Our September outing, with Monica & Brian, took us to Austria and a back-packing vacation. Brian’s choice.
As usual we did our own thing with flights (EasyJet from Edinburgh/Gatwick/Innsbruck and a return from Salzburg – RyanAir, and EasyJet up to Edinburgh), accommodation, etc, all booked via the net. Transitting through and staying one night in Gatwick was the worst experience of the vacation. The Hilton was fine, actually quite good value, but food, drink, etc, was seriously overpriced. It’s a captive market!
Flights were O.K. but French air traffic control problems gave us a late flight into Innsbruck, otherwise all flights arrived on-time or early. Salzburg airport is quite small and there was the usual ‘scrum’ at the departure gate for the RyanAir flight.
The photographs are shown/numbered in the order we travelled around Austria. We used Shanks’ Pony or public transport for all travel.
Day 1 – we arrived later than expected in Innsbruck and had a quick look around the town. We took the tour bus – big mistake; it was useless and a genuine waste of money. The best way to see the old town is on foot which is not far from the railway/bus station.
We then took a train to Kitzbuhel and checked into the Hotel Goldener Greif (www.hotel-goldener-greif.at). The hotel is family run and the rooms, food and service were excellent. Kitzbuhel is a very nice town, picturesque, etc, and definitely worth a visit.
Day 2 – off early morning in a cable car to the Hahnenkamm-Rennen, where Brian got to stand in the downhill start gate. From here back into Kitzbuhel and, with full packs, took a gondola/cable car to the top of Kitzbuheler Horn, lunched at the Alpenhause (www.alpenhaus.at) and then hiked to St. Johan to pick up the train to Zell Am See. Scenery stunning.
In Zell Am See we were supposed to be booked into the Hotel Zum Hirschen, but got bumped into an adjoining hotel, Heitzmann. Maybe it was because we were in full hiking gear! Definitely the poorest accommodation we had in Austria, but staff were friendly in ‘both’ hotels!
Day 3 – a day in and around Zell Am See. Pottering around the very nice town, whose market was in full flow, and then a walk around the lake – about 8km. An evening meal in the Hotel Zum Hirschen was very good.
Day 4 – full packs again and a cable car from Zell Am See to the summit of Schmittenhoe; where we saw golfers teeing off in the annual summer event. The impromptu golf course follows the various pistes to Zell Am See. Definitely different! From Schmittenhoe we set off down a steep ridge for Viehhofen. Supposedly a 2hr descent – which took a good 3hrs! Picked up a PostBus to Saalbach.
Checked into the family run, Hotel Kohlmais (www.kohlmais.at) which was definitely a real find by Brian. The accommodation was super and the evening 5 course meal was of a very, very, high standard. Easily the best food/hotel we had of the whole trip. Full marks to the Gappmaier family.
Day 5 – up on the first gondola of the day to the summit of Schattberg. From here a 20km hike along a ridge to Schmittenhoe at about 2,000m elevation all the way – photos numbered from 23 to 38 cover the ridge walk. Absolutely glorious weather and hardly a cloud in the sky; it’s just a pity all the photos taken can’t be put on the website. Down from Schmittenhoe via cable car and a PostBus back to Saalbach.
Day 6 – we stayed in the Saalbach area and went to Hinterglemm. A nice town with plenty of choice of gondola transport to the peaks. We chose to visit the Alpen-Blumenweg Hut for coffee and to see the alpine garden and then we lunched at the top of Zwolferkogel – in the mist. It was recommended, by Matthew Gappmaier, that we visit the Rosswald Hut for lunch but time was unfortunately against us.
From Hinterglemm we travelled by PostBus to Lengua and then in a ‘Noddy Train’ to Lindlingalm and dipped a toe in the ‘Devil’s Water’ – which is supposed to bring you luck; it rained harder and the mist descended! An interesting place to visit with lots of outdoor pursuits – especially for children of all ages.
Note: all the time we stayed in the Saalbach area we used a Joker Card for all transport. Participating hotels, of which the Hotel Kohlmais happened to be one, issue the cards and ‘all’ means of travel is free – even the Noddy Train’! An excellent deal. Travel by PostBus to, for example, Zell Am See, was at a reduced fare.
Day 7 – travelled from Saalbach to Salzburg, via Zell Am See. The PostBus ties in with the train arriving which arrives on time, etc. Why can’t we have this joined up transport in the U.K.?
Checked into the Crowne Plaza Hotel – a short walk from the railway station.
Salzburg is a very pretty city and easily walkable. The market, which happened to be in full flow, is not large but the quality of produce was excellent.
We had an evening meal in Sternbraeu (www.sternbraeu.com), a very old established restaurant which was good value and has plenty of choice for Austrian dining and ales.
Day 8 – early breakfast of croissants/pastries and coffee just outside the Crowne Plaza, at Wallner’s City Snack on Rainer Straza (excellent service, very friendly) and then PostBus No. 2 to the airport and home.
Overall the trip to Austria was great. Visiting in mid September is about the latest you would want to be for the more rural areas (for the cities it doesn’t really matter), as they do take a breather before the winter season starts on the first weekend in December.
The Austrians are very friendly, helpful, etc. Everywhere we travelled, and by whatever means of transport, was clean and tidy – but so was Austria in general.
Would we visit again – a definite yes.
Reference book to purchase: none really. We just visited Tourist Information Offices and picked up local maps, plus Brian had researched the various walks on Google Earth/Maps.
Next year’s vacation (John’s choice) was divulged on the last night in Salzburg over the ‘last supper’! Poland and a two centre break (Zakopane / Krakow) and walking in the Tatra Mountains.
