Frommer's Austria (Frommer's Complete Guides)

515 Pages·2007·4.32 MB·English

by  Darwin Porter

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Austria
12th Edition
by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_100554 ffirs.qxp 3/14/07 6:01 PM Page i
01_100554 ffirs.qxp 3/14/07 6:01 PM Page i
Austria
12th Edition
by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_100554 ffirs.qxp 3/14/07 6:01 PM Page ii
Published by:
Wiley Publishing,Inc.
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ISBN: 978-0-470-10055-4
Editor: Anuja Madar
Production Editor: Jana M. Stefanciosa
Cartographer: Guy Ruggiero
Photo Editor: Richard Fox
Anniversary Logo Design: Richard J. Pacifico
Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
Front cover photo: Dachsteingebiet, near Salzburg: Cows in front of Schlitzenalm
Back cover photo: Austria, Salzburg: Skyline of old town, elevated view
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5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
List of Maps vi
What’s New in Austria 1
1 The Best of Austria 4
1 The Best Travel Experiences . . . . . . . . .4 8 The Best Ski Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
2 The Most Romantic Getaways . . . . . . .6 9 The Best Lake Resorts & Spas . . . . . .12
3 The Best Castles & Palaces . . . . . . . . .7 10 The Best Luxury Hotels . . . . . . . . . .13
4 The Best Cathedrals & Abbeys . . . . . .8 11 The Best Affordable Hotels . . . . . . . .14
5 The Best Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 12 The Best Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . .15
6 The Best Historic Towns . . . . . . . . . . .9 13 The Best Dining Bargains . . . . . . . . .16
7 The Best Outdoor Adventures . . . . . .10 14 The Best Classic Cafes . . . . . . . . . . .16
2 Planning Your Trip to Austria 18
1 The Regions in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 7 Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Destination: Austria—Pre-Departure 8 Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 9 Specialized Travel Resources . . . . . . .37
2 Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 10 Planning Your Trip Online . . . . . . . . .40
3 Entry Requirements & Customs . . . . .21 11 The 21st-Century Traveler . . . . . . . .40
4 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Frommers.com: The Complete Travel
The Euro, the U.S. Dollar, the British Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Pound & the Canadian Dollar . . . . . .23 12 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Emergency Cash—The Fastest
13 Packages for the Independent
Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Traveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
What Things Cost in Vienna . . . . . . .25 14 Getting Around Austria . . . . . . . . . .47
5 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 15 Tips on Accommodations . . . . . . . . .52
Austria Calendar of Events . . . . . . . .26 16 Recommended Books . . . . . . . . . . .54
6 The Active Vacation Planner . . . . . . .30 Fast Facts: Austria . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
3 Suggested Austrian Itineraries 60
1 The Highlights of Austria in 3 Austria for Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
1 Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 4 The Southern Lake District in
2 Scenic Austria in 2 Weeks . . . . . . . . .64 1 Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
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iv CONTENTS
4 Settling into Vienna 70
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 3 Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . . . . . . .73 Great Summer Savings: Staying
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 in Dorms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Transportation for Less . . . . . . . . . . .78 4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Fast Facts: Vienna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Coffeehouses & Cafes . . . . . . . . . .120
5 Exploring Vienna 127
Sightseeing Suggestions . . . . . . . . .127 7 For Music Lovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
1 The Hofburg Palace Complex . . . . .128 8 Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
2 Other Top Attractions . . . . . . . . . . .135 9 Outdoor Pursuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
3 Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Boating on the “Blue” Danube . . . .154
4 More Museums & Galleries . . . . . . .145 10 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
In Memory of Vienna’s Noshing Your Way Through Vienna’s
Jewish Ghetto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Open-Air Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
5 Parks & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 11 Vienna after Dark . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Tales of the Vienna Woods . . . . . . .150 12 More Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . .172
6 Especially for Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151 13 Only in Vienna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
6 Lower Austria 175
1 The Wienerwald (Vienna Woods) . . .176 3 Wiener Neustadt . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
2 The Spa Town of Baden bei Wien . . .181 4 The Danube Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
7 Burgenland 195
1 Eisenstadt:Haydn’s Home . . . . . . . .196 The Capricious Lake . . . . . . . . . . . .201
2 Lake Neusiedl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
8 Salzburg:City of Mozart 206
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207 5 Seeing the Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . . . . . .208 In Mozart’s Footsteps . . . . . . . . . . .242
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 6 Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Fast Facts: Salzburg . . . . . . . . . . . .210 7 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
3 Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211 8 Salzburg after Dark . . . . . . . . . . . .249
4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 The Salzburg Festival . . . . . . . . . . .250
Cafes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 9 Side Trips from Salzburg . . . . . . . . .253
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CONTENTS v
9 Land Salzburg 256
1 The Tennengau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258 4 Badgastein:Austria’s Premier Spa . . .272
2 The Pongau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260 5 The Pinzgau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
The Most Spectacular Gorge in 6 The Grossglockner Road . . . . . . . .287
the Eastern Alps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 7 Zell am See . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
3 Bad Hofgastein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268
8 The Flachgau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .292
10 Upper Austria 296
1 Linz:The Provincial Capital . . . . . . .298 3 St.Wolfgang & Bad Ischl . . . . . . . .315
The Silicon Valley of Mitteleuropa . . .301 4 Hallstatt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320
A Baroque Masterpiece: 5 The Traunsee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324
The Abbey of St. Florian . . . . . . . . .303 6 Wels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326
2 Lakes Attersee & Mondsee . . . . . . .310
The Great Outdoors in the
Salzkammergut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
11 Innsbruck & Tyrol:The Best of Scenic Austria 329
1 Innsbruck:The Capital of Tyrol . . . .332 6 Seefeld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .383
Fast Facts: Innsbruck . . . . . . . . . . .336 7 The Ziller Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .387
2 Igls & the Environs . . . . . . . . . . . . .359 8 The Kitzbühel Alps . . . . . . . . . . . . .391
3 The Stubai & Wipp Valleys . . . . . . .363 9 East Tyrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .403
4 The Ötz Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .366
5 The Eastern Side of the Arlberg:
A Skiing Mecca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .373
12 Vorarlberg 408
1 The Western Side of the Arlberg . . .408 5 Bregenz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .429
2 The Montafon Valley . . . . . . . . . . . .422 The Bregenz Music Festival . . . . . . .430
3 The Brand Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .424 6 The Bregenz Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . .433
4 En Route to Bregenz:Feldkirch &
Dornbirn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .426
13 Carinthia 435
1 Klagenfurt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .438 4 Villach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .453
2 Cathedrals,Castles & More: Thermal Waters to Keep
Side Trips from Klagenfurt . . . . . . . .444 You Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .454
3 Lake Wörther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .448 5 Lake Millstatter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457
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vi CONTENTS
14 Styria 459
1 Graz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .462 3 Mariazell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .480
Fast Facts: Graz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .465 Bad Blumau: Austria’s Most
The Governor: From Graz Muscle Whimsical Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .481
Man to Movie Star . . . . . . . . . . . . .469 4 Bad Aussee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .482
2 Bad Gleichenberg . . . . . . . . . . . . .478 5 Dachstein-Tauern . . . . . . . . . . . . . .484
Appendix:Language Lessons 487
1 Basic Phrases & Vocabulary . . . . . .487 3 Menu Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .488
2 Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .488
Index 490
List of Maps
Suggested Austrian Itineraries 62 Salzburg Dining 225
Vienna Neighborhoods 74 Salzburg Attractions 239
Vienna U-Bahn 79 Land Salzburg 259
Vienna Accommodations 86 Upper Austria 297
Vienna Dining 108 Linz 299
The Hofburg 129 Tyrol 331
Vienna Attractions 130 Innsbruck 333
Schönbrunn 141 Kitzbühel 393
Lower Austria & the Danube Vorarlberg 409
Valley 177 Carinthia 437
Burgenland 197 Styria 461
Salzburg Accommodations 213 Graz 463
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About the Authors
A team of veteran travel writers, Darwin Porterand Danforth Princehave produced
numerous titles for Frommer’s, including best-selling guides to Italy, France, the
Caribbean, England, and Germany. Porter, a former bureau chief of The Miami Herald,is
also a Hollywood biographer, providing inside looks at the private lives of such stars as
Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn, and aviator Howard Hughes. His latest bio is
Brando Unzipped.Formerly of the Paris bureau of The New York Times,Prince is also
president of Blood Moon Productions and other media-related firms.
An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and
more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information
with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommenda-
tion, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Austria, 12th Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially
true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making
your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experi-
ences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to
stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets,
all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Frommer’s Vienna & the Danube Valley
Frommer’s Europe
Frommer’s Europe from $70 a Day