I have just returned from a week long trip to Austria with my boyfriend, which was lovely – despite the initial disappoint due to the rain! I haven’t managed to get a natural tan to rival last years unfortunately (I was away for two months last year), however I had a great time and I thought I’d share a few photographs from the trip with you!
Although perhaps more so known as a winter tourist destination, Austria really is a lovely place for a holiday during the summer months, especially if you prefer a little more peace and quiet. I stayed in my boyfriends house in Klagenfurt, a city fairly near Salzburg and each day we rode the bus to the lake or to the city centre. Whether shopping’s your thing, or testing out the local cuisine – there’s plenty to explore in the city itself, although the restaurants are fairly pricey, so be prepared to spend 15 euros plus on a pizza.
We spent the majority of our time at one of the more commercial lakes (the Worthersee), which is rather busy throughout the season, but mainly full of locals. With it’s artificial beaches (not as great as the real thing, but you can still pick up a great tan) and it’s three stretching piers (also great for sunbathing), it’s the perfect place to relax, chill out – and grab a cocktail. The cafe on site is very expensive, so if you’re planning to spend the day there, I’d recommend taking a picnic to avoid being ripped off. Stop off in one of the supermarkets and pick up a turkey schnitzel burger for 3 euros – and a bottle of wine.
The city itself is really beautiful, and dare I say it – SO much cleaner than the cities and towns we are used to in the UK. They really look after their locals and their guests, which is lovely – and although it’s a little quieter in the evenings than your average tourist hot spot, it makes a nice change from we’re used too!
Best thing:
I love how friendly, peaceful and quiet the area is. Despite being a city, and offering (typically) what a city has to offer, it never seems crowded or too tourist consumed. Sometimes it’s nice just to get away and escape the hustle and bustle!
Worst thing:
You could take this as a good or bad thing really, but no-one really speaks English in the local area (well, at least they don’t give away that they do). It wasn’t a problem for us, as my boyfriend speaks German – but if you rely on your holiday destination to be English speaking, you may want to learn a few phases before you come here!
Dine at:
There are so many restaurants in the local area, it’s difficult to pick just one. There is a beautiful pizza place near the town hall which we couldn’t stay away from (I think we spent 3 out of 7 nights there!), however it is fairly pricey. A loyal favourite of everyone’s is the Augustine, again – based near the town hall – which specializes in local beers and cuisine. Start with the Frittatensuppe (the combination sounds weird, but it’s delicious), followed by the Schnitzel and finished with Kaiserschmarrn. You won’t be able to move, but you’ll definitely be satisfied!
For more information about the local area, visit this website.
