Where to go after Slatzburg

If you like small places with pretty scenery, you can't beat Hallstatt.

Chris, I definitely agree with Lee - Hallstatt would be a great choice! It definitely has "pretty scenery". Check your local Library to see if they have a copy of the appropriate Guidebook, and you can check that for accommodation suggestions. Note that cars are not permitted in the main part of Hallstatt, so you'll likely have to walk from the end of town. Another possibility that came to mind was Berchtesgaden. Happy travels!

Thanks Lee and Ken! This was the first time I ever posted a question and was very happy to get responses. I will definitely look into Hallstadt and Berchtesgaden.
Chris

For a wonderful B&B, stay at Haus Ballwein. Check it out at www.haus-ballwein.at I have stayed there on two separate trips and it's absolutely wonderful.

If altitude is a problem you may find the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagles Nest) above Berchtesgaden at over 6000 feet may be difficult. Really neat but maybe too high?

Other villages: St Wolfgang and St. Gilgen on the Wolfgangsee just east of Salzburg. A bit farther east is Gmunden on the Traunsee. From Gmunden you have the option to go to Hallstatt by train instead of driving.....it's just an hour away. Lots of other scenic villages in Tyrol in the Innsbruck area.

Hallstatt is beautiful. Great site to see photos of different cities. www.flickr.com

My wife and I visited Salzburg last September. We attempted to visit Eagles Nest but due to mechanical difficulties the ride up was not operational. As a plan B, we headed further south to Konigsee. Beautiful scenery, but we found the area to be a bit of a tourist trap (the tour guides only spoke in german, does diminish the enjoyment a bit). As our car had a GPS, plan C was to drive back thru Salzburg and onto Hallstadt. Glad we did, with the GPS the drive thru the country was very pleasant, allowing us to see a bit of rural Austria. The town is very picturesque (parking approx 3 blks from town center), with the lake surrounded on all sides by the mountains. Enjoyed a nice quiet dinner on the waterside as evening neared. As for lodging, we stayed at Haus am Moos, roughly 2 miles from center of Salzburg, quiet, nice rooms, with an excellent breakfast. We had to leave before breakfast the day of our departure to make our flight out of Munich, the wife made 4 excellent sandwiches for us to take with us. A bit wordy, hope this helps.

If you arrive by train at Hallstatt, the Bahnhof is actually across the lake from the town. A boat meets the train and takes you right into the "center" of town. Center, that's a joke. Hallstatt is so small you could be on the edge and only be a few blocks from the center. If you arrive by bus, the station is in Lahn, about a km south of Hallstatt by a pedestrian road along the lake. If you drive, you come into Hallstatt from the north via a tunnel. The tunnel has an open spot in the middle, just above the town. There is a small parking lot there, and it's a few blocks down hill to town. The south end of the tunnel is at Lahn, and there are several large parking lots. Again, a 1 km walk into town along the lake. Lahn is also the site of the funicular up to the salt mine.

Chris, One point to note if you were thinking of visiting Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's Nest. It may or may not be open at that time of year. Access to the entrance point and Elevator is via a narrow mountain road. If there was lots of snow the previous winter, vehicles may not be able to reach the entrance. Cheers!

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful ideas. I am waiting to hear from my doctor about specifics on the altitude but I think the Eagles nest wouldn't be a good idea for me. Hallstadt sounds great , I've lookid into it on the internet. Will now look up the other spots mentioned this weekend. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Chris

Chris, A few more comments regarding Hallstatt. If you were planning to tour the Salt Mine (one of the oldest in Europe - the town of Hallstatt is older than Rome!), that involves a slight change of elevation. It's necessary to take the Funicular a short distance up the mountain, and then walk uphill for about 15-minutes to reach the Mine. It's not a difficult walk, and there are historical displays along the way. There's a large Castle called Rudolfsturm at the top of the Funicular, which has a nice restaurant with a large patio. The view from there over the lake is incredible! It's a great place to have a cool "beverage" on a hot afternoon and just enjoy the view. Of course, if you don't want to tour the Mine, you could visit the Museum which is right in town, close to the lake. If you book one of the Hotels fronting the lake, it's also wonderful to just sit on the balcony of your room with a Coffee (or whatever) and enjoy the incredible view. Cheers!