| Stretching from Salzburg to Vienna, the "Romantic Road"
is largely unknown as such. Conjuring images from the Middle Ages
to modern times, this route of castles and ruins, stately mansions,
and now magnificent Schloss hotels beckons the visitor to a unique
not-quite-forgotten world of by-gone days that yearns to be discovered.
Day 1:
Arrival in Salzburg - visit of Salzburg (Getreidegasse, Mozart's
Geburtshaus, Domplatz, Schloss Mirabell and the Fortress). Overnights
in Salzburg (Hotel Mozart or similar) x2.
Day 2:
Excursion to Mondsee - visit of the baroque town center and
the famed "wedding church". Journey on to nearby St.
Gilgen, in the lovely Salzkammergut. Take a trip by boat across
Lake Wolfgang to the town of St. Wolfgang. Lunch in the White
Horse Inn - beautiful views of the lake and visit of the Michael
Pacher altar in the adjacent village church. On to Bad Ischl,
summer home of Emperor Franz Joseph and the operetta composer
Franz Lehar. Coffee stop in Austria's number 2 Kaffeehaus - Zauner's
- for a relaxing interlude.
Day 3:
Excursion to pristine Hallstatt - visit of the oldest salt
mine in Austria and the town with it's archaeological excavations.
Lunch at Hotel Gruner Baum (on the lake). Afternoon visit to Obertraun,
famous for its ice caverns; explore the Salzkammergut. Overnight
in Loibichl at the famous Seehof Hotel on the beautiful Mondsee.
Day 4:
Travel to Gmunden - visit of the town (guided tour) - a long
the Austrian Romantic Road to Scharnstein (Scharnstein Chateau).
Lunch in a traditional inn. Travel on to Wels - visit of the inner
city - with its famous historical old town square - time for shopping,
then on Kremsmunster (short visit of the abbey and the Streitwieser
Musical Instrument Museum). Overnight in Kremsmunster - Hotel
"Schlair.
Day 5:
Travel to Steyr - visit of the old romantic river town. Early
lunch in the Hotel Minichmayr overlooking the river, on to St.
Florian and Enns - the oldest existing town in Austria - along
the Romantik Road. Coffee stop at the Kaffeehaus Blumenstraussl
in Grein. Journey along the timeless Danube through the Wachau
Wine Valley to Krems. Overnight at the Hotel Steigenberger Avance
in Krems.
Day 6:
On to Melk - visit of the imposing Benedictine Abbey with its
ornate library, on to Schallaburg the renaissance castle with
its wonderful manneristic garden. Ship leaves in Krems at 1100,
1350, and 1615 to Spitz or Krems. Overnight in Krems - Hotel Steigenberger
Advance.
Day 7:
Journey to Gottweig on the Danube; visit of the abbey; further
on to Schloss Grafenegg, and lunch in the Schlosstaverne with
its breathtaking views. Surface travel to Vienna (overnight).
Clima Hotel Johann Strauss or Erzherzog Hotel Rainer.
Day 8: (optional)
Sightseeing in Vienna - experience the wonders of the old imperial
capital or early flight connecting to Muncih or Frankfurt, returning
home on the same day.
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