Take a Christmasy Trip to Austria

Austria is decked out for the holidays and a delightful place to visit in winter, especially in Vienna and Salzburg which are homes to gorgeous Christmas Markets. Both are where some of the world’s most beautiful music originated. During a river cruise on the Danube, we stopped in Melk, Vienna, and Salzberg.

Find a local guide in Austria, here.

For more details on our river cruise on the Danube, click on the links below: 

• Hungary Travel Photo Gallery
• Germany Travel Photo Gallery
• The Czech Republic Travel Photo Gallery
• AMAWaterways Travel Photo Gallery
• Christmas Markets

Traveling during the holidays is chilly but beautifully festive. All of the streets were decorated with beautiful lights and colorful trinkets. Vendors in rustic wooden booths or stalls sold decorations, roasted chestnuts, pastries, sweets, gluhwein (mulled wine), and every type of sausage available. It was a food fest and party all day and into the night.

Melk Abbey

The imposing Baroque-style Melk Abbey rises above the tiny town of Melk in Lower Austria. It is Benedictine and contains the tombs of several members of the House of Babenberg, which first ruled Austria. It was founded in 1089. The Abbey that stands today was completed in 1736. The Abbey survived dissolution by Emperor Joseph II in the late 1700s, the Napoleonic Wars, and the Anschluss of 1938. It is known as a center for Academia and is quite beautiful inside.

Vienna, Austria

I was stunned by the palatial beauty of this sterling city of music and wish we could have stayed longer to fully explore it. During the holidays, it’s especially spectacular.

Vienna has world-class dining, galleries, and concert venues.  It also has some of the most amazing Christmas Markets in Europe. We visited the Rathausplatz (City Hall) and the Schonbrunn Palace while we were there.

During January and February, you can partake in over 450 balls that take place in imperial palaces and venues. Did you know that the waltz was once considered to be scandalous? Now it’s the very definition of all things Vienna.

Click on the images below to view them FULL SIZE in a gallery.

Find the top things to do in Vienna here.

Salzburg, Austria

The hills are alive, with the sound of music . . .

Salzburg, known as “Rome of the North,”  is the birthplace of Mozart and is best known as where “The Sound of Music” was filmed. It’s a stunning little city filled with Baroque architecture, serene lakes, “hills are alive” mountains and there are quaint Alpine villages nearby.

If you like beer, the village has a 600-year tradition of beer brewing with over 19 craft beer breweries. It’s made with water that comes from the Untersberg Mountains which is said to have healing properties.

Many of the locals enjoy wearing traditional dress like Dirndl skirts and lederhosen. The Salzburg Festival celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2020 with music, opera, plays, and glamour. It attracts over 250,000 visitors a year.

Salzburg, Austria Travel Photo Gallery

Check out the top things to do in Salzburg here