Austrian villages

April 18, 2008 4:52 PM

Pleasant towns in Austria?

In May we're spending a couple of days driving south through Austria from Salzburg, via Spittal an der Drau and Villach, into Italy. We're mainly sticking to the autobahn but enjoy the back roads.

Does anyone have suggestions for a couple of towns or villages along the way to break the journey? We're a couple, over 40, like old churches, the simple life, local cuisine, small places.

posted by TiredStarling to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

i've heard good things about fucking.
posted by dersins at 5:00 PM on April 18 [4 favorites]

Fuschl am See (not sure about the spelling) is a tiny town outside Salzburg... it's not the most exciting of towns, but it's very pretty and very typical-Austrian. And it has really pretty mountains surrounding it (sadly I don't have any pictures on this computer).

When I was there, it was march (break) and everything was pretty closed down, but by the looks of the town it's quite possible that it becomes more popular over the summer.
posted by Planet F at 5:09 PM on April 18

Hallstaat is very famous, and a must-see. It's a day trip from Salzburg but not really on the way to Italy. I've only done the route through Innsbruck, then to Bolzano, and through the Dolomites to Misurina. I would love to do the route you are taking (I'm guessing to Venice). Heading due west from Spittal an der Drau to Misurina might be a bit out of your way, but I think it would be the most beautiful journey imaginable. Here are some photos from our one night stay in Misurina.
posted by thomas144 at 5:22 PM on April 18

Pretty much all villages on the Worthersee (such as Maria Worth), with the possible exception of Klagenfurt which is a larger town, are small and pleasant lake resorts.

Hints on the Italian leg of your trip: leave the E55 Autobahn at the border and follow the italian SS13 which goes parallel to the highway. Wonderful landscapes in the valley of the Tagliamento river. Visit Venzone and/or Gemona del Friuli. Both small villages which were rebuilt after the 1977 eartquake.

Friuli hills are beautiful, enjoy your trip.
(Great food and wines, too, try San Daniele prosciutto, named after San Daniele del Friuli)
posted by _dario at 6:57 PM on April 18

You could drive through here in Innsbruck, as we are right above the Brenner Pass leading into Italy. There is a tiny town called Hall (not to be confused with Hallstatt) just outside the city which is very charming and only recently being discovered by tourists.

Innsbruck is pretty, too, and although it's the capital of the region, is relatively small and very walkable.

I can give you some more suggestions for towns close to Innsbruck, if you want to drop me a mefi mail.
posted by pumpkin11 at 1:22 AM on April 19

Krems was nice. Got drunk on a boat. It was a lovely day.
posted by gergtreble at 4:05 AM on April 20