|
Panoramic mountain views, charming Alpine hamlets...
The Salzkammergut is a popular holiday area to the east of Salzburg. The region is split between three provinces: Upper Austria, Styria and Salzburg Province. The region's mountains and many lakes, including the Attersee and the Wolfgangsee, attract visitors for water sports and walking in summer. In winter, both downhill and cross-country skiing are on offer as well as some great walking opportunities. At all times of the year, the scenery itself provides reason enough to spend time in this unique region. As its name suggests, the Salzkammergut is an important salt-mining area, and some of the tours down the mines provide an intriguing alternative to the more traditional over-ground holiday pursuits.
Take a walk around Bad Ischl, a pretty spa town with a number of interesting features, including many Biedermeier-style buildings. You’ll find Franz Josef's summer residence here, the Kaiservilla, where he signed the declaration of war on Serbia, an act that ignited the 1914-1918 War and determined the course of history over the following century. The Stadtmuseum, housing many exhibits of local interest and cultural items, is an interesting place to start your tour of the town. After strolling around Bad Ishchl, take a health treatment at one of the various baths around the town.
Enjoy the glorious views in
and around Hallstatt, a village in the southern Salzkammergut, which
boasts an idyllic, picturesque setting, nestling between mountains
and the Hallstein Lake. And for a tour with a difference, make sure
to take time to visit the fascinating Beinhaus, home to row upon row
of neatly ordered skulls, each decorated with flowery designs and
the owner's name. Take a look at the extraordinary ice formations in
the Dachstein ice caves near Obertraun - millions of years old and
stretching over 80 kms in some places. Go to the small town of
Gmunden, famous for its lakeside castles and ceramics. The amazing
glockenspiel at its Rathaus is well worth a look. Other antique
ceramics are housed in
the Kammerhof museum and check out the wonderful porcelain and other valuable collections in the elegant Schloss Weyer. The Wolfgangsee, a lake which is easily accessible from Salzburg, has two main resorts: St Wolfgang and St Gilgen. Take the ferry to St Wolfgang to see the pilgrimage church at St Wolfgang. Built in the 14th and 15th centuries, it features a stunning winged high altar built by Michael Pacher, a Baroque double altar by Thomas Schwanthaler, and a wealth of religious paintings and statues as well as a superb organ.
|
del.icio.us
Digg it
Yahoo MyWeb
Stumble It!
