Austria Archives - Pacific Northwest Explorer

Wachau Gorge, Austria

by Alan K. Lee

In 2022, my wife and I had the pleasure of taking a river cruise on the Danube, beginning in Budapest, Hungary and ending in Passau, Germany. Along the way, we toured Bratislava, Slovakia, spent a day exploring Vienna, Austria, and visited several other smaller cities and towns on the Danube. Most of the actual sailing took place at night, but we spent one beautiful afternoon cruising through the fabulous Wachau Gorge between the towns of Krems and Melk in northern Austria.

The Wachau Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed as the Wachau Cultural Landscape), known for its medieval history and architecture, but also for its modern-day vineyards and wineries and its riverine landscape. The Wachau Gorge is bookended by the town of Krems and the hilltop Gottweig Abbey and the town of Melk and the spectacular Melk Abbey on the south bank of the Danube.

Our day started with an early morning arrival in Krems and a morning tour of Gottweig Abbey a few miles south of the town.

Gottweig Abbey was founded in 1083 and has been continuously occupied for more than 900 years. The current structure was built in the 18^th century. (Viking River Cruises is the only cruise line that tours Gottweig Abbey, but also the only one that does not tour the larger Melk Abbey at the upstream end of the gorge).

Upstream of Krems, the valley narrows and the roughly 25 miles between Krems and Melk feature steeper slopes bordering both sides of the river with the occasional castle looming above the riverside towns. The town of Dunstein, seen in the featured photo at the top of this post, is particularly beautiful.

Most of the north shore of this stretch of the Danube is part of a nature park (Naturpark Jauerling Wachau) and is largely wild, managed to protect wildlife habitat and the natural environment. It’s also spectacularly beautiful.

Late that afternoon, we sailed past the town of Melk and the huge, and hugely popular, Melk Abbey. Like Gottweig Abbey, the original Melk Abbey was founded nearly a thousand years ago (in 1089) and has been continuously occupied ever since. The current structure dates from 1702. I would have loved to tour the abbey, but with several river cruise ships already docked there, I understand why Viking skips it.

Upstream of Melk, we spent the evening hours cruising the Wachau Valley, an agricultural area with many small riverside towns and vineyards.

The following morning found us in Linz, Austria. We didn’t see much of Linz because we took an all-day trip to the beautiful and well-preserved medieval village of Cesky Krumlov, Czechia. Then it was on to our final destination on the cruise, Passau, Germany.

After the cruise, we extended our trip to Salzburg, Austria and Munich, Germany. One of the advantages of river cruising is that you get to see a lot of places in a short amount of time. But one of the disadvantages is that you don’t spend much time in any one place. We were able to spend several days in Salzburg, though, and several more in Munich and the Bavarian Alps, through a relatively inexpensive addition to our cruise offered by Viking. Several of the friends we made on the cruise took a different extension (also booked through Viking) to Prague.

The two river cruises that my wife and I have taken (the other was on the Rhine) were both very enjoyable, hassle-free experiences (except for all of the Covid-19 tests that we had to take during our Danube cruise, but that is now in the past tense). Both featured an immersion into medieval history, beautiful riverside cities and villages, and beautiful stretches of natural habitat that is rare in Europe. I can personally recommend both cruises, and river cruising in general. If you’re interested in river cruises or are just curious, check out my European River Cruises post for more information and advice.

Posted April 15, 2024.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria is a city steeped in history going back to at least 500 BCE when the Celts first settled in the area. It was later occupied by the Romans, was the capital of the Habsburg Empire, and then the de facto capital (according to Wikipedia) of the Holy Roman Empire. Vienna is also the spiritual home of classical music. Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Schubert, Mahler, and many others lived and worked in Vienna, and many of the most acclaimed classical music works were composed and first performed there.

There’s so much to take in that Vienna cannot be fully appreciated on only a short visit. And my wife and I had only one full day to absorb as much of the city as we could on our 2022 Danube River cruise. But it was a memorable day.

Unlike Budapest and Bratislava, the historical center of the city does not lie directly on the Danube. We had to take Vienna’s subway system from the riverfront to the medieval center, which lessened the sense of going back-in-time that we have felt in exploring some of the other ancient European cities that we’ve visited. But the old city is truly magnificent. It is home to some of the most spectacular medieval architecture that can be found anywhere in Europe.

St. Steven’s Cathedral, Hofburg Palace, the Vienna State Opera House, the Albertina art museum, Maria Theresa Plaza, the Kunst Historical Museum, Mozart’s residence, and many other museums and places of interest are all within a half mile radius of each other in the historic center.

Belvedere Palace and Schonbrunn Palace, two of the more spectacular examples of Vienna’s medieval architecture, are a little farther afield and weren’t on our walking tour but are must-see attractions if you have more time than we did.

On our walking tour we chanced upon students of the Spanish Riding School exercising some of the famous Lipizzaner Stallions in the Burggarten park adjacent to the Hofburg Palace.

Besides being the cultural and historic center of Austria, Vienna is a modern city of two million people that has been ranked several times as the world’s most livable city, so there is much more to explore than just the medieval center.

Vienna is also a city of many beautiful parks and natural areas. After our walking tour of the medieval center, we crossed the Danube and spend some time in a beautiful park on a long, narrow, tree lined island between the main channel of the Danube and the Neue Donau side channel.

We likely will never return to Vienna – too many places we haven’t seen, and too little time left in our lives – but it’s one of the places that I would to return to if I ever check off all of my bucket list destinations. I left Vienna feeling like I didn’t get more than a tiny taste of what it has to offer. If you have a desire to visit Vienna, check out Visiting Vienna’s Guide To Vienna webpage to begin your planning. And plan to spend at least three or four days there. There is just too much there to see in a day or two.

And if you do go to Vienna, visit Budapest, too. And include Salzburg on your itinerary, as well. You won’t regret adding either of those cities to your trip.

Posted April 4, 2024 by Alan K. Lee

All photos ©Alan K. Lee, except as noted

Salzburg, Austria

by Alan K. Lee

Salzburg, Austria is a beautiful, charming, and historic city on the turquoise blue Salzach River. Salzburg’s old town (the Altstadt) is wonderfully preserved and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It would be easy to imagine yourself time traveling back to medieval days while walking its streets were it not for the hordes of (other) tourists who are drawn to Salzburg in all seasons.

Salzach River, Mulln Church (left), and Slazburg Christ Church tower (right)

Salzburg was Mozart’s birthplace and boyhood home, and that draws many classical music fans to the city. And much of The Sound of Music was filmed in and around Salzburg. That draws many of fans of the movie (and there are millions of them).

Many visitors come for the summer Salzburg Festival with its classical music concerts, opera, and theater performances. Others come in January for the Mozart Festival. And just the beauty and charm of the city draws many more. But despite the crowds, Salzburg was one of the highlights of our recent trip.

Even if you have only one day to explore Salzburg, the Altstadt is compact, easily walkable, and full of historic sites, wonderful baroque architecture, palaces, gardens, churches, museums, restaurants, and much more. You can pack a lot into one day. My wife and I did just that.

We arrived in Salzburg on a Sunday afternoon. Our first stop was the Hellbrunn Palace (Schloss Hellbrunn) on the south edge of the city. This was actually the last stop on a bus tour of Sound of Music filming locations in the rural area east of Salzburg. We didn’t tour the palace, but the large surrounding park provides plenty of shade on sunny days, and the palace’s garden is beautiful and renowned for its trick fountains (you might get wet) and whimsical sculptures. You’ll also find the pavillion where “Sixteen Going On Seventeen” in the The Sound of Music was filmed, although it has been moved from its original location.

Our only full day in Salzburg started with a guided walking tour of the Altstadt that took us first to the Mirabell Gardens where parts of The Sound of Music were filmed. Fans of the movie will recognize the Pegasus Fountain, the Dwarf Garden, and the Vine Tunnel. We didn’t tour Mirabell Palace (Schloss Mirabell), but entrance is free, and you can attend evening chamber music performances in the Marble Hall, where some of the young Mozart’s earliest performances took place.

Our tour then took us to Mozart’s residence (Mozart-Wohnhaus) where he lived from age 17-25, and across the Salzach River to his birthplace (Mozarts Geburtshaus), now a museum. In the Altstadt you’ll also find the Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom), the Mozart Plaza (Mozartplatz) with its large statue of Mozart, the Residenzplatz, a large plaza with a 15 meter (50 foot) tall fountain, the Salzburg Museum, and many other historic and interesting sites. Guided walking tours of the Salzburg Altstadt are available for as little as $10 per person, and Lonely Planet has a guide to free things to do in Salzburg that includes a self-guided walking tour.

Although you can have a great time and see a lot of interesting sites without spending much (or any) money, purchasing a Salzburg Card can save you a good deal of money if you want to visit the Fortress, tour Mozart’s birthplace or residence, and visit any of the city’s many museums. A Salzburg Card also gives you free rides on the city’s public transit system. Cards can be purchased that are valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours. Twenty-four hour cards cost €30 for adults. Forty-eight hour cards are €39, and seventy-two hour cards are €45. Children 6-12 are half price. Cards are about 10% less in winter.

Model of the Altstadt and Fortress made entirely of salt, Fortress Museum

The Salzburg Fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg) looms over the Altstadt and can be seen from most of the city. It’s one of Salzburg’s must see attractions. Our tour didn’t include the Fortress, but we had all afternoon on our own, and it was our first stop. We took the funicular, but you can also walk up. Either way, I’d recommend getting “all inclusive” tickets that get you into the museum, arsenal, princely chambers, and the Magic Theatre. The current price for an all inclusive funicular adult ticket is €16.60 (about $17). Walk-up all inclusive adult tickets are €12.60 (about $13).. Admission is free with a Salzburg Card. Even if you don’t have a Salzburg Card, the Fortress is well worth the price of admission, even if just for the amazing views of the city and surrounding mountains. Climb the observation tower for the best views.

View of Salzburg from the Salzburg Fortress

After touring the Fortress, we returned to the Cathedral and toured the interior. The exterior of the cathedral is not as grand as cathedrals in many European cities, but the interior is stunning.

There has been a cathedral on the site for more than 1200 years. The original cathedral was built in 774 AD and burned down in 842. The second was severely damaged in the 16th century and was demolished. The current cathedral dates to 1628. The cathedral was damaged in World War II by an Allied bombing raid, but was rebuilt after the war, and reopened in 1959. It is by any account spectacularly beautiful. Entrance to the cathedral is free.

Our final stop that afternoon was the Augustiner Braustubl beer garden. Most of the seating is outside, under a canopy of trees. It happened to be a holiday, though, and the place was packed (but maybe it always is). We had to settle for a table in the smoking section under a second story patio, but that was fine. It was open to the main garden area and only a couple of people were smoking. And the beer was good, and cheap. There are other beer gardens, of course, but the Augustiner Brewery is ancient and iconic. The Munich brewery dates to 1328. The Salzburg brewery is a little younger. It’s only been there for 400 years. It opened in 1621.

That evening, we dined at a local restaurant not far from our hotel. It wasn’t listed in our guide book, but the food and the service were both very good, the prices reasonable, and by the look of things, the locals vastly outnumbered our fellow tourists. The moral here is don’t be afraid to ignore the guide book recommendations. You can find good, authentic Austrian cuisine at a restaurant that doesn’t cater to tourists, and you can dine like a real Salzburger.

Residence Fountain and Salzburg Cathedral

The next morning we were off to Munich, but our brief time in Salzburg left a lasting impression on us. We definitely recommend visiting Salzburg at some point in your life, if you can. It certainly gets two thumbs up from us.

Our tour of Salzburg was an extension of our recent Danube River cruise. A river cruise can be a good way to get at least an introduction to European history and culture. And the cruises themselves have their own charm and have several advantages over both other types of organized tours and independent travel. Rhine and Danube River cruises, in particular, are popular with Americans making their first trip to Europe. But we also found that many of the passengers on our ship had done at least one prior river cruise or had made other visits to Europe, or both.

Our cruise began in Budapest and ended in Passau, Germany eight days later. In between we visited Bratislava, Slovakia, Vienna and Krems, Austria, and Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. And we spent an afternoon cruising the beautiful Wachau Gorge. If you think you might enjoy a European river cruise, check out our river cruising post here for more information and a few tips.

Posted August 6, 2022