A question about Austria

I agree with Steve, if you are looking for picturesque, you can't beat Hallstatt. Mittenwald doesn't even come close. St. Gilgen and St. Wolfgang are also nice, but Hallstatt.... OK, OK, it's in Rick's books, but he's got to be right sometimes.

I stayed in a farmhouse up a little creek from Lahn, which is about 1 km south of Hallstatt. The elderly woman's daughter has a modern chateau across the street, with two double rooms, but when I only wanted a single, she offered me a room in her mother's house. It was rustic, but nice. Chickens and ferrile cats in the front yard. Sheep and goats, with bells, in the back. She only spoke German. My kind of place.

BTW, if you are traveling to small town Austria, there will probably be regional train connections. Austrian Rail has an offer a little like the Bayern-Ticket in Bavaria, called Einfach Raus. For €28, you (2-5 people) can travel all day, hop-on, hop-off, on regional trains all over Austia.

Thanks guys, I've been to Hallstatt and loved it. We will go there again. Lee, I looked up St.Gilgen and St.Wolfgang and that's what I'm hoping to find! If anything else comes to mind, please let me know.

Thanks again.
All the Best, Monte

It's one of the two, St. Gilgen or St. Wolfgang, in one of the opening scenes of Sound of Music.

We've been to St. Gilgen and St. Wolfgang, too, and absolutely loved both of them. We stayed in a large farmhouse just outside of St. Wolfgang that had one double room and 4 apartments. Breakfast included fresh eggs and yogurt!

There are hundreds of atttractive little towns between Vienna and the Dolomites. With a car you have the luxury to stop where you like and explore. Everyone flocks to Hallstatt in the Salzkammergut, and it's certainly a must-see, but it does get it's share of tourists. There are many other towns in the Salzkammergut that also offer a small town feel, cafes, and yes, lots of scenery. For instance, you could try Gosau and the area around it, just a few miles from Hallstatt, and find lakes, world class scenic views, and far fewer tourists.

But don't limit yourself to the Salzkammergut. There is a little town, Mattsee, about 12 miles north of Salzburg, that is nothing short of gorgeous. It's nestled in hills and surrounded by 3 lakes, it has many walking, hiking and boating opportunities, and it has an excellent cafe in the center of town, the Cafe Neuhofer. The smaller towns around the largest lake, the Trumer See, are also very inviting and scenic. It's no more than a ½ hour drive from Salzburg, and if you don't love it, you can still drive to Hallstatt, by way of Mondsee and St. Gilgen. But I highly recommend that you give that part of the Salzburg Country (Salzburger Land) a try.

Thanks to all! You have given me a lot to go on!

All the best,Monte

I did a Sound of Music tour last summer (tacky, I know, but I loved it!) and one of the towns they visit is Mondsee. For SOM fans its where the wedding scene was filmed, but more importantly for what you're asking it had it all. Large enough to walk around, outdoor cafes, some shops, a lake to gaze at, etc. I hope someday to go back there and stay. Since you've already been to Hallstatt, which IMHO is somewhat small, you might want to consider this town.

PS if you do go, please send me a link to pictures you take! It was somewhat cloudy when I was there so my pictures didn't come out too well.

Hallstatt would be great but since you have been there you may want to look at Heiligenblut. It would be quite a drive but it is a picturesqe little town with a view of the Grossglockner, Austria's highest peak. It is a very small place with a beautiful little church. You could drive the Grossglockner pass up to the the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Hohe and eat at the Panorama restaurant. While there you get a close up view of the Grossglockner and the Pasterze glacier. Walk around and take in the views. The Grossglockner Pass or Grossglockner high alpine road (Grossglockner Hochalpenstraße) is open through October and there is a toll charge. Here is a link for some information on it:

http://www.grossglockner.at/en/grossglockner/

We stayed at Pension Edelweiss in Heiligenblut and the rooms were nice and the rates very reasonable and includes breakfast. It is located below the town with a nice view of the Grossglockner from the deck. You could google Heiligenblut and learn more about it if you are interested.

Hi Monte,

I like Lane's idea, but it would make for a long day. I'd suggest a night in the Salzkammergut and then on to the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrsse and an overnight in Heiligenblut. The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse is a fantastic drive and from Heiligenblut, the Dolomites are just a short drive away.

paul

Paul, I remember your suggestion of a nice place to stay in Heiligenblut but I do not remember the name. I think it was a B&B that was situated above Heiligenblut with a nice view. Can you pass on the name of the place where you stayed?

Hey Lane,

It is the Pension Ederhof. Great place, spectacular views!

www.ederhof-heiligenblut.at/

Our pic's are at:

www.worldisround.com/articles/324599/index.html

Paul