Next year at this time (early September) we'll be ending a riverboat tour in Basel. We want to travel for a week or so more, preferable sitting down in one or two towns -- not staying on the road the whole time. We were in Salzburg for one day 45 years ago and thought a couple of days there would be great, then off to Vienna for 5 or 6 days -- we've never been there. This looks inviting to us. I'm just wondering if that sounds like a good plan to others who a lot more experience in the region than we do. Thanks
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7260 posts
I take it for granted that you mean, "no car". Perhaps "comfortably familiar" is the wrong term for "45 years ago", but why not visit Inssbruck or Linz, if you haven't been there? When we were in Salzburg it seemed less affected by the passage of time than larger European cities. (Although I remember a pile of shopping carts around the Mozart statue, a comment on the "commercialization" of him.) Is that a plus or a minus for you? There's also Besancon and Strasbourg in the other direction. It would help to know which countries you'll visit on the boat. Maybe you'd had enough Germany. But there's a lot of Germany to see. Certainly Vienna is worth that much time. Does the airfare make a difference to you, or whether you'd need a connection on the way home?
Posted by
Green Bay
20016 posts
I'd say its a great plan. Yes, stop in and refresh memories in Salzburg and then on to Vienna. Its all on the RailJet route from Zurich to Vienna. You can fly home from Vienna using an open jaw ticket.
Posted by
San Francisco
14499 posts
Hi, "...off to Vienna for 5 or 6 days...." That is indeed "inviting." That's what I would suggest after going to Salzburg. If you can throw in a day or two for Linz, even better. I saw Linz the first time as a day traip from Salzburg in 1977, didn't go back to it until 2010. But I would give top priority to Salzburg and Vienna over Linz.
Posted by
Missouri City
252 posts
I consider Salzburg and Vienna to be a perfect combination. Salzburg is a truly beautiful city, especially when seen from the Hohensalzburg Fortress. You can also get a different viewpoint by taking the Monchsberg lift up to the Museum of Modern Art. Go outside on their terrace and look over the Salzbach River and all the spires and red tile roofs that make Salzburg beautiful. Five or 6 days in Vienna is a perfect amount of time to get a taste of this diverse city. Great food, architecture, museums, and art. Great public transportation so you can get around easily to see everything.
Posted by
Fredericksburg, VA, USA
409 posts
We just spent 10 nights in Vienna and 6 nights in Salzburg...yes, a perfect combination. They both have their own charms...PM me if you would like some recommendations.
Posted by
Longmont, CO, USA
527 posts
Your plan is sound and very good. A few days in Salzburg (Hotel Auersperg!), and take the Westbahn train to Vienna. Your days there will give you a good taste for a return trip to this jewel.
Posted by
washington
837 posts
Yes, Salzburg is very nice. So is Vienna. As nice as Vienna is, I'm not sure that I would opt for six days. If you can wrangle another day or two, I would recommend Salzburg, Vienna, and Prague. We made that swing a couple of years ago, after Switzerland, all by train. I believe that the Austria-Czech part was 8-9 days total.