Our travel plans for May 2016 take us to Salzburg on a Sunday which I have now learned is Pentecost Sunday. Three B&Bs have already replied with no availability or a two night minimum due to the holiday. Our plan is to arrive mid-day on Sunday, explore Sunday afternoon and evening, do a SOM tour on Monday morning and the head on to Munich in the late afternoon. Does anyone have experience being in this area for the holiday weekend? Will the holiday hinder our tourist plans or maybe there are celebrations that go with this holiday? Thanks!
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5382 posts
Salzburg is such a tourist-driven town that you really won't notice much effect. Most shops will be closed on Monday (and all shops are closed on Sundays anyway). Whit Monday is referred to a Pfingsten in German. There are some special religious ceremonies, but most Austrians just look forward to having a long weekend during a nice time of year.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
Pfingsten is a BIG three-day weekend in the area around Catholic Bavaria. I was in Dresden three years ago on "Whit Saturday" and it was crawling with tourists. I took trains to Munich on Monday and they were packed. One was standing room only by the time we got to Munich. Unless you have a reserved seat on the train to Munich, I would recommend getting to the Salzburg station with plenty of time, particularly if the train originates in Salzburg (all regional trains do).