A three day weekend is plenty of time to see the best of Eastern Austria. While the region is beautiful any time of year, it is transformed into a magical snowy fairytale setting during late autumn and as a bonus the Christmas markets (open air craft and food markets sprinkled throughout the region spreading holiday cheer) are open from November through the end of the year.
My husband and I put together a three day itinerary focused primarily on Vienna and Salzburg, but there are many options for constructing a short excursion catering to your personal interests; contact your favorite tour company for assistance in putting together a package.
Day 1: First Taste of Austria
Transportation to Vienna is easily arranged via flights directly into Vienna International Airport or by train from Munich. It's a four and a half hour leisurely train ride from Munich and with flights from the United States into Germany often significantly cheaper than Austria it pays to compare fares and consider the train.
Connecting from the train station or airport, the most affordable transport Vienna's city center is the subway. It's very clean and easy to follow. It also operates on the honor system (as does Munich's subway and the trams in Zurich) -- no turnstiles that must be opened with a ticket to enter or exit- but penalties are stiff should a passenger be caught without a ticket during a random passenger audit.
There are many quality hotels to choose from at varying budget levels in Vienna, so it's best to check with your tour operator for suggestions. On our recent trip my husband and I opted for the Hilton Vienna. It's just down the block from Vien Mitte Train Station and convenient to just about everything.
After checking in we set about sightseeing for the rest of the afternoon. We were eager to delve into the city's tourist scene.
The Hapsburgs were the royal family of Vienna back in the day and built their main palace in what is now downtown Vienna. The complex is currently home to not only the historic royal living quarters but also the unforgettable Lipizzaner horses of the Spanish Riding School (performing regularly; reservations required; best to book at least eight weeks in advance), the famed Vienna Boys Choir (which began as a troupe of court musicians selected to entertain the royalty; performing regularly; reservations suggested), the Royal Treasury (highlights include the family jewels and coronation robes), the National Library (stunning architecture), the Porcelain and Silver Museum (filled with royal cutlery and china), a military museum and several other specialty museums.
We made a beeline to tour the Royal Treasury, as we knew it would not be open on the following day. Travel tip: many historic and tourist attractions are closed at least one day each week; research ahead of time to make sure you plan your itinerary around such closings. I found the coronation robes (what the royals wear during the ceremony in which they are crowned King or Queen) to be absolutely beautiful while the crowns seemed gaudy and crude. Should I ever be crowned queen I'd prefer a more delicate jeweled crown with many smaller gemstones, more diamonds and less gold metalwork. The Royal Treasury also boasts from its collection a nail reported to have been recovered from the crucifix of Christ.
After our tour we dropped into Plachutta (highly recommended restaurant) for an early dinner at 5:30pm. That's standard dinner time for many Americans but very early for Europe and an easy way to ensure a table when you don't have reservations. I'd carefully chosen each of our restaurants that we would dine at while in Austria ahead of time, researching the authentic cuisine of Austria and where to find the very best of it for sampling. Tafelspitz is one of the renowned dishes of Austria and Plachutta allegedly turns out the very best of it in the nation. Beef, long simmered in a fragrant broth, it is fall off the bone tender. The broth also hosts root vegetables and the meal is served with fried potatoes, brown bread and butter. The sauces are presented alongside: chive cream (destined to top the beef) and horseradish applesauce for the potatoes. To begin the meal, a small portion of the broth is ladled into waiting bowls to serve as the first course while the beef and vegetables are left behind in the remaining broth. Next the beef is spooned onto plates and served alongside the potatoes. Later, the rest of the broth can be finished if you've still room after the main course. The Austrian answer to Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup), it was very good, especially on our cold November evening. Tap water is available, but you must ask for it otherwise you will be served bottled water for a fee. Also, if you take your water with lemon, you'll be served not lemon wedges but lemon juice in a ramekin and find a half Euro charge for it on your bill. As with most restaurants in Vienna, the cover charge is automatic and is meant to cover the cost of the bread and butter. In less formal restaurants you can leave the bread untouched and have the charge removed from the bill.
Rathaus Christmas market (shown at above) is the largest holiday market in Vienna and situated in front of the beautiful town hall. It was our next stop.
All of the Christmas markets in Austria are open by the first Sunday in Advent but many such as Rathaus open the week before. Punsch stands dot the markets and offer special souvenir mugs of various hot alcoholic punches. Opt for 'Kinderpunsch' if you'd like a non-alcoholic alternative (typically hot apple cider or fruit punch). Market goers pay a deposit on the mugs -- usually two or three Euros- and can either forfeit the deposit and keep the mugs or return the before leaving the market for a refund. We kept ours of course as souvenirs. A lot of trinkets, fresh baked goods and candies are available at the markets including Christmas ornaments, candles, winter weather accessories (hats, gloves, etc), woodcarvings, dolls and toys, gingerbread, donuts, pretzels, bread and sausages. On this night we sampled freshly made créme filled donuts. The trees lining the market were decorated with brightly lit packages hanging from their branches fashioned with ribbons, bows and thousands of string lights.
After our market visit we returned to our hotel for a good night's rest before our second day of adventuring in Austria.
Day 2: Immersion into the Political and Culinary History of Vienna
Our second day in Austria began as a crisp cool morning with clear skies. We enjoyed a lovely fresh breakfast at our hotel, prepared by the staff. It was the standard European selection of fruit, yogurt, granola, various meats and cheeses, bread, eggs, sausage and hot tea or coffee.
Our first sightseeing stop on this day was the Schonbrunn Palace, just on the outskirts of the city. This beautiful residence served as the summer palace for the royal family. We toured the palace, moving from one stunning room to another, all the while absorbing the history of Austria and the Hapsburgs from our audioguides. The tour focused heavily on the royal Josep Franz and his wife Elizabeth (known as Sissi the world over). We learned of marriage as a mechanism to further political alliances, such of the marriage of Austria's Maria Antoinette to Louis of France and we learned of the daily patterns of royal life in Austria.
The palace was designed in Baroque style which mostly translates to beautiful ceiling frescos depicting landscapes or hunting scenes and a lot of gold swirls inlaid along the walls. The most beautiful room in the palace is the hall of mirrors. When standing in this room it's easy to transport oneself with the imagination into the role of king or queen at the center of a fancy ball with dramatic attire.
After we concluded our tour of the palace interior we visited the palace grounds and gardens. Beautiful even in winter (especially as a light snow began to fall upon us), I can only imagine how breathtaking it must be in full summer bloom.
We meandered through the small Christmas market set up in front of the palace. This market focused more heavily on handmade crafts as compared to the one at Rathaus. Here we purchased gifts for family and friends and sampled fresh gingerbread (and more punsch of course!).
This day's lunch was Hungarian goulash at Café Alt Wien. A great value at less than five Euros, a small platter of the iconic stew was shared between my husband and I. Austria's take on the dish provides a slight variation in flavors to that of the original as crafted by the Hungarians. The café is smoky, dimly lit and filled with an eclectic lunch crowd. Be warned that the non-smoking and smoking areas at this eatery (as with many cafes and restaurants in Austria) are marked by just the division of tables and so plenty of smoke wafts over the non-smoking section.
Next on our agenda was a Sachertorte competition. This famed chocolate dessert was created by Franz Sacher and perfected by his son Eduard. It was served at Café Demel and then later at the Hotel Sacher, both under the direction of Eduard. This has resulting in an ongoing battle between both kitchens to claim the title for best and most authentic Sachertorte. We dipped into Café Demel first and purchased a thick inviting slice of the chocolate cake. We sunk our forks into the rich dessert and were quickly disappointed. THIS was what all the fuss is about? Sachertorte is very dry and not at all to our tastes. Our Sachertorte competition was therefore abruptly abandoned and we opted instead to try another dessert at the Sacher Hotel -- cheese strudel. It's sort of like a cheesecake wrapped in strudel pastry. I didn't find this to be any more pleasurable than the Sachertorte but my husband enjoyed it. We also shared a small plate of Kratfleckerel (cabbage and egg noodles) while we were there as I'd read a recent Saveur magazine article detailing the pleasure of the dish. I give it a three out of five stars; it tastes of sweet and sour noodles but a bit overwhelming after a few bites. This day was certainly the day of eating.
With satisfied and full bellies, we headed to the National Library (pictured above). As mentioned previously it is on the royal palace grounds in downtown Vienna. A few years ago I visited Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and got the notion in my head to visit all of the world's most beautiful libraries over time. The National Library of Austria clearly belongs in that collection. It's nothing short of spectacular. Floor to ceiling shelves of leather bound books dating back to the 16th century provide the backdrop to numerous floor mounted historical globes, statues, and other works of art.
A bit of rest back at the hotel and we were off again for dinner at Weibel's Wirtshaus to enjoy a plate of their specialty: Wiener Schnitzel. This famed dish of Austria starts with veal or pork pounded into thin cutlets that are then lightly battered and fried. The meal is rounded out with a heaping serving of potato salad dressed with fresh vinaigrette. The food was delicious. Like the other restaurants we visited in Austria, this one offered English language menus and at least one waiter on staff who could converse in our mother tongue. This made things easy as our German is very limited.
The highlight of our evening was attending a Vienna Walzer concert featuring Mozart and Strauss. The first set were compositions of Mozart exclusively and all highly recognizable pieces that were so lovely. There was a soloist who performed alongside the musicians as well as ballet dancers and an opera singer. After intermission, Strauss was featured. His compositions took my imagination on a flight of fancy. For the next thirty minutes I was a princess, picking out my ball gown and waltzing across a grand ballroom. Music has the power to take us to magical places. I loved the experience!
Day 3: Salzburg: Of Movie and Music Fame
It's a leisurely and affordable train ride to Salzburg from Vienna and well worth the time. Salzburg (literally "salt castle") derives its name from its location -- it is along the roads that once lead from an abundant salt mine.
Tip: Purchase a Vienna-Munich train fare and get off at Salzburg as international fares are cheaper than purchasing the intra-Austria fares.
We dropped our luggage off at a lovely locally run bed and breakfast named Hotel Ganslhof. It's just a short ride from the main bus station and within walking distance of nearly everything on a tourist's agenda.
Salzburg and the surrounding area are familiar to many Americans as the backdrop to The Sound of Music. There are several tour companies offering movie tours that take you in, past, or near the famous movie sights for 50 to 100 Euros. Since many of the sights are in the city of Salzburg and accessible on foot, we searched for alternatives ways to get to the grand mountains that lie 30 minutes from the city and were featured in the opening scenes of the movie. We thought ourselves to be quite clever when we discovered the scenic public bus #150 "Der Ischler" (approx 3 Euros per person) that runs through the mountains on its route to Lake Fuschl. We patted ourselves on the back as we boarded the bus and enjoyed the views all the way to the Lake. The snow was falling softly as the bus climbed the hills and we sang the opening lines of the movie's theme song (The hills are alive...) to entertain ourselves. Our plan was to disembark at the lake and enjoy a light snack in any of the numerous cafes while we waited the half hour for the next bus. It's wasn't but a few minutes after strolling along the lake and feeling the bitter wind move through our coats that we realized (as we looked up toward the cafes) that in the off season all the restaurants are closed. Closed! It was a cold, cold thirty minutes waiting for the next bus. Take our advice, and if you're coming in the off season, arrange to take one of the official movie tours up through the mountains and you'll stay warm!
Once we returned to Salzburg we had a quick bite to eat at one of the cafes near the bus stop before we walked across the bridge over the Salzach river and into the old town (Altstadt in German) for a self-guided walking tour. Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart and Altstadt features his boyhood home (Mozartplatz). We passed by the iconic residence and also through the Residenzplatz (beautiful plaza adorned with a historic fountain) with an eye on the Glockenspiel (town clock) before we dropped into the Salzburg panorama exhibit. The exhibit is housed in a small museum near the post office and features a panoramic painting of Salzburg as seen from the fortress above the city on the hill. It was painted by Johann Michael Sattler in 1829 (when panoramas were all the rage and would be sent on the road as a traveling exhibit across the continent) and is exquisite in its detail, right down to the sheep out in the pasture and children at play. We spent at least a half hour taking in the scenes of the painting as we slowly walked along the wall of the round room in which it has been installed.
Popping back into the plaza we crossed over to the Salzburg Cathedral and went inside. It's a beautiful church built in the baroque fashion (as are most of the buildings in Altstadt) and worth a quick visit. Meandering through the rest of Altstadt, we passed through the historic cemetery that Rogers and Hammerstein modeled in The Sound of Music, strolled down Getreidegasse (a street adorned with lovely shops and many tourists) and visited Café Konditorei Furst to try the famous MozartKugel cookies that were invented there.
Our favorite part of the day was our visit to the fortress high on the hill above Altstadt (built to secure the city; it was never actually used to fend off enemies) which began with a funicular ride up the hill and ended with enjoying in the fortress café the best apple strudel (also invented in Austria) I've ever eaten. Sandwiched between the ride and dessert was an hour of climbing and touring the fortress and grounds, including a marionette museum housed inside. The fortress affords spectacular views (shown above) of Altstadt from almost any angle. Bring your camera!
After descending the fortress hill, we sat for dinner at Restaurant Elefant, having another go around with Weiner Schnitzel (good but not as good as that which we had in Vienna) before trying Salzburger nockerln, another famous dessert that was first conceived in Salzburg. It was fabulous!
We spent the last of our evening wandering the Christmas Markets that had been setup throughout Altstadt (picking up many trinkets along the way) and then crossed back over the bridge to play in the Mirabell gardens (also made famous in The Sound of Music as a scene features Julie Andrews and the children dancing around a statue in the gardens).
Three lovely days was all it took to fall in love with Austria, her history, her cuisine and her people. We came home with many memories and look forward to returning in order to explore more of the country throughout the seasons.
Extra: The Reach of the Roman Empire
Our visit to Vienna afforded us a chance to study the history of the area and reinforced what a strong reach ancient Rome had across all of Europe. I write this because the history of almost every European country I've visited so far follows this template: In the beginning there were the [insert ancient tribal people] here inhabiting the area. Then came the Romans who conquered them. As the Roman empire declined, [insert family here] assumed dominance and began the line of kings. In Austria the pre-Roman inhabitants were Slavic tribes although some Celtic peoples from nearby lands (now Germany) also wandered into the territory from time to time and the Hapsburgs were the family that assumed dominance.
Extra: Classical Music in Vienna
Like Salzburg, Vienna is a key destination for fans of classical music. There are literally dozens of concerts held in Vienna each week. Many of these are oriented toward tourists (musicians are adequate versus exceptional; prices may be less competitive; English customers are catered to; gimmicks such as period costumes are employed; popular pieces are played versus more obscure works) and snubbed by music fanatics but most visitors will find these 'tourist traps' enjoyable.
For some venues it is sensible to purchase VIP tickets as it means the first five rows and complimentary drinks but make sure to double check the concert venue layout. Some venues are very small with just 10 to 15 rows overall and it's not worth it to pay twenty Euros extra to sit up front.
