Austria

Hi Jamie Sounds like a fantastic trip. I agree Salzburg is wonderful, I have only been there in the winter for Christmas markets but it was fantastic. If you can try to get a hotel along the river. I took the Sound of Music tour with Viator and loved it. I am not a huge fan of the sound of music but have seen the movie and the tour was really great you visit several locations around Salzburg and you go out into the countryside to the Church that the wedding scence was filmed. The tour was quite wonderful. They also have a tour to The Eagles Nest that I have heard is equally spectacular. There are two other thing you will want to experience the St. Peter's Bakery "oldest bakery" (free bread samples) its part of the montesary and St. Peter's Stiftkeller Restaurant "oldest restaurant". They say you need reservations for the restaurant but we were able to get it ok. It's small and quaint and the food was good. I think preferred Salzburg over Vienna because it feels more cozy. Smaller village feeling. In Vienna, there is a lot to see. Great historical spots and buildings. Lots of Operas and Concerts and a beautiful Schonbrunn Palace Estate very much like Versailles. I got a little bored with Vienna. (I am not an Opera fan and I had visited the shopping area and the food market area) so I took a day trip to Budapest and LOVED it. It was a neat experience. I got to add another country to my visited list and Budapest is a fantastic dual personality city Buda- Old, village setting on the hills overlooking the Danube which is so BEAUTIFUL and Pest the commercial rather industrial part of the city. I want to go back to experience the city a bit more because it was so interesting. I hope I haven't confused you and that it helps. Happy Travels!!!
Andrea

Jamie, the only comment I can offer is that two years ago we went to both Vienna and Salzburg, the former in large part because an acquaintance and his wife who lived in Europe strongly recommended Vienna. We liked Vienna, but loved Salzburg and would make a special trip to go back. Coming from Paris, were we to do the trip again, we would have skipped Vienna and spent another day in Salzburg and a full day in Munich before flying back home. Given your interests, you could easily spend at least two, if not three, full days in Salzburg, visiting the Salzkammergut region, the Berghof where Hitler spent time, and the Hohenwerfen castle region.

Hi Jamie, If your priority is Salzburg, why just 1 night? We've visited Salzburg on 5 seperate trips so far. Beautiful old town. We never seem to tire of it. If your favorite movie is "Where Eagles Dare", you need to visit Hohenwerfen Fortress near Salzburg. www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/werfen/erlebnisburg-hohenwerfen/index.htm www.movie-locations.com/movies/w/whereeaglesdare.html Paul

HI Jamie-Definitely add time in Salzburg. You don't say when you are going, but have there in the winter, train from Vienna one time, and train from Munich the next year. Love Salzburg, and once you are there, you will want to wander around and might wish you had just one more night. Love the old town, very friendly people. Vienna is awesome, beautiful architecture, lots of fun and walking. Salzburg quaint. I say another night in Salzburg. Have fun!!

The Eagle's Nest excursion is spectacular. Highly recommended. We did not take the Sound of Music tour because of time constraints. And I am old enough to remember Helen MacInnes. I think I read the Salzbook Connection and also saw a movie based on the book--a long time ago. Seriously, my family and I found Salzburg an absolute delight, spending one day longer than we had intended to spend and still wishing we had another day to spend there.

Thanks so much for all the input! My wife & I will travel to Austria in early June. Looks like I may add a day to Salzburg itinerary & possibly explore skipping Vienna in lieu of Munich or southern Germany. Any more thoughts appreciated.

I really do like Salzburg, have been there twice and plan on returning, but I wouldn't take time away from Vienna to spend more time in Salzburg. Vienna as a lot more to see and do. If you do want to add more time in Salzburg - I agree that getting to Obersalzburg either for the Nazi history or just for the amazing views and scenery - means you'd probably want to add another night. Maybe consider doing your trip in reverse and seeing if you can find cheap airfare from London to Vienna? Germanwings flies that route as do other discount airlines, I'm sure. It could go like this: Day 1: London to Vienna Day 4: train to Salzburg
Day 7: Overnight train to London A lot less time spent in transit, a lot more time at your destinations. I'm sure the train route in your itinerary would be lovely but you're going to spending a big chunk of your trip on the train.

Absolutely fly from London to Salzburg or Vienna.

Really enjoyed Vienna but loved Salzburg.

I think Kathy is really on to something. You are spending 2 of your 6 available days getting to your first stop. I would fly from London to Vienna. Stay days 1-3 in Vienna. Train to Salzburg day 4. Stay 4 and 5 in Salzburg and fly either fly from Salzburg or train from Salzburg to Munich and fly to Heathrow day 6. Fly home day 7.

Vienna was a much larger city than I expected and Salzburg was exactly what I expected.... I return to Salzburg again and again but now that I have seen the highlights in Vienna I do not need to go back. For me Salzburg is the perfect size city to be a tourist in. You can walk most everywhere and it has a wonderful ambience. I would give more time to Salzburg if possible.

I LOVE Helen MacInnes novels and am going to Germany and Austria for the first time in a few months. I need to reread The Salzburg Connection!! I have take Above Suspicion out of our library so many times - I am visiting Nurnberg - remember the part where they go to the bookstore looking for sheet music I believe. Have fun - I have no input!!

I like Sarah's itinerary. With yours, you will be spending way too much time traveling and not being anywhere. Visiting Hohenwerfen will take at least half a day. I remember the first time I saw "Where Eagle Dare" and was sure that that was the castle. Have you read the book? The best line - the last line by the Clint Eastwood character - was not included in the movie.

Jaimie,
I agree with several other respondants. Saltzburg is wonderful; Vienna, not as wonderful. Although it has been a while since I visited there, when my family and I went we did not find people very hospitable or helpful ( even when they were employed in tourist businesses).I think a big attraction to Vienna is the classical music which was not an interest for us. Some of the castles seemed very run-downand shabby.I went to a lot of trouble to get tickets to the Vienna Boys Choir and they sounded like angels but you could not see them at all from where you are seated in a very cramped balcony.Lots of history there but I left feeling glad to go. When I left Saltzburg I felt sure I would want to return some day. It was beautiful, quaint, and interesting.