Hello! I need some advice. I'm looking for a great place to visit in the Salzburg area at the end of September. I've been to Salzburg and Hallstatt before and will be showing 3 friends the area for their first visit to Austria. We have a car (my first trip without using the train exclusively!) so a beautiful village with some good shopping would be ideal. Any suggestions on villages within an easy commute to Salzburg, even if we have to drive to another town for an easy connection by train so we can avoid taking the car into the city? Also, any suggestions on great moderately-priced, but big on charm, hotels would be much appreciated. We are four, 40ish women who are looking for "cute" and "quaint" for the village as well as the hotel. We're already booked in the beautiful towns of Rothenburg ob de Tauber and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, so you get the idea. Thanks in advance....
Posted by
NYC area
2981 posts
Hi Lauren, We like Ramsau by Berchtesgaden. We stayed here 3 times and are going back (hopefully) before the end of this year. It's a small village (not many shops at all really, but very picturesque. Berchtesgaden is 10 minutes away, Bad Reichenhall is 20 minutes and Salzburg is less than 30. We stayed at each trip and can recommend the Pension Mayringerlehen, although it's not a hotel. It's a quaint, family run, B&B style place. www.mayringerlehen.de www.worldisround.com/articles/355548/index.html www.worldisround.com/articles/324607/index.html www.worldisround.com/articles/338872/index.html www.worldisround.com/articles/355557/index.html Just a suggestion... for an extremely quaint village experience, stay in nearby Mittenwald instead of Garmisch. Paul
Posted by
Bellevue, Wa
59 posts
Lauren We had a car last time when we were there and took a drive along the lake by St Wolfgang. We stopped there along the lake for a fun hike and then stopped in St Wolfgang. We continued on to Mondsee to see the SOM marriage scene church and ate there also. Both villages were very charming and had a few places to shop but not alot. The round trip drive and stops took about 7 hours. I got about 70 great photos that day in the beautiful hills, along the lake and in the villages. It was one of our favorite days in Austria and then a couple days later we drove to Hallstatt and got to see some of it again.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
695 posts
Lauren, we stayed in Berchtesgaden recently, we really loved it. Lots of shops, restaurants beautiful scenery, easy hikes near by and a 50 minutes bus trip to Salzburg or 1 hour or so train. We had an great apartment, we hope to get back one day! www.fewoederhaus.de/lg_fewoederhaus/fewo5_ederhaus.html
Posted by
Atlanta
1358 posts
I'll put in another vote for St. Wolfgang. Right on the lake, lots of charm. The Weisses Roessl hotel is right in the middle of town and had an operetta written about it. It's a little pricy, around 120 euro/night, but might be worth the splurge. I went on this website and found a few in the 65 euro range: http://www.austria-trips.com/Sankt-Wolfgang-Salzkammergut/St.Wolfgang.htm We stayed in a farmhouse just outside of town, don't know if that's what you were looking for.
Posted by
OP
Connecticut, U.S.A.
2 posts
Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions, it looks like it will be a tough decision choosing only one. I'll have to go to the group for a vote! Thanks again for your help.
Posted by
Orlando
166 posts
You should definitely show your friends Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden both beautiful. Our last trip to Salzburg we stayed at a Rick Steves recommended property - Hotel Weisse Taube. It is quaint, family owned, good location in the old city, breakfast was wonderful and it was just around the corner from Demel - YUM!
Posted by
Portland, OR
25 posts
Hi Lauren, I'll put in another vote for Bertchesgaden. Especially the boat tour of Konigsee down to Obersee. Beautiful scenery and the stop at St Bartolome (sp) comes complete with an amazing biergarten featuring Munich Hofbrau. Its a beautiful drive and easy parking in Bertchesgaden too - GPS is a bonus. Prost! And In Garmisch-Partenkirchen the Wankbanh is wonderful. Enjoy!