Nathaniel and I took a trip to Austria and Germany in March 2018. I had always wanted to go to Austria, and we found cheap flights from Seattle to Munich, a quick train ride away from the Austrian border. I had specific places I had long dreamt of visiting, like the charming town of Hallstatt in the Salzkammergut Lake District and the tourist sites from The Sound of Music in Salzburg. I wanted to eat German food and learn about Austrian history. It was a magnificent vacation, and a place I look forward to visiting again.
Follow along on our Bavarian adventure below.
Munich & Neuschwanstein Castle
We flew into and out of Munich, so we decided to stay in a budget hotel, as our time in the city was short. Even though we were extremely jet-lagged, we wandered around the back streets of the city, admired the beautiful architecture, and bee-lined straight for the well-known Hofbrauhaus Brewery. We enjoyed giant beer steins and soft pretzels, accompanied by a jolly Bavarian Beer Band.
After a good night’s sleep, we woke up refreshed and ready for our excursion to Neuschwanstein Castle on our way to Salzburg. It was supposed to be a quick and easy trip, but we ran into public transit obstacles – the train we needed to take wasn’t running, and that information was not readily accessible. It was an exhausting trip, but seeing the iconic castle and learning about its history made up for our frustration. I’ve been traveling most of my life, but hiccups like this always remind me that anything can (and will) happen. I just need to take a deep breath and enjoy where I am, even if the situation is less than desirable. Once we departed from Neuschwanstein, I was breathing easier and looking forward to what came next.
Stayed at: carathotel München City
Next stop: Salzburg
Salzburg
We arrived in Salzburg that same day, and I had forgotten the morning’s transit nightmare. I was so ecstatic to be in a city I had dreamed of for so long. We arrived late in the evening but wandered around town in search of a place to eat. We found the charming Gasthaus Zwettler’s restaurant near Mozartplatz and enjoyed the classic Wiener Schnitzel and Tiroler Gröst’l. It was absolutely delicious. We also tried Salzburger Nockerl, the famous dessert of Salzburg (which honestly, neither of us cared for). We ambled through Old Town back to our Airbnb and prepared for an adventure the next day.
We sought out coffee and breakfast the next morning and wandered into Cafe Bazar in New Town. We liked the cafe so much we went twice! After enjoying a cappuccino and a croissant, we headed on foot to the Mirabell Gardens, which can be seen in The Sound of Music. Even in winter, the gardens were beautiful, and I got to walk through the arch seen in one of my favorite movies. I felt very touristy, but I didn’t care – I was giddy! We then headed to the Mönchsberg, a plateau above Salzburg with walking paths overlooking the city. We walked the 1.5 miles on the Mönchsberg path to the Festung Hohensalzburg, a fortress towering over the city. After wandering around the historic building, we took the funicular back to town, continuing to explore Salzburg’s nooks and crannies, including the beautiful St. Peter’s Archabbey.
We continued to explore the back streets of Old Town until our dinner reservation at Mozart Dinner Concert, a restaurant with upscale Bavarian food and live music. We weren’t sure we would enjoy it, but both the show and the food exceeded our expectations. After dinner, we headed back to our Airbnb for a good night’s rest before our trip to Hallstatt.
Salzburg may be one of the most incredible cities I have ever visited. I cannot wait to go back!
Stayed at: Airbnb
Next stop: Hallstatt
Hallstatt
A small town in the Salzkammergut lake district, Hallstatt is a well-recognized destination in Austria. It was definitely on my travel bucket list. So when we were planning our trip, I knew I needed to spend a night in this beautiful town. I will say, though, that I recommend visiting in the summer months – there wasn’t much activity in March, and many restaurants and hotels were closed. We got lucky finding a place to stay in town and even more lucky that we were basically the only people around. We arrived at the Hallstatt train station on the east side of the lake and enjoyed a quick boat ride into town. We checked into our hotel and then set off on foot. We enjoyed a beer in Marktplatz (the main square) and then headed to the classic viewpoint. It was stunning, and it was made even more special because Nathaniel got down on one knee and asked me marry him in that very spot. We spent some time taking photos and reminiscing about our relationship thus far, and then we went in search of an open restaurant for a celebratory dinner.
The next day we visited Salzwelten (the Salt Mines) that Hallstatt is known for. We took the funicular high above the town and took in the spectacular view from the Skywalk. The wind and snow limited our time at the top, so after learning about the mines’ history, we headed back to town to pick up our bags and get ready for our next destination.
Stayed at: Bräugasthof Hallstatt Lobisser
Next stop: Vienna
Vienna
We arrived in Vienna in the evening, so we headed straight for our Airbnb. We didn’t really have a plan for Vienna, so when we woke up the next day, we went in search of breakfast. We ended up at Cafe Sacher – Vienna is known for its Sacher-Torte, a delicious chocolate cake and a very suitable breakfast while on vacation. After cake and cappuccinos, we explored town on foot, ending up at the extravagant St. Stephen’s Cathedral. We climbed the tower for a gorgeous view of the city. We walked past flower shops, markets, and the Hofburg Imperial Palace on our way to the famous opera house for a tour. I loved learning about the history and the present goings-on, and I wished I had booked us tickets to a show. The rest of the day was spent wandering around town before retiring to the Airbnb for an early night in.
We had a few hours in the morning before our train back to Munich, so we ambled around the Kunsthistorisches Museum, admiring the art and architecture. We headed back to Munich for the night, enjoying beers and reminiscing about our trip. It was the perfect end to a perfect vacation.
Stayed at: Airbnb
Austria is special to our family, most notably because we got engaged there, but also because it’s where Nathaniel’s parents met. I know that we will be back to this magnificent country many times in our future, and I hope you get to experience all the beauty Bavaria has to offer!
Bon voyage!
Cristina M. Tillberry, MBA, PMP 
Great post 🙂