Vienna, Salzburg & Tirol

Favorite discoveries or tips:

Elephant Restaurant in Krems. Excellent service and food at a reasonable price. Krems isn't that big, but the restaurant was recommended by locals.

Steve Krom in Seattle, WA USA 11/02/2009

While in Salzburg, I stayed in the Hotel Schwartzes Rossl, which was wonderful...not fancy...budget, clean and very friendly, front desk eager to help, great location and breakfast. It's, however, only available from July 1 through September 30. Otherwise, student housing for the Univeristy. Priesterhausgasse 6, Salzburg A 5020, 43.0662.874426, www.academiahotelsls.at. My single room was only 35 euro/day. I have photos.

Carol Fallon in Newport Beach, Ca USA 11/01/2009

The Wiener Zentralfriedhof is a must see for musicians. Section 32A of the cemetery is the burial site for Brahms, Beethoven, Strauss, Schubert and Mozart. Entering at Tor 2 would be optimal. You can pick up the guide from that gate. Ride bus 1,2 or 3 to get you to that gate. We took the train and entered at gate 11 and walked miles before finding the main entry. This place is so big it has its own bus!

Vienna at night tour on your own with the trams and walking was a great light show seeing the beautiful buildings illuminated.

Isabel Davenport in Glendale, AZ USA 10/25/2009

We had reservations to stay at the Bloberhof Hotel in Salzburg; however, upon our arrival, we discovered that there had been a plumbing problem and our room was out of commission. The innkeeper had graciously made reservations for us at a Pension Frauenschuh, which was located about a mile away. The penison was lovely and our room was very large and spotless. The breakfast menu was quite extension and Marianne made us lovely eggs every morning. The bus stop was located right in front of the pension, which made traveling to any part of the city very convenient and reasonably priced.

Sue in Las Vegas, NV USA 10/19/2009

Great book - I visited Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, so I used most of the book. Self guided walks were an excellent introduction to cities, and guides for museums were very helpful as well. The format, content, and attitude of this book were much better than any other travel guide I have used before - Lonely Planet, AAA, Michelin. I will be looking for your guides the next time I take a trip.

I took a 9" netbook on my trip and thought it was very useful. It weighs nothing and takes up little space, but it allowed me to avoid paying for internet use or waiting to use hostel computers, as well as giving me a chance to look at pictures and store information

Jim in Minneapolis, USA 09/20/2009

The CAT in Vienna is wonderful From Westbahnhoff subway station, you can check your bags to the airport for several air services, then jump on the CAT free of baggage.

Paula Harris in Milwaukie, OR USA 09/04/2009

By accident I came across the stables for the Lipizzaner stallions, and enjoyed seeing them as they came across the street from their practice, and being able to be up close to them.

Patricia Koutouzis in Marietta, GA USA 07/05/2009

I look forward to reading this guidebook. However, without knowing what is said about Hallstatt, I would like to comment on my view thereof. Our host in a nearby village dropped us in Hallstatt midweek in early June 2009 while he went on to Bad Ischl to pick up someone at the train station. After seeing Rick's description on TV some years ago, we were extremely disappointed. The place was incredibly overrrun with tourists -- busloads of seniors, of teenagers, and of assorted adults. The two hours we spent there was quite enough, for we had already seen far more interesing places nearby in the Salzkammergut. We have traveled the world, and really cannot understand this attraction with Hallstatt.

Edwin W. Brown, M.D. in Indianapolis, IN USA 07/04/2009

In Salzburg I would recommend staying at the Gaestehaus Steinerof. (Moosstraße 138, A-5020 Salzburg, Telefon 0662 / 826280; http://www.gaestehaus-steinerhof.at ) If you have a mental idea of an Alpine house this would be it. It is exactly as the website shows it to be. The only problem we encountered was the directions to the location say to take bus #60, well the bus numbers have changed and it was now #21. If you do plan on staying here, you will find it to be an experience you remember.

Jack Smith in Batesville, IN USA 06/26/2009

The musicverein in Vienna deserves better billing. The $8 s.r.o tickets are fine and we saw an amazing concert there

HELEN STEELE in KESWICK, VA USA 06/07/2009

Dear Rick, I had hoped to see you in church to tell you this, but you are probably traveling now too. Every where I go in Europe I run into happy travelers who are carrying their trusty Rick Steves books. I just returned from slightly over 2 weeks in Austria, traveling to Vienna, Salzburg and places in between. I didn't know you had a regional Austria book but someone lent me a copy and it gave me the courage to try to get a standing room ticket at the Staatsoper for one of my favourite opera's, Die Walkure. Everything worked just as you said, and even though I couldn't last standing 4 1/2 hours, I made it through the first two acts and it was glorious! So, thanks!! I was talking with students in line and they asked me to thank you for them. Your tour books were their travel Bibles!

Penny Lorenz in Mill Creek, WA USA 06/03/2009

Walking tours are wonderful. Suggest adding a link to apartment rentals; we found a centrally located apartment that was shared by four at a price lower than a single hotel room.

Augusto Aguilera in Bremerton, WA USA 05/27/2009