3 months ago
16
After visiting Spain successful 2022 and The Netherlands successful 2023 solely utilizing nationalist transport we wanted to bash thing antithetic this year. This clip we wanted to bash a roadworthy trip. I did my probe and was influenced by Jash2709?s Austria travelogue shared a mates of years ago.
We got our visa assignment successful January; since this was a self-planned travel I had to marque the itinerary, edifice bookings & formation reservations. The assignment was astatine 8:00 AM, Trade Center BKC and we were 1 of the archetypal radical for the appointment. It took them astir 1 hr to cheque our documents and instrumentality biometrics. The visa arrived wrong 12 moving days.
Even though we had gotten our visas aboriginal enough, owed to immoderate idiosyncratic reasons our travel was finalized towards the extremity of May.
We flew successful and retired of Vienna, the car rental was cheaper that mode too. The Airport rental was a mates of 100 Euros much truthful I selected the Vienna Central Railway Station arsenic the Pickup and Drop disconnected determination for the rental.
We were 5 of america traveling and I would beryllium the lone 1 driving, hence had to look for a large capable car that could accommodate america comfortably and our luggage. I went up with Sixt, the lone car rental bureau offering a 9-seater Mercedes Vito Tourer oregon akin vehicle. A 7-seater V Class was an enactment excessively but treble the terms of the Vito Tourer.
Since we had a conveyance astatine our disposal I looked for apartments and vacation homes successful the countryside. All the apartments were booked and got my IDP from WIAA, Mumbai.
We arrived successful Vienna connected 18th July astir 12:30 PM and migration took hardly 30 minutes. We were retired of the airdrome successful little than an hour. We utilized the nationalist transport strategy to get to the metropolis and I had booked a edifice adjacent to the Vienna Central Station. The remainder of the time was astatine leisure.
First evening successful Vienna
19th July: Vienna to Tauplitz
We had immoderate meal and headed to Sixt. Deep down determination I was hoping for an upgrade to the V people but they had a Vito successful stock. The car was nice, had cloth seats and the indispensable Apple CarPlay built into the infotainment system. I checked the car thoroughly for scratches and dents and cross-checked them with the rental agreement.
I person driven successful the US extensively during my pupil days hence the modulation backmost to LHD took astir 30 minutes. Since this was my archetypal clip driving successful Europe I watched a mates of videos connected YouTube of radical driving and revised the roadworthy signs done Wikipedia.
We acceptable disconnected from Vienna and headed towards Melk a bully small municipality successful the Wachau Valley. We visited the Melk Abbey and had luncheon there.
Melk Abbey
After that we headed towards Tauplitz. Our archetypal halt for 4 Nights. Tauplitz is simply a tiny skis municipality astir 1 hr southbound of Salzburg.
Countryside single-lane roads of Austria
View from our vacation home
Upon reaching Tauplitz we realized it was a Saturday and market stores would beryllium closed the adjacent day. We hurried to the nearest Spar and reached 15 minutes earlier closing. That indispensable person been my quickest market haul.
20th July: Salzburg
The thrust from Tauplitz to Salzburg is scenic. The roadworthy goes via immoderate of the celebrated lakes successful the country similar Lake Wolfgangsee. We visited the Mirabell Gardens, Alter Markt, and the Salzburg Cathedral, which was unluckily closed for a concert. We headed backmost to Tauplitz successful the evening.
Lake Wolfgangsee
Mirabell Gardens
21st July: Hallstatt and Dachstein
The pursuing time we headed retired aboriginal to get a parking spot astatine Hallstatt, the person ones get filled up quickly. We reached Hallstatt earlier 9:00 AM and secured a parking spot closest to the Village. The Village is picturesque but sadly suffers from over-tourism. It feels bully to locomotion astir the municipality successful the aboriginal hours.
Post that we headed to Dachstein for luncheon and I wanted to sojourn the 5 fingers presumption point. The hike to 5 fingers aft 2 cablegram car rides offers unthinkable views of Hallstatter see.
22nd July: Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave
I was not definite if this would beryllium a deed oregon a miss but these are the biggest crystal caves successful the satellite and I would accidental they are a must-see erstwhile successful Austria. The hike mightiness beryllium a batch for some. First, it is simply a 20-minute hike to the cablegram car and past different 20-minute hike to the crystal cave. Then the crystal cave wrong has astir 1400 steps (700 up and 700 down) and the temperatures wrong are astir 0 degrees.
Safe to accidental it surely was a hit. The hike is wholly worthy it successful my opinion. It gets precise acold successful determination truthful 1 has to travel prepared.
23rd July: Tauplitz to Seefeld (Via Germany)
This was much of a driving time since we were changing cities. The thrust from Tauplitz to Seefeld went done Germany. The full driving clip was astir 4.5 hours. On our mode determination we stopped astatine Lake Eibsee for lunch, a beauteous water connected the borderline of Germany and Austria. We reached our accommodation by 5 successful the evening.
Seefeld is simply a tiny municipality 30 minutes distant from Innsbruck, adjacent to the German border.
German highways
Lake Eibsee
24th July: Swarovski Kristallwelten and Innsbruck Town
I was a spot skeptical astir visiting this place, but for first-timers, I would accidental it is worthy visiting. Later we visited Innsbruck municipality and explored a bit.
St. James' Church, Innsbruck
