Mention Austria and everyone thinks of
Vienna and Salzburg. In addition to great
names, Zell am See, Innsbruck and Bad
Gastein are great locations off the beaten
path.
Zell am See
Zell…am…See. The name just rolls off
the tongue, but it pails in comparison
to the place. Often described as heaven
on earth, Zell am See is a dream location
in the mountains of Austria. With towering
mountains on one side and a lake on the
other, the town looks like something out
of a postcard. If you pull up photographs
of the town, you’ll swear they have been
touched up with a software program. This
town is simply that beautiful. In the
winter, Zell am See is all about skiing
with numerous resorts for glacier skiing.
In the summer, one can lounge on a boat
on the lake or hit the mountains for hiking,
camping and rock climbing. The Krimml
Waterfalls are extremely impressive. Zell
am See isn’t the cheapest of travel destinations,
but it should top the list if money isn’t
a concern. The best month to go is December
when skiing is good and winter festivals
occur in the town.
Innsbruck
Built on the Inn River, Innsbruck was
the home to the 1976 Winter Olympics.
And for good reason. As with much of Austria,
the town is picturesquely set against
mountains and ripe with street cafes and
surrounding areas that look like something
out of the movie Heidi. As the Olympic
designation would suggest, the town is
a good launching point for hitting the
slopes, but there is much more to it.
The historic district has the cobblestone
atmosphere you’ve come to expect from
town in the Alps. In addition to atmosphere,
you can visit historic locations such
as the tomb of Emperor Maximilian 1.
My only gripe with Innsbruck is the boring,
modern developments around the core of
the town that were brought on by the Olympics.
They sort of kill the mood, which brings
us to Bad Gastein.
Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein definitely gets a nomination
for name of the year. It just sounds like
a town where bikers would hang out. Admittedly,
it is hard to image Austrian Hells Angels,
but you get my drift.
Bad Gastein is an old Austrian village
without the droll modern fixtures of Innsbruck.
Built overlooking a valley, the town has
some incredible views. Historically, Bad
Gastein is the spa town of Austria with
emperors and other VIPs taking in treatment.
For atmosphere, the town feels like it
hasn’t changed since the 19th century.
If you’re looking for old world Austria,
this is the place. Make sure to hurry
though as the town is supposedly grabbing
the attention of developers who are thinking
hotels and casinos are a must.
If you visit Austria, Vienna and Salzburg
are definite destinations. Just make sure
you get out to the incredible towns in
the mountains.
This article was posted on November
15, 2005
