I am planning to spend 3 nights in Austria, between my visits to Prague and Budapest. I have considered a night in Vienna (possibly 2), but have heard so many great things about Hallstatt. Is it accessible? Will the lake be frozen over by then? What's the best place to stay?
Thanks for your help.
Thanks, Harry. I will look into this.
Hey Tim,
Just an opinion on Hallstatt... while it is very picturesque, it is very small. You can walk from one end of town to the other in about 10 or 15 minutes. We were there 2 years ago for a day in October and it was very quiet then. Probably more so in November. If you're looking for a lot of peace and quiet, spend a night. If not, I'd suggest visiting just for an afternoon or day. If you haven't been to Salzburg, it is a beautiful old town and the pedestrian zone is compact enough to see the sights on foot.
We have a few photo's at:
www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/travel11.html
Hope this helps.
Paul
Tim,
I was in Hallstatt in May, and it is indeed a very beautiful spot. I've never been there in winter, but doubt that the lake will be frozen over by then. I'm sure it will be a bit chilly though, especially at night.
For lodgings, two places you could look at are Hotel Gruner Baum or Gasthof Simony (they're beside each other). I don't know if either of them close during the winter months, but their web sites or Rick's books should have that information.
Happy travels!
It depends on what you're looking for. When we visit big cities, we like to go someplace smaller in between to kinda detox from the cities. Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut area are beautiful, we visited the area with our son 3 years ago. But check out Rick's books, a lot of stuff may be closed around then. Salzburg is a nice alternative, a lot of stuff to do, but not quite as big as Vienna.
For accomodations, check Ricks books or Google "Salzkammergut". Their tourism website has links for accomodation. We found a very friendly farmhouse that way.
I've decided I'm going to pass on Hallstatt this trip. I am looking forward to going during the summer and would love to visit during the winter when I have a little more time to enjoy myself. I figured I would make Vienna my home base and do some day trips. Quite possibly to Melk and perhaps Bratislava on my way to Budapest.
Thanks to all the great suggestions. I appreciate it.
