Although it may seem sacrilegious to say this but it is possible to eventually get tired of the ethereal beauty of the Tuscany region of Italy. After all one can only enjoy the sight of the soft rolling lush green hills brimming with vineyards of Tuscany before finally realizing that it’s all just tantalizing fantasy, tourist are welcome to visit but not to stay. Owning land in Tuscany is like an ancient birthright passed on through generations, it’s easier to get season tickets on the 50 yard line at Rice Eccles stadium than finding available real estate in this beautiful region.
However while that may be the bad news, the good news is that it’s time to move on out of Italy and into the even more spectacular mountain landscape of Austria where it’s just as easy to travel on a budget as it is in Italy. After making a brief stopover in the overrated and overpopulated city of Venice it’s cheap and easy to take an overnight train from Venice into the magical city of Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and one of the most beautiful cities in both setting and architecture. An overnight train ticket from Venice to Salzburg 54 euro in a second class sleeper compartment which of course saves on a night’s stay in a hotel.
Speaking of places to stay the Yoho International Youth Hostel of Salzburg has beds in a four room dorm for as little as 24 euro per night in what appeared to be the most popular hostel in the city based on the non-stop partying and endless showings of “The Sound of Music.” The reason for this is because the most of that movie was filmed in and around the city of Salzburg making it a magnet for fans and just about impossible to walk around the city without humming tunes from the movie while getting mobbed by tour groups full of rabid fans.
However there is far more Salzburg than just being the birthplace of Mozart and being used as the backdrop for one of the most popular movies of all the time, the city is a jewel that stands on its own merit. The city of Salzburg is nestled in between two steep karsts and surrounded by towering mountain ranges with a river that splits the city in two. The river separates the old city from the city with the crown jewel being the glittering Hohensalzburg Castle which sets up high on a hillside overlooking the city and the gorgeous Mirabell Palace whose gardens and fountain were prominently used in a certain award winning film. From the classical music being played by street musicians to the clattering of horse hoofs on cobble stone pulling carriages full of tourists it’s easy to imagine you are back in the days of Mozart.
While there is plenty enough to do in Salzburg to keep the average tourist happy for weeks eventually the wear and tear of the dealing with the hordes of Sound of Music groupies will leave you hungering for a little peace and quiet. The beautiful and tranquil postcard perfect village of Hallstatt is a perfect place to visit after enjoying the many treasures of Salzburg. For roughly 33 euro you can take a four hour train ride that will whisk you around the towering peaks of the Austrian Alps while skimming the shoreline of its multitudes of lakes before dropping you off at the majestic lake side village of Hallstatt.
Quite literally built in the small narrow space between the lake shoreline and the steep rising mountains that perfectly surround the lake on all sides Hallstatt is a breathtaking beautiful town that will make you gasp upon first glance and then pinch yourself twice to make sure you’re not dreaming. The shimmering still waters are filled by the crisp winter runoff of the snowcapped mountains that tower over this tiny picturesque village.
Nothing quite beats having dinner on one of the many lake side restaurants with mountains that rise like sky scrapers all around you and a lake filled with swans eager for you to part with the remains of your dinner. It’s a bit more expensive to stay in Hallstatt but still affordable as the Gasthof Pension Hirlatz has single rooms available for as low as 55 euro per night.
After spending a few days in paradise of Hallstatt and exploring the salt mines and ice caves that make it famous the classically beautiful city of Vienna patiently awaits your arrival. For as low as 22 euro you can catch a train from Hallstatt to Vienna and stay at one of the many available hostel options in the city like the Wombat City Hostel at The Naschmarkt which has five bed dorms for as little as 22 euro a night. The city of Vienna is as romantic as Paris with its artistically classic architecture and musical influence from the likes of Mozart and Beethoven.
There is much to see and do in this wonderful city that is a perfect way to cap off your tour of the beautiful and diverse country of Austria that somehow has managed to be overlooked by many tourists. So take my free advice and don’t end up like those other unfortunate tourists who waste their time and money going to Switzerland instead. After all who wouldn’t want to visit a country where the hills are alive with the sound of music?