Solo Traveling, Austria.
Solo Traveling, “Traveling alone doesn’t always mean you’re alone. Most often, you meet marvelous people along the way and make connections that last a lifetime.”
Jacqueline Boone
Even though my flight landed in Vienna, my trip started in Salzburg after a relatively short train ride from the nation’s capital. Some call Salzburg “The Rome of the North;” some wax poetics about its scenic landscapes, and others highlight Mozart or the acclaimed movie “The Sound of Music.” No matter what you are looking for in a destination, there is something for you in Salzburg.
I spent a night in this beautiful city. I arrived around noon, and since it was during summer with its long days, I could see most of the major attractions the same day. Other attractions are outside the city. However, I didn't plan on visiting those. I just spent my time exploring the town itself.
My day of sightseeing started with lunch after checking in at my hotel.
The Gablerbräu, located on the right-hand side of the Old Town, is one of the town's oldest inns–the restaurant's history dates back to 1429. It boasts classic Austrian cuisine, modern dishes, and seasonal specialties in the cozy dining rooms or two pub gardens. The restaurant has three different rooms that sport distinctive designs. Richard Mayr's room has colorful stained glasses. The second room is called the Coat of Arms room, and it is listed as a historically unique neo-gothic inn. The last room is The Modern all-around in the Bablerbrau, linking the Richard Mayr and the Wappenstube, a beer bar, offering a modern ambiance in one room.
I tried Sachertorte cake in Salzburg. Even though I sampled it in Salzburg, it was originally introduced by its creator, Chef Franz Sacher, in 1832 in Vienna.
At Cafe Mozart, I tried the fluffy souffle dessert, Salzburger Nockerl. This delicious treat is made from egg, flour, and sugar, along with a fruit compote or jam on the bottom of the plate.
I spent the whole day exploring the whole city of Salzburg, strolling around old town stores and coffee shops, trying different chocolates and pastries, and visiting tourist attractions, such as Mirabell Palace, Fortress Hohensalzburg, Salzburg Cathedral, and Mozart’s birthplace.
One of my favorite stops in Salzburg was Fortress Hohensalzburg. As I learned from Wikipedia and other sources, this large medieval fortress sits atop Frestungsberg Mountain at an altitude of 506 m. It was erected at the behest of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. The fortress is 250 m (820 ft) long and 150 m (490 ft) wide, making it one of Europe’s largest medieval castles. Since it was super hot on the day of my tour, I visited in the afternoon and took the funicular up. You can also do the short and steep hike, which takes about 15 minutes, and then pay the entrance fee upon arrival. If you want a beautiful view of Salzburg and an undoubted WOW factor, this place is a must for your itinerary. There is also an outdoor restaurant at the fortress that serves food and drinks and is a great spot to take a break and enjoy the scenery. Another highlight for many tourists is the Mirabell Palace since it is the best-known filming location for the classic movie “The Sound of Music.”
St. Peter Stiftskilinarium is a super cool and artistic restaurant with fantastic music. I think it was pricey compared with other restaurants, and the food was just good, not extraordinary. If you really want to go here, my suggestion would be to maybe just order a drink and enjoy the decor and architecture.
Hotel Stein is an adult-only hotel. As soon as I saw the words ADULT ONLY, I was like, I am booking this. LOL. Super tired, and with luggage in tow, I took a cab to the hotel. The hotel is centrally located close to all the attractions. I highly recommend this place, especially if you don't have kids. The rooms were clean, and the staff was super friendly and professional.
Cafe Tomaselli was another place that I visited. I had my morning coffee and tried a pastry here. It is definitely a cute place to sit and maybe spend some time people-watching. However, the pastry was nothing special. :(
After my wonderful visit to Salzburg, my next stop was Lake Hallstatt. It's about 3 to 4 hours by train from Salzburg, not including the short ferry ride to the village. You can definitely rent a car and drive if you prefer. This choice would definitely be a time saver. However, I did not want to deal with a rental car, and to be honest, lately, I seem to really enjoy European train rides. It is so convenient. You can relax on the train, enjoy the scenery, take a mini nap, or even watch a movie on your phone before you arrive at your destination.
I don't think you can go wrong with any hotel that you book in Hallstatt. I booked mine directly through the hotel’s website and got a room with a stunning lake view. This hotel has Gothic architecture and has been operated by the Lobisser-Hoplinger family for 150 years now. It was first mentioned in a document in 1472, and Emperor Maximilian I granted the house the right to brew beer in 1504. So, YES, perhaps surprisingly, I did order a glass of beer (or maybe two? Who’s counting these days?) And I had my dinner on their lake terrace under a 150-year-old chestnut tree.
There are many things that you can do in Hallstatt. Obviously, you can just stroll down the main lakefront, enjoy the scenery, visit the shops, and maybe have a delicious cream. You can also visit the Hallstatt Salt Mine, which is 7000 years old, and is considered one of the oldest in the world. You can get on a glass salt mine funicular lift and reach the top in only 3 minutes. There is also a restaurant in the tower that offers drinks and food with amazing views of Lake Hallstatt.
Most people come to this beautiful little town/village for a day and leave. And, it is definitely doable to see everything in a day and still enjoy yourself with a swim in the lake or a boat ride if you plan everything accordingly. However, I decided to spend the night to bask in solitude and peace once all the tourists had left. The best part of my trip was at Lake Hallstatt. I woke up to the sound of rain, and because I was still jet-lagged, I couldn't sleep much. Around 5 AM, when the rain finally stopped, I left my room and went for a hike. It was so peaceful. There was no one in the streets; nobody was awake; it was only me. I hiked for about 3 hours, went to the waterfalls, and enjoyed nature to its fullest in breathtaking solitude.
My next stop was Vienna.
Vienna is the capital of Austria, with different attractions for everyone to enjoy. I focused on museums, wandering the streets, and exploring old and new buildings.
I stayed at the Hotel Topazz & Lamee, centrally located overlooking St. Stephen’s Cathedral and close to the main train station. The rooftop offers a great view of both the city and the Cathedral. On my last night in Vienna, I enjoyed a cocktail on the hotel's rooftop.
Of course, one of Vienna’s main attractions is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Based on my research and information provided on their website, many believe that the church's construction started in 1137. In 1945, a fire ripped through the Cathedral, leading to the collapse of the supporting wall of the choir’s roof truss, which penetrated the south and middle choir vaults. Also, the flames destroyed most of the bells, the organ, the imperial oratorio, the Gothic choir stalls, and several other works of art.
Other interesting places in Vienna include the Vienna Opera House, The Hofburg, Schonbrunn Palace, Kusthistorisches Museum, and Belvedere Palace.
I visited both Kunsthistorisches Museum and Belvedere Palace since both boosted works of art of Gustav Klimt.
The Belvedere consists of 3 different museums. The Upper Museum contains works representing more than 800 years of art history. The Lower Museum has art exhibitions spanning all eras, and 21 is the venue for Austrian and international contemporary art, film, and music. In 2023, the Museum celebrated 300 years. “The Kiss,” Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece, is in the Upper Belvedere.
Since I was traveling solo, most of the trip, I would just go to random local restaurants. However, I did make a few reservations. One of them was at Herzing, a Michelin guide restaurant that offers thoughtful and original cuisine in which dishes are crafted with exceptional attention to detail. This restaurant would be an outstanding choice for an intimate date night or a great place for friends to gather and enjoy high-quality ingredients.
Austria has so many beautiful and unique towns that I wanted to add one more to my list before ending my trip. After going back and forth between my options, I decided on Melk, a town on the Danube River, west of Vienna and less than an hour ride by train. I am so glad that I made this decision. Melk is known for the 11th-century Melk Abbey, a monastery built above the town. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside, so just put your phone or camera away and enjoy the beauty it offers as you make forever memories.
I highly recommend eating at Rathauskeller - Der Melker Gasthof. It had one of the best Wiener Schnitzel (pork) and parsley potatoes that I had during my entire Austrian trip, so much so that I got my leftovers to go, just in case I got hungry on the train ride back to Vienna. LOL.
If I return to Melk, I will start my day trip by taking a boat ride, which lasts a few hours. You can make stops or just enjoy the ride and the stunning scenery. The boat offers drinks and food as well. After the boat ride, I would visit the Abbey. I was not sure if I wanted to go on the boat ride first or visit the Abbey first, so I ended up on the last ride. Even that was spectacular! What beautiful nature! I loved seeing the mini towns and villages on the route and being able to stop and visit them. Of course, on the last ride, I could not get out, because I had to make it back to Vienna. Melk is a town that I would visit again on a return trip to Austria – that’s how much I enjoyed it
one of the dinners, I decided I wanted to eat something different and went to Viva La Mamma. It was absolutely delicious. There were tons of interesting options, but I wanted the classic margarita pizza. Margarita pizza is simple, but many restaurants cannot make it right. It often ends up too soggy or bland. Viva La Mamma did it just right.
My last day of the trip was spent eating, as if this was a surprise, and visiting Hundertwasser House. I visited Naschmarkt, a food market with more than 100 market stalls, from restaurants and bars to fresh food and specialties. I enjoyed a glass of white wine and sampled some delicious cheeses as my brunch.
The Hundertwasser House is an apartment building completed in 2985, based on the idea and concept of Austrian artist Friedensreich. Residents live here, so you cannot go inside. However, there is the Hundertwasser Village and Shops, converted into a shopping center by the “Austrian Gaudi,” to visit.
