My sister and I are planning our first trip to Europe but we need some major advice because like all newbies we want to see everything but only have 2 weeks. We have however, managed to narrow it down. We are planning to go to Vienna and Salzburg because we are major Mozart fanatics. We then want to make our way to Barcelona and Madrid and stopping in Cinque Terre on the way. Do you think this is feasible? Are we trying to do too much? Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? Any advice is welcome. Thank you!
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
517 posts
Depends on how "go-go-go" spirited you and your sister are. 3 1/2 hours by train from Vienna to Salzburg; count on a day from Salzburg to Cinque Terre; Full day for CT to Barcelona by train; also most of a day to Madrid. That is almost 4 days on the train right there, plus your fly-in day and your fly-out day, which are generally transit days. Subtract all those days and you are left with only about a week of on-the-ground, sightseeing days. Spread that across 5 major destinations and you are not giving yourself much time at all in each place. If it were me, I'd drop Spain. If you REALLY feel you need a 4th destination, how about someplace closer in Northern Italy? Bolzano and Verona would break up the Salzburg CT leg a bit. But, yes, I'd personally scale it back. Plan as though you are certain to come back again. But, in the end, it is your trip and only you know what you are capable of, what your priorities are, and what sounds like fun to you. Have a good trip. P.S. - end of aug/early sept is a nice choice. Most European kids are back in school by then and I think Sept is the best weather in Austria! Happy travels!
Posted by
Longmont, CO, USA
527 posts
I would advise you to stay in Austria. You can easily spend 5 or more days in Vienna and barely scratch the surface of the wonderful city. You can make day trips or overnight to the Wachau Valley along the Danube...great villages and always the Castle above Durnstein and the Abby at Melk. Hop the train up to Salzburg and spend 3 or more days there, maybe make some day trips to Halstatt or other outlying areas. You can also take the train over to Bregenz or Feldkirch. You will be in Vienna during their fall festivel over at the Hoffburg, make sure to try the unique lightly alcoholic Sturm, which is available during this time. In August up in Salzburg they are having a Festival which has a lot of Mozart on the Venue:
http://www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/summer
Posted by
Germany, Germany
813 posts
If you want to do Barcelona/Madrid, then fly from Salzburg or Munich, skip Italy.
A week for Vienna /Salzburg and a week for Barcelona/Madrid is very do-able.
Posted by
Happy Valley, PA
672 posts
Two other interesting and less-visited cities in eastern Austria are Graz and Eisenstadt. The former, about 3.5 hr from Vienna by train, is very medieval, has a Hapsburg Emperor in residence (his own masoleum), a fortress/clock tower, and a fantastic 400-year-old fully stocked armory (http://www.austria.info/us/austria-unique-like-you/graz-armory-1487450.html). There are also some interesting nearby sites in Styria, such as the Piber Stud Farm (the Lippizaner breeding farm), Schloss Eggenberg, etc. If you are 'Mozarted-out', Eisenstadt (closer to Vienna, 1 hour) was the home of Hayden for many years, as he was the Esterhazys' Court Composer. Plus, you are close to the Neuseidler See and Hungary, with its very good red wines ('Bull's Blood'). But, of course, there are many interesting sites within Vienna and environs that could consume your whole 2 weeks!
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
I like Kathy's idea for you...two completely different countries with such diverse cultures...you will probably have a hard time deciding which country you like the best. You should fly and save CT for another trip as much as it pains me to say that.