Austria Travel

We will not be driving. We would like to take a bus or a train. We are staying with our son in Vienna for alot of the trip. We have not been to Austria before. We are interested in Salzburg or surrounding area for 2-3 days. We will then return to Vienna at the end of our week for our return flight. Our son is pretty well versed with Vienna. We just would like more info on any surrounding areas We love cathedrals, castles, music, festivals, quaint villages under the moutains, shopping.
Thanks, Carolyn

You mention Salzburg and it has enough to do in and around it (day trips from Salzburg by day tour) to keep you busy for 2 or 3 nights. For a day trip from Vienna, catch the early train to Melk, tour the Melk Abbey, eat lunch, and take an afternoon trip along the river from Melk to Krems. Catch the train back to Vienna.Some people choose to visit the Nazi death camp at Mauthausen, west of Melk.

Allocate at least 3 days for sight-seeing Vienna. Then head out: While Melk is a standard tourist must-see, don't forget to visit Krems and Dürnstein nearby.This is the heart of the Wachau, Austria's best-known wine country and very picturesque.

I'd look at other excursions as well. In particular, take the train or bus to Eisenstadt, Burgenland and maybe farther (bus) to Rust to catch some of the Hungarian flavor of that wine-growing region. Maybe pop over to Sopron, Hungary,even. Eisenstadt was Haydn's domicile and the Esterhazy Castle he worked in is extraordinary.

BTW:(Mauthausen is quite a bit farther east than often described here. It's just a dozen miles from Linz and definitely not a short trip up the road from Melk)

If you do make it to Salzburg, rent a car and drive to Hallstaat. It is our most favorite place we have visited which has been a lot. Go in the late afternoon/evening when all of the tour buses have left. Walk through the back streets and enjoy the flowers along with the main walk. GORGEOUS! read all about it in Rick's archives.

Carolyn, I agree with Charlene. Hallstaat is just beautiful. We stayed in a little town about 40 minutes from Salzburg, called Filzmoos, and took the Jager taxi tour to Hallstaat for the day. Would really like to stay a night there the next time we go to Austria. You won't be dissapointed!

Sharon

It's me again, Carolyn. I'm pretty sure you can take a train to Hallstaat from Vienna or from Salzburg.

Sharon

While you can go by train to Hallstadt (and a romantic route the last spur is!), it's not as easy, because Hallstadt lies at the far end of a mountain valley with no outlet to the south.

Take the Vienna-Linz-Salzburg train as far as Attnang-Puchheim (halfway toward Linz), then transfer to the Salzkammergutbahn, a historic train that takes you through Bad Ischl, Bad Goisern, and then crosses to the eastern shore of Hallstädter See. The small train station has few services, and you will need to take a ferry across into town.

For my money (and time), skip the train, rent a car (I used gemut.com this time at low rates and Budget providing the car) and make it a day excursion from Salzburg instead of hassling with train connections. Daily rental may be about $65 or so.
Check schedules at www.oebb.at and see the attractions on www.salzkammergut.at

And it's "Hallstadt", guys!

Carolyn, two of my sons did a year abroad in college in Salzburg. I would stay there for the whole time and do day tours. Salzburg is so walkable, charming and lots to see. The surrounding environs will give you plenty to do. It is Europe at it's best and will fill the bill of your likes for castles, churches, etc. don't miss it. Stay at the Institute run by the nuns, can't recall the name but it's in the book. It is affordable, quiet and clean, right in the heart of the city.