Overview:

Airfare:

Karen Brown's Guides have long recommended Auto Europe for their excellent car rental services. Their air travel division, Destination Europe, an airline broker working with major American and European carriers, offers deeply discounted coach- and business-class fares to over 200 European gateway cities. It also gives Karen Brown travelers an additional 5% discount off its already highly competitive prices (cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions). We recommend you make reservations by phone at (800) 835-1555. When phoning, be sure to use the Karen Brown ID number 99006187 to secure your discount.

Another option is to visit Flight Reservations under the blue Travel Tools tab on all of our web pages. Here, you will find a myriad of prices from different air carriers.

Europe now has several low-cost air carriers, the largest being Ryanair, offering excellent prices for air travel within Europe. If you are traveling long distances across Europe it might be advantageous to look into flying rather taking the train.

Transportation:

For rental cars in Europe, we always use Auto Europe-a car rental broker that works with the major car rental companies to find the lowest possible price. We find Auto Europe's committment to customer service to be unsurpassed. Auto Europe's toll-free phone service, from every European country, connects you to their U.S.-based, 24-hour reservation center (ask for the Europe Phone Numbers Card to be mailed to you). They also offer motor homes and chauffeur services. Auto Europe offers our readers a 5% discount (cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions) and, occasionally, free upgrades. Be sure to use the Karen Brown ID number 99006187 to receive your discount and any special offers. You can make your own reservations online via our website or by phone (800-223-5555).

When driving in Austria please note the following:

BELTS: Seat belts must be worn by everyone in the car. Children under 12 must not sit in the front seat.

DRIVER'S LICENSE: An international driver's license is strongly recommended by the Austrian Tourist Office. This can be purchased for $10 in the USA at your local AAA office. Your own driver's license is also acceptable. The minimum driving age is 18.

DRUNK DRIVING: It is a very serious offense to drive when you have been drinking. Anyone with an alcohol blood level of 0.8% (fewer than two beers) is considered under the influence, so do not drink and drive-save your liquid refreshments for evening meals, when your driving is finished for the day.

GASOLINE: Gasoline is very expensive (diesel is less expensive) so, if you are driving, budget this as part of your trip's expense. When estimating how much money you will need, figure roughly that gas costs about three times more in Austria than it does in the United States. In addition to the expected combinations of premium and standard gasolines, many stations have another choice where you can create your own mixture to arrive at the perfect octane combination for your car by adjusting the dial on the pump. Most stations take credit cards.

PARKING PERMITS: In some cities parking permits are needed for limited-time parking. Cars parked in these special zones need to display in the front window a cardboard clock, available free at gasoline stations, banks, police stations, and tobacco stores. The system is to set the hands of the clock at the time you leave the car so that if a policeman comes by, he can check that you have not overstayed your time. Many cities also have paid parking zones. Tickets are available through vending machines in the streets.

ROADS: Most of the major cities are connected by autobahns marked by signs showing a double blue line. Traffic moves fast on the autobahns where there is a speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) (1 kilometer = .6 mile). Highways are also excellent roads and complete the network. The joy of traveling on these roads is that there is relatively little traffic. Of course, the stream of cars increases as you approach major cities, but compared with other European countries, Austria�s roads are blissfully tranquil. It is rare to be delayed behind a line of cars or a stream of slow-moving trucks. Not to say, though, that you might not have to wait while lines of cows meander across the road on their way home from pasture or slow down for a few kilometers while a farmer drives his tractor back to the farm. The speed limit on highways is 100 kph, in towns 50 kph.

ROAD SIGNS: Before getting on the road, prepare yourself by learning the international driving signs so that you can obey all the rules of the road and avoid the embarrassment and danger of heading the wrong way down a small street or parking in a forbidden area. There are three basic sign shapes: triangular signs warn that there is danger ahead; circular signs indicate compulsory rules and information; square signs give information concerning telephones, parking, camping, etc.

Currency:

The euro is now the official currency of most European Union countries, including Austria, having completely replaced national currencies as of February 2002. Thankfully, the money lost and time spent exchanging one currency for another when you cross borders are a thing of the past.

An increasingly popular and convenient way to obtain foreign currency is simply to use your bankcard at a seemingly ubiquitous ATM machine. You pay a fixed fee for this but, depending on the amount you withdraw, it is usually less than the percentage-based fee charged to exchange currency or travelers' checks. Be sure to check with your bank or credit card company about their fees and necessary pin numbers prior to departure.

Many establishments accept one or more credit cards. If possible, pay using your credit card as the exchange rate is usually quite favorable. Paying by credit card reduces the need to carry large sums of cash and thus reduces potential loss in the case of theft. Keep a record of your credit card numbers at home as well as with you separately from your cards in case of loss or theft. Also, it is a good idea to contact your card issuer and inform them of your travel plans.

Driving:

BOATS: Most lakes have ferryboats that operate from spring to fall, and there is no lovelier way to explore Austria’s lakes than from the deck of a boat. Generally no reservations are needed and the schedule is always posted at the pier. Be sure to be on time because the boats glide in and out of the docks like clockwork and passengers who are late are left behind.

A popular boat excursion is the ferryboat that plies the Danube between Passau and Vienna. If you wish to take just a segment between these two towns, you need no reservation: simply buy your ticket and climb aboard. However, if you are taking the entire trip and desire a cabin, advance reservations are necessary. These ferries are not deluxe, but lots of fun and a marvelous way to see the country.

Another option is to take the hydrofoil that links Vienna with Budapest. The trip to Budapest takes four-and-a-half hours, the return trip takes five-and-a-half. Reservations should be made in advance.

CARS: SEE Auto Europe Car Rental

TRAINS: Austria has excellent trains and a spider web of routes linking most of the cities and small towns. For train buffs there is another wonderful option—nostalgic narrow-gauge trains (some still with steam engines) that take passengers into some of the most beautiful and remote areas of Austria. Originally these were built by the emperor so that he could keep in contact with people living in isolated mountain regions. Later, after roads were built, many of the trains remained—a reminder of a romantic past. These trains look too cute to be real. As you are driving along, you will hear a “toot toot” and winding through the valley will be a gay little engine pulling a stream of brightly painted cars loaded with passengers.

On some of these trains you can even be the conductor and command the train from a perch in the engine, although your conductor’s status must usually be reserved in advance. For further information concerning when and where these “toy” trains operate, contact the Austrian Tourist Office, 120 West 45^th St., 9^th Floor, New York, NY, 10036, USA, tel: (212) 944-6885, fax: (212) 730-4568, or visit their website, www.austria.info.

Most train stations have a desk where someone speaks English to assist you with schedules. If you are traveling a great deal of your time on trains, you might consider the option of buying a comprehensive publication, Fahrplan, available at any train station. This publication has a map and all the schedules for trains, boats, and buses.

On international trains that whip between European countries you frequently need to reserve a seat in advance, and you need to pay a supplement on some express trains. However, for local trains you pay no supplement and rarely need a seat reservation—if you have a ticket, just hop aboard and find a seat. The cars are marked on the outside first or second class and within both categories there are designated smoking and non-smoking seating areas. Some of the trains have dining cars, some have a person who walks through selling snacks, and some have no food service.

Or, once you arrive in Austria, you might want to buy a bundesnetzkarte, a one-month rail pass that can be purchased only within the country. Another option is a kilometerbank card, which also can be purchased only within Austria. This is a card printed with 2,000, 3,000, or 5,000 kilometers and can be used by up to six friends or family traveling together. The conductor deducts the appropriate distance used depending upon the length of the trip.

To make your journey more carefree, there are several terms you should be able to recognize when you are in the train stations. With these few terms you should be in business.

BAHNHOF: Train station

SCHIFFAHRT: Boat dock

STANDSEILBAHN: Cable car

KABINENSEILBAHN: Gondola

ABFAHRT: Time of departure

NACH: Traveling to

BAHNSTEIG: Platform number at the train station

GLEIS: Track number

Electricity:

Shopping:

Most shops are open from 9 am to 6 pm, and closed for an hour or two in the middle of the day when the shopkeeper goes home for lunch. In resort areas, some of the shops are open seven days a week, but in most towns the stores are closed Saturday afternoons and Sundays. The shops are filled with many tantalizing items attractively and artfully displayed. Described below and on the following pages are some of the favorite items to take home.

CERAMICS: Ceramics are made in Gmunden, which is in the lake district near Salzburg. You can buy anything from an entire dinner set to a beer mug. If your itinerary does not take you to Gmunden, take heart: the ceramics are also available in shops in Salzburg, Vienna, and Innsbruck.

DIRNDLS: Dirndls are charming pinafores usually of provincial-print material worn with a white blouse and apron. All sizes are available from adorable tiny dresses for little girls to matching costumes for mom and grandmother. In addition to all sizes, the dresses come in all fabrics and designs from gay daytime cotton models to fabulous pure silk high-fashion designer creations.

GLASSWARE: In the medieval town of Rattenburg, along the River Inn near Innsbruck, you can choose from a wonderful selection of glasses of all kinds. These are made by local craftsmen who came from Czechoslovakia as refugees and brought their craft with them. You can have your glassware engraved while you wait or have it mailed home.

LEATHER GOODS: The leather in Austria is especially beautiful: not only is it soft and lovely, but also skillfully styled. The skirts and jackets are expensive, but absolutely gorgeous. LEDERHOSEN: A trip to Austria would not be complete without bringing home a pair of wonderful leather shorts for all the men and little boys in the family. They are not expensive and just do not wear out.

PETITPOINT: Vienna is famous for its beautiful petitpoint needlework, which is available in handbags, eyeglass cases, belts, etc. There are many cheap imitations in the souvenir shops, but the real thing is very expensive and very exquisite.

SALES TAX: If you are a non-EU resident and plan to do much shopping, be aware that there are substantial savings available on a tax credit plan. If you buy goods worth over € 75 at the same store, you can get a 13% tax refund. Not all stores participate in the program, so when shopping, ask if the store does. If it does, ask for a tax refund form, which the store will fill out. As you leave the European Union you must have this form stamped by the tax inspector at the airport or border crossing. If you are leaving by train, you must get off the train at the border and have the inspector at the customs office stamp the form and the receipts. Keep your purchases together because the customs agent will probably want to see what you have bought. If leaving from the airport, go to the airport customs office. You can receive an immediate refund in cash from the tax-free refund counter. There are also tax-free refund facilities available at some road border crossings. (Shops have information sheets explaining all the different places you can receive refunds.) If you are purchasing items in a shop displaying a "tax-free for tourists" sign, the store will give you a "tax-free shopping cheque," which you present to customs when you leave the country or the European Union. You then take your stamped cheques to the refund service's airport desk or border kiosk for an immediate refund, drop them in a special box, or mail them to the refund service's nearest office after you get home (within 60 days of the date of purchase). You can have refunds credited to your Visa, MasterCard, or other credit card in your own currency.

SKI EQUIPMENT: The ski equipment in Austria does not seem any great buy; however, it is fun to bring home a pair of skis or boots, if for no other reason than the memory, especially if you were on a skiing holiday.

SWEATERS: There are many beautiful woolen sweaters for men, women, and children. Especially comfortable, and typically Austrian, are the sweaters that look like jackets.

TEXTILES: Austria has lovely materials. The country motif designs are popular and make beautiful curtains, tablecloths, napkins, etc.

TYROLEAN HATS: It is fun to bring home a jaunty Austrian felt hat.

WOODEN BOXES: Wooden boxes of all sizes and styles, painted with gay Tyrolean designs of flowers and hearts, are available.

Tourism:

If you have questions not answered in this guide or need special guidance for a particular destination, the Austrian Tourist Offices can assist you. If you have access to the Internet you may want to visit their website, www.austria.info.

Australia: Austrian National Tourist Office, 1st Floor, 36 Carrington St., Sydney NSW 2000, Australia, tel: (2) 9299-3621, fax: (2) 9299-3808

Canada: Austrian National Tourist Office, 2 Bloor St. West, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2, Canada, tel: (416) 967-4867, fax: (416) 967-4101

Great Britain: Austrian National Tourist Office, 9-11 Richmond Building, London W1D 3HF, England, tel: (020) 7440-3842, fax: (020) 7440-3848

USA: Austrian Tourist Office, 120 West 45th St., 9th Floor, New York, NY 10036,USA, tel: (212) 944-6885, fax: (212) 730-4568

Almost all towns throughout Austria have a local tourist office, identified with an "I" (which stands for information). We strongly recommend that, during your travels, you make a beeline for the closest office. The agents gladly give advice on local events, timetables for local trains, buses, and boats, and often have maps and brochures on the region's points of interest.

Weather:

Itineraries:

Food Summary:

Food in Austria is NOT a problem unless you are watching your waistline. You can eat anytime, anywhere: it is amazing. Small cafes are found along seemingly deserted mountain paths and warming huts serving an assortment of hot mulled wine, cider, crepes, sausages, soups, and sandwiches are strategically positioned to tempt skiers in from their mountain descent. Even the smallest town is liberally sprinkled with restaurants. In summer, sidewalk terraces magically blossom with tables set with jaunty umbrellas. When you visit Austria be prepared to eat, and eat well.

Breakfast usually consists of a buffet of cheeses, cold meats, cereal, breads, butter, homemade jams, juice and pate, along with a choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mid-morning it is tempting to stop for coffee and one of Austria's delectable pastries. Only a few hours after lunch, the cafes are busy again, serving tea and strudel. It is stylish to linger in a coffeehouse to watch the people and have an ice cream.

Generally the food is excellent. Most countryside inns cultivate small gardens that provide delicious salads and vegetables. Jams are often homemade, breads usually fresh from the oven. Hotel owners are frequently the chefs or, if not, closely supervise the preparation of food. Forget your diet-mit schlag (with cream) is the byword in Austria and far too good to pass up. The Austrians use cream on everything-even meat. All your walking will easily compensate for a little indulgence.

A unique Austrian institution is the coffeehouse. It seems that when the Turks were finally ousted from Austria, in their haste to flee, they left many supplies, including bags of the precious coffee bean. Quick to capitalize on a free gift, a Viennese entrepreneur learned how to prepare his bounty and opened the first Viennese coffeehouse. Soon the trend spread and coffeehouses sprouted up all over the city. The coffee, although superb and served in an astonishingly creative number of ways, is really only incidental: the coffeehouse serves as a club where friends meet, play chess, read the paper, or just sit and think. Newspapers and magazines are stretched on wooden hangers to be perused leisurely, and games stacked on shelves are for playing. The coffee is expensive, but not when you realize what an assortment of pleasures is purchased with one small cup.

Austria is surrounded by seven countries-Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic-so it is not surprising that there is such a wonderful selection of cuisine. Austria has absorbed some of the best from each of her neighbors and, with tricks from the kitchen, given them a uniquely Austrian touch.

Food Description Summary:

The following list includes some of Austria's most popular foods:

BACKHENDL: Young chickens, breaded and fried to a golden brown.

BREADS: There are too many varieties of delicious breads to list them. Most hotels and restaurants take pride in serving wonderful home-baked breads.

BREGENZERWALD CHEESES: If you follow the Marvelous Mountains of Tyrol & Vorarlberg itinerary in this guide, you will travel through the little villages of the Bregenzerwald, which produce these delicious cheeses.

FRANKFURTER: Contrary to what one would expect, these delicious sausages originated in Vienna, not in Germany.

GAME: All kinds of game are served and understandably are the specialty of hotels that were once hunting lodges.

GULYA: Goulash served both as a stew and frequently as a soup-a hearty combination of onions and meat, heavily flavored with paprika.

KARFIOLSUPPE: A thick cauliflower soup.

KNÖDEL: A flour dumpling, flavored with spices and served instead of potatoes with meats, blended with paté and dropped into soups, stuffed with jam and fried, or filled with a sweet fruit and served for dessert.

KRAPFEN: A delicious pastry filled with a sweet fruit filling and then deep-fried.

LEBERKNÖDELSUPPE: A tasty broth with a large paté-flavored dumpling floating in the middle.

PALATSCHINKEN: Thin pancakes sometimes rolled around, or stacked, with a filling such as hazelnuts and topped with whipped cream.

SALAT: Salad is usually a combination of sliced vegetables and greens. However, if you prefer, you can ask for grüner salat-green salad.

SALZBURGER NOCKERL: A soufflé made from stiffly beaten eggs and a little flour, served piping hot from the oven and dusted with sugar.

SCHWAMMERLN GEBACKEN: Mushrooms dipped in batter and deep-fried, served with a mayonnaise dill sauce.

STRUDEL: Pie-like pastries with a layered crust. There are many variations of this pastry, the most popular being apple strudel.

TAFELSPITZ: A large piece of beef simmered with herbs and wine until very tender, then sliced and served.

TIROLER GROSTL: Similar to American hash. Cooked beef is cut into small pieces then fried with onions, potatoes, and caraway seed.

TORTE: A layered cake with a wide choice of fillings. The most famous is the Sacher torte, a chocolate cake filled with apricot jam and iced with chocolate.

WIENER SCHNITZEL: Thin fillets of veal, dipped in egg and breadcrumbs then fried to a golden brown.

ZWIEBELROSTBRATEN: Beef steaks that have been hammered thin and then quickly fried on both sides and served with sautéed onion.

History Summary:

Hotel Descriptions Summary:

We have tried to indicate what each hotel has to offer and to describe the setting, so that you can make the choice to suit your own preferences and vacation. For some of you, cost will not be a factor if the hotel is outstanding; for others, budget will guide your choices; the appeal of a simple little inn with rustic wooden furniture will beckon some, while the glamour of ornate ballrooms dressed with crystal chandeliers and gilt mirrors will appeal to others. We feel that if you know what to expect, you will not be disappointed, so we have tried to be candid and honest in our written appraisals. All of the hotels featured in this book have been visited and selected solely on their merits. Our judgments are made on charm, setting, cleanliness, and, above all, the warmth of welcome. However, sometimes hotels change. If you find a hotel that is not as we have indicated, please write to us. Also, please let us know if you especially love a hotel we have recommended or have your own discovery to share. Your feedback helps us tremendously in maintaining the quality of our guide. Austria has a wonderful palette of hotels-delightful lakeside manors, fabulous ski resorts, luxury city hotels, simple farmhouses, and fascinating castles-a variety to satisfy the whim and pocketbook of every traveler. Salzburg and Vienna are expensive, though certainly no more so than popular metropolitan areas anywhere in the world. In the countryside the choices are superb and the prices incredibly reasonable, especially in the small country inn or gasthaus. Even though the tab is low, you will frequently find beautiful decor in the dining rooms and linen tablecloths, fresh flowers, and candles on the tables. Normally though, do not expect too much in the bedrooms-usually the antique ambiance is concentrated in the dining rooms, though there are some outstanding exceptions that are noted under the various hotel descriptions. Following are descriptions of a sampling of the type of accommodations and hotels you will find in Austria.

CASTLES: Whereas every little village seems to have an inn, every hilltop seems to have a castle. Happily, many of these have been converted into hotels providing some of the best travel buys in Europe. The majority of castle hotels have a faded elegance-those less polite might say they are a bit shabby. But who could care that the guestrooms are not decorator-perfect when the antique four-poster bed is fit for a king? What does it matter if the Oriental carpet is a bit tired when the room comes alive with stories of another era when the countess as a child danced around the Christmas tree? Who can complain if the garden is no longer a spectacle of manicured perfection when photos create visions of a past when beautiful ladies dressed in satin sipped tea on the terrace? There are some castles whose decor is impeccable and whose bathrooms sparkle with all the latest modern fixtures. Castles still owned by the original titled families are often the most interesting. Prices are often amazingly low and with your room comes a slice of romance and history.

FARMHOUSES: Many farmhouses have been turned into inns. These are usually in the country near small towns. Frequently the dining rooms exude a rustic charm with splendid paneling and sturdy little chairs whose backs are carved with hearts. Bedrooms are clean and simple with puffy down comforters on the beds.

HUNTING LODGES: Hunting was the sport for the landed gentry and it seems, in addition to his palace and castle, every nobleman had his own hunting lodge tucked away in the woods. Many of these are now wonderful hotels whose walls are adorned with trophies and a patchwork of photographs hinting at a way of life long gone. Hunting lodges are usually not deluxe. Most of them are quite like they used to be�rustic, simple rooms, lounges where men could sit and discuss the day�s hunt, pleasant dining rooms serving an abundance of food (often featuring game, always featuring fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden), guestrooms clean and comfortable but not fancy.

PALACES: Most palaces are located in or near cities and were previously private estates of the nobility. Some are only reflections of the grandeur of the past and could do with a bit of sprucing up, but the price is usually very low, especially considering the romantic atmosphere. Other palaces are superbly maintained, fit for a king, and very expensive.

Hotel Rates Summary:

Hotel Reservations Summary:

Hotel Reservation Options:

More and more, properties are offering on-line booking services. Where these exist, we offer a direct link from our web page to the properties booking system. If the property does not allow web bookings we offer an email page you can fill-in and send to the property. Please remember, when making a reservation, to spell out the month since Europeans reverse the American system for dates. As an example, in Austria 4/9/07 means September 4, 2007 not April 9, 2007.

Other methods for making reservations include:

FAX: If you have access to a fax, this is an efficient way to contact a hotel. The method of faxing is the same as telephoning-dial the international access code (011), followed by the country code for Austria, 43, then the city code, followed by the local telephone number. When faxing from anywhere outside of Austria, drop the zero from the front of the city code. Dial 011-420 for the hotels we have in the Czech Republic. Don't forget to include your fax number for their response.

LETTER: If you start early, you can write to the hotels directly for your reservations. There are certainly many benefits to this in that you can be specific as to your exact preferences. The important point is to be brief in your request. Clearly state the following: number of people in your party; how many rooms you desire; whether you want a private bathroom; date of arrival and date of departure; request the rate per night and the deposit needed. When you receive a reply, send the deposit and ask for a receipt. Mail to Europe is sometimes slow so allow about a month for a reply.

TELEPHONE: One of the most satisfactory ways to make a reservation is to call. The cost is minimal if you dial direct and you can have your answer immediately. If space is not available, you can then decide on alternative accommodation. Consider the time difference and what time it is in Austria so that you can then call during their business day. Dial 011, the international code, Austria's country code, 43 (or 420 for the hotels we have in the Czech Republic), followed by the city code and the hotel telephone number which appear under the hotel listings. If you are dialing from outside Austria, omit the initial zero from the city code.

TRAVEL AGENT: A travel agent can be of great assistance, particularly if your own time is limited. A proficient agent can expertly handle all the details of your holiday and tie them together for you in a neat package-including hotel reservations, airline tickets, boat tickets, train reservations, ferry schedules, and theater tickets. Travel Agents will often charge a service fee for making reservations.

Icons Descriptions Summary:

Position the cursor over the icon on the bottom of the accomodations pages and the resulting text will tell what the icon symbol represents.

Air conditioning in rooms,

Beach nearby,

Breakfast included in room rate,

Children welcome,

Cooking classes offered,

Credit cards accepted,

Direct-dial telephone in room,

Dogs by special request,

Elevator,

Exercise room,

Mini-refrigerator in rooms,

Some non-smoking rooms,

Parking available,

Restaurant,

Spa,

Swimming pool,

Tennis,

Television with English channels,

Wedding facilities,

Wheelchair friendly,

Golf course nearby,

Hiking trails nearby,

Horseback riding nearby,

Skiing nearby,

Water sports nearby,

Wineries nearby.

Maps Summary:

Please, do not assume you can print maps from our site and merrily travel through Austria. Possibly, the most important item to travel with is a good map, particularly if you are driving. You will need a set of detailed maps that indicate all of the highway numbers, autobahns, alternative little roads, autobahn access points, exact distances, etc. Our suggestion is to purchase a comprehensive selection of both city maps and regional maps before your departure, and with a highlight pen mark your own personalized itinerary and pinpoint your city hotels. (Note: Frequently in Austria the hotels do not have a street address-especially in small towns, the town itself is the only address. However, in most cases the tourist bureau does an excellent job of placing signs strategically to guide you to each of the hotels once you are close.) Be sure to get a map that has an index with it. Our preference for maps are those by Michelin-we use Michelin Map #730 for Austria. We sell Michelin country maps, city maps, and regional Green Guides on our website store.

Before you leave for Austria, contact the individual hotels you will be staying at for their directions to the property. Even with the best of aids, you will occasionally get lost. Try not to blame the navigator as his is a thankless job.

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