Austria Off The Beaten Path – Zell Am See,
Innsbruck and Bad Gastein
by: Rick Chapo
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.
Innsbruck and Bad Gastein
by: Rick Chapo
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.
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