Austria


Click on any image for a larger picture

Velden
Maria Worth
View from Maria Worth

Velden - Travelling North from Venice, Italy, we crossed the border into Southern Austria and stayed at a nice bed and breakfast hotel in Velden (pronounced "Felden") located on the Western end of Lake Worther in the province of Carinthia or Kärten. This resort town reminded me of a very picturesque park. Vibrant flowers hung below window sills from homes and cottages. Austrians greeted each other with "Grüsse Gott" equivalent to "Guten Tag," or "good day." Outside of town, a beautiful golf course is set in the countryside. Very few American tourists know about this place. It's a favorite summer spot for many Europeans. Fall is less crowded with cooler temperatures than summer month.

Maria Worth - We took a boat tour to a little cape, Maria Worth, on the southern side of Lake Worther. We visited a lovely church with a stunning floral garden. All around were beautiful vistas of the shimmering lake with swans swimming and quaint little houses sitting on the surrounding hillsides.

Hochosterwitz Castle - We took a day trip to St. Veit, (pronounced St. "Feit"). With no buses or taxis running in October, we walked a lot and clambered up the imposing hill. Viewing the castle from afar I was reminded of knights, damsels in distress, and fire-breathing dragons. Inside the castle were some guided tours, but they were in German. The concession stand sold our familiar Coca-Cola, which we badly needed after climbing several hundred feet.

Kaprun near Zell am See
Salzburg
Salzburg Cathedral Ceilings


A pair of lovely towns, Zell am See (pronounced "Tsel -ahm - Zêi") and Kaprun (pronounced "Ka - prune") lie between Salzburg and Innsbruck. Zell Am See is a beautiful lakeside resort with quaint little shops and an amazing golf course. Kaprun is a 5 minute bus ride and offers year-round skiing. On Gail's first trip, she and some friends plunged their skies into virgin powder right after a storm in early September.

Salzburg, which means salt mountain, is a short train ride from Zell am See. Many salt mines surround this city. Salzburg is, of course, the world famous, birthplace of Mozart and backdrop to the Broadway musical and motion picture, "The Sound of Music." This town is such a charming place to visit with many attractions.