nights, including Christmas Day), go into the mountains (5 nights), fly out of Munich (1 night, New Years Eve). We've been to Munich before, so not prioritizing more time there on this trip.
So the main questions:
- With 5 nights in the middle, where should we go? Two places or add an extra night in Vienna and just do one place in the mountains for 4 nights? We will not have a car, so that restricts us a bit.
- Current considerations: Salzburg, Innsbruck, Füssen. Like the idea of Hallstatt but thinking it might be too quiet at that time.
- If not skiing, can you do anything else up on the mountains/resorts? How is the après-ski?
- Any need for special footwear? I've seen most people saying that comfortable water-resistant shoes are good enough.